The Fine Art of Pretending Release Day Launch

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch of Rachel Harris' THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING! THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING is the first book in Rachel's The Fine Art of Pretending Series published by Spencer Hill Contemporary.

Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon | Amazon UK | IndieBound

THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Synopsis:

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

EXCERPT:

An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy.
Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight.
When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart.
Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently.
He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back.
Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience.
And that I’m kissing Brandon.
We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes.
That was unexpected.

About Rachel Harris:

Award-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Goodreads

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Ice Massacre Book Blitz: Excerpt and Giveaway

Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner

Publication date: September 18th 2014

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

A mermaid’s supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.

The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.

Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.

For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

Purchase:

FREE during the blitz!

--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Massacre-Tiana-Warner-ebook/dp/B00NHCF4CM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411652270&sr=8-1&keywords=ice+massacre

Excerpt :

Somewhere on the Pacific Ocean

The young man aimed his crossbow at the water, ready to fire a bolt of solid iron at the first glimpse of flesh beneath the surface.

“Sir,” he said, “shouldn’t we have seen one by now?

”The captain turned his back to the salty wind, jaw tight. “They know we’re here.”

“So what are they doing?”

He followed the captain’s gaze. Blackness merged with the empty grey horizon in every direction. A long silence passed, filled only by gentle swells lapping against the ship.

The captain drew his own crossbow.

“Forming a plan.” 

All twenty men aboard the ship readied their weapons, reacting in a chain until the last man at the stern took steady aim at the waves. 

“Make ready your iron, men,” shouted the captain. “We have ripples approaching off the port side.” 

A handful of places in the water puckered, as if something lingered just below the surface. The sea was too black to tell. 

Then it happened. Fifty, maybe sixty sea demons burst from the water and slammed against the ship. The men wasted no time. They reacted with trained speed and agility as the demons thrust stones and jagged shells into the wood, both to break holes in the ship and to scale the sides. The men picked them off with bolts of iron and watched them fall one by one back into the sea. 

But they were outnumbered. Soon the demons were upon the ship, pulling themselves across the deck with bony arms. 

The young man had already shot a dozen and the water reddened with each passing second. 

Slow scraping sounds threatened him from behind. He whirled around, crossbow ready. Burning eyes met his, and sharp teeth, bared to rip into his flesh. He gripped the trigger, felt the bow tighten—And the demon was gone. The young man stared into the wide gaze of a girl his own age. With a startled cry, he jerked his aim so the bolt barely missed her. 

She held a black shell in her hand, sharp at the edges and ready to use as a club.  

But she didn’t raise it.  

She just looked at him.He lowered his crossbow. 

Her blonde hair fell heavily over her shoulders, dripping beads of water down her naked chest and stomach, pooling where her torso joined her tail. 

He blinked, but made no other motion—where her torso joined her tail. Scales faded into flesh like some sort of beautiful, green and tan sunset.She pulled herself closer. 

“Stay back,” said the young man, unsure what prompted him to hesitate. 

He looked into her eyes—emeralds surrounded by pearl white—where moments ago they had burned red. Her sharp teeth had retracted behind rosy lips. The seaweed-coloured flesh of her upper body was now olive and raised with goose bumps from the icy wind. 

“Hanu aii,” she whispered. Do not fear. She spoke his language. 

He loosened his grip on the crossbow, studying her. She lifted a frail arm and pushed the hair from her eyes, then motioned him forwards. 

His pulse quickened as he stared at the beautiful girl. 

“Hanu aii,” she said again, her voice resonating sweetly, as if she sang without singing.Suddenly, he was kneeling in front of her, level with her luminous eyes. The sounds around him faded but for the soft purr in the base of her throat. 

She reached up and held an icy hand to his cheek, not for a moment breaking eye contact. The hand slid behind his head and pulled his face towards hers, slowly but firmly. He inhaled her sweet breath. 

“No!” 

He flinched. He turned to see the captain racing towards them, aiming his crossbow at the maiden. 

The young man grasped the scene around him. The ship was empty. A few stray weapons and barrels bobbed serenely in the water. Blood soaked the deck in places, and even the main mast had a splatter across the bottom. 

The captain fired wide. Before he could reload and aim again, the sea demon put a hand on the young man’s chin and pulled his gaze back to hers. 

Her eyes blazed red. Her skin rippled into the rotten colour of seaweed. Her ears grew pointed and long like sprouting coral. She opened her mouth to reveal a row of deadly teeth. 

The young man screamed. 

The demon pulled him against her with more strength than three men combined, and they dove headfirst off the side of the ship. 

They disappeared into the blood-red water.

AUTHOR BIO

Tiana Warner was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. She enjoys riding her horse, Bailey, and collecting tea cups.

Author links:

http://www.tianawarner.com/

https://twitter.com/tianawarner

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5825979.Tiana_Warner

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

--Signed copy of Ice Massacre

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: HERE WITH ME by Heidi McLaughlin

Today we are revealing the cover of the novel HERE WITH ME by New York Times Bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin. The book will be released on Thursday, October 23rd.

Synopsis for HERE WITH ME:

 Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive... until Evan's twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.

After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable - the love of his life, Ryley Clarke - engaged to his brother, Nate. With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18948703-here-with-me

GIVEAWAY: 

Win a $20 Gift Card and a signed paperback of HERE WITH ME. US only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR INFORMATION

BIO:

Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.

During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she's writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.

Author Links:

Website: http://heidimclaughlin.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeidiMcLaughlinAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiJoVT

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568302.Heidi_McLaughlin

LOVING EDEN RELEASE DAY LAUNCH

Today is the release day for LOVING EDEN by T.A. Foster! Be sure to check out the contest below for a chance to win some fabulous books!

LOVING EDEN BLURB:

Have you ever thought of packing up everything you own and moving halfway across the country?

I’m talking about leaving your entire life behind—friends, family, school—with no turning back. No? Me either, but that was before a week of spring break changed my life forever. Before I did something I never thought I’d do at twenty-two. Before I fell in love with Grey.

Sometimes happily ever after isn’t always what you think it will be.

LOVING EDEN BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1rn2neO
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1un5YvK
B&N: http://bit.ly/1spvrF2

Previous book in the series.

KISSING EDEN - AVAILABLE NOW!

Purchase KISSING EDEN from...
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hCXkkv
B&N: http://bit.ly/NKhAGi
Smashworks: http://bit.ly/1dcvQB5
iTunes: http://bit.ly/Y9509p

GIVEAWAY: 

Win a book prize pack (ebooks). International 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


T.A. Foster's Bio:

T.A. Foster met, fell in love with, and married her own Marine fighter pilot. Through deployments, trainings, and sometimes living oceans apart, their own love story continues every day.

She grew up catching rays and waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her husband, two children, and two canine kiddos.

T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip.

Author Links:
Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster

Wishful Thinking by Elle Jefferson Book Blitz: Guest Post & Giveaway

Wishful Thinking by Elle Jefferson

Publication date: September 23rd 2014

Genres: Suspense, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Seventeen year old James Castle Jr. has rugby to deal with the pressures of high school. Fights with his girlfriend, his dad’s constant blame game and graduation anxieties all work out on the field. Every pass, tackle and scrum works out a kink.

That is until rugby gets suspended.

Without rugby as an outlet he has no idea how to deal with stress or the feelings of fear plaguing him since the break-in at home. James walked in on a burglar who knocked him out and left him with a concussion.  Now, James keeps seeing a little girl with pigtails everywhere. Great, he can add delusional to the list of shit he can’t deal with.

What makes the situation weirder, if that’s possible, is this little girl looks a lot like the new girl at his school, Claudia.

He can’t explain the connection he feels to Claudia, it’s not lust or friendship even, but it’s there.

Everything ties to one event; a hit and run accident he was the victim of fourteen years ago. An accident he doesn’t remember. An accident his father never told him about. An accident that wasn’t in fact an accident. It seems someone from his father’s past is hellbent on revenge and this time they plan to make sure James is dead. James will have to remember the past or else be caught in a killer’s crosshairs.

***Parents strongly cautioned due to minor drug use, underage drinking, sex and foul language***

Purchase:

Will be found here come release day: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Wishful%20Thinking%20Elle%20Jefferson

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway

--A signed paperback of Wishful Thinking

--$10 Amazon GC

--Swag

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post:

Did you know that my life as a writer started when I was pregnant with my second child? I had just finished my fifth or sixth read through of Harry Potter and was left going "now what?" And thus I started writing. In the beginning I started reading all the books I could find on writing ... on editing ... on plots ... on characters ... on grammar. I took classes, mostly online, and then I plunged head-first into the world of writing. It was in the seas of writing while trying to tread water but mostly drowning that I learned of a forum. It was a magical forum where other wannabe writers talked, shared, laughed and mostly gave each other encouragement (I also happened to meet Colleen Hoover there long before Slammed became a NY Times bestseller).

 It was through this forum that I met some amazing people and five particular women who became my betas. Later they became my sounding boards and then even later became my everything in the writing world.  So without further ado, here is my post on writing.

 1. What am I currently working on?

 As of today I'm working on book three in my vampire series ADIB. It's the final book and ties up everything and it's making me a total mess. To say "no pressure" is a lie. There's so much pressure that yesterday after I took a shower and went to clean my ears I actually saw some of my brain oozing out. Have you ever tickled your brain through your ear with a q-tip? Needless to say I looked like a dog whose owner had found her favorite scratching spot. But on a more serious note I love this series and want the final book to blow the other two out of the water.

 2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? 

 You got me. I'm still working on figuring out genres. Books never fit neatly into a box, although you'd think they would since they're rectangular, but whatever. I do know that my books no matter what level i.e YA, NA, or Adult (yes I'm a genre hopper so sue me) always have a hint of the paranormal. I also like my characters to be diverse  which is a trend I'm seeing more and more in books and it makes me happy.  Since I can only be me it's awesome to read books where the MC is different from me. Either by sex, race, religion or even sexual orientation, I love it!! Diversity in books? One word, WONDERFUL.

  3. Why do I write what I do?

I will say no matter what I write, whether it be paranormal, or sciency (so not a word but should be) there is always a romance. You ask why and I'll tell you why, because I'm a romantic, because I'm in love with love. Personally, I don't believe there is nothing more powerful or more beautiful than two people falling in love. Probably makes me terribly sappy but I can't help it I love love man!! I totally just sounded like an aging hippie.

 4. How does your writing process work? 

 Okay here's a visual to end all visuals, picture a monkey. Are you picturing it? Is he skinny? Hairy? Maybe has a bald butt? Okay, now that you have your monkey I want you to imagine said monkey picking up a pile of his poo and flinging it at the wall. Can you see it? Is it making you laugh? Because it's totally making me laugh. You and your monkey just hanging out flinging poo. HAHAHAHA!!! Well that's me only instead of poo its words and I fling them and some stick and are actually pretty good, but some? Man some stink.

Keep your eyes out because I have lots more stories brewing in my head. Thanks for reading. 

Elle

AUTHOR BIO

Elle Jefferson lives up in northern Arizona with her two beautiful sons, wonderful husband and her German Shepard Dorrie. When she's not reading or writing she's painting or enjoying the great outdoors.
Look for the final installment in the ADIB series in October '14

Connect with her at
http://ellejefferson.blogspot.com
or www.facebook.com/ElleJeffersonAuthor.com
twitter @oohlalakrysa

Waiting on Wednesday: Always on My Mind by Susan May Warren

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine to show upcoming releases that we can't wait to read (aka going crazy waiting for). This weeks book is:

Always on My Mind (Christiansen Family #4) by Susan May Warren
Expected publication: February 1st 2015 by Tyndale House Publishers
Paperback, 400 pages

(Goodreads Synopsis) After a failed dig in Honduras, aspiring archaeologist Casper Christiansen heads home to Minnesota to face his unresolved feelings for Raina Beaumont, the woman of his dreams. But when he arrives unannounced on her doorstep, he receives the shock of a lifetime: Raina is pregnant with someone else’s baby.
Heartbroken, especially when he discovers the identity of the baby’s father, Casper tables his dreams and determines to be dependable for once, helping his older brother, Darek, prepare the family resort for its grand reopening. Casper longs to be the hero of at least one family story, but a never-ending Deep Haven winter and costly repairs threaten their efforts—and the future of the resort.
Worse, one of Casper’s new jobs constantly brings him into contact with Raina, whom he can’t seem to forget. A tentative friendship begins to heal fresh wounds, but can they possibly overcome past mistakes and current choices to discover a future together?

I am so in love with this series. I know a lot of people get turned off by Christian books but this series is so real. The love stories are fantastic and play out in ways that feel like its something that could really happen to any of us. Even the Christian aspect is so real and raw. They all show the real struggles everyone faces from not believe to struggling to hold onto their faith. Can't wait to read this!!

What are you "waiting on"?

Cover Reveal: Fractured Lines by Jen McLaughlin & Giveaway

Today we are revealing the cover for FRACTURED LINES by Jen McLaughlin. This is the highly-anticipated adult standalone novel that is part of the New York Times Bestselling OUT OF LINE series. The book will be released on Tuesday, October 14th.

BOOK BLURB:

The lines we once crossed so easily have widened and torn us apart...

Once upon a time I thought Finn and I would live happily ever after, but real life doesn't always have a happy ending. He's testing my trust, and I'm losing faith in the man I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with, and there’s nothing I do can stop it. He’s the one I trusted to keep me safe, but now he’s the source of my greatest pain...

Forgiveness is fragile, and some fractures never fully heal...

One mistake—a slip in a moment of weakness—might cost me everything I've worked so hard for. The thing about trust is that it's a lot easier to lose than it is to build. Just as I'm about to give up and surrender to the demons from my past, an unexpected threat reminds me what I'm best at: protecting the woman I love. Whether or not she wants me, I will fight for Carrie and our daughter, and I will keep them safe—no matter the cost.

Even if I have to put my life and my heart on the line.

PRE-ORDER SALE

FRACTURED LINES is now up for pre-order on amazon! If you purchase the book before its release day it will be just .99 cents! This is for pre-orders only! Grab it while it's on sale.

Amazon Pre-order Link: http://amzn.to/1r4c81A

SPECIAL GOODREADS CONTENT:

Add FRACTURED LINES to Goodreads and help release the first pages of the book!

- Once the book gets 500 adds, Jen will release the first 5 pages.

- Once the book gets 1000 adds, Jen will release the first 10 pages.

CLICK HERE TO ADD FRACTURED LINES TO GOODREADS

 GIVEAWAY: 

Enter to win an ebook set of the OUT OF LINE Series! International. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 Author Information

Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists.

She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.



Website: http://dianealberts.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

Waiting on Wednesday: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine to show upcoming releases that we can't wait to read (aka going crazy waiting for). This weeks book is:

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Expected publication: October 7th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Hardcover, 400 pages

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late. 

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage. 

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target. 

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally? 

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…

I normally don't like these kinds of books that make me fee like I'm going to have a heart attack but this one sounds pretty darn good. Plus check out the trailer!

What are you "waiting on"?

Loving Eden by T. A. Foster Bonus Material Reveal!

Today is the bonus scene reveal for LOVING EDEN, the sequel to KISSING EDEN by T.A. Foster! This is a New Adult contemporary romance. This title will be released on September 25th.

Be sure to ADD IT TO GOODREADS

BOOK SUMMARY:

Have you ever thought of packing up everything you own and moving halfway across the country?I’m talking about leaving your entire life behind—friends, family, school—with no turning back. No? Me either, but that was before a week of spring break changed my life forever. Before I did something I never thought I’d do at twenty-two. Before I fell in love with Grey.

Sometimes happily ever after isn’t always what you think it will be.

CHAPTER ONE

GREY

Room twenty-four. I looked at it one last time. The day I moved in here wasn’t a happy day. Pops had died, left me the Palm Palace, and I didn’t have anywhere else on the island to stay. Somehow it became home. A small, one room spot by the ocean had become home.

There wasn’t much to pack: work clothes, a few tools, my boots. I had already hauled most of it next door, but there were still a few boxes in storage. I would try to get those before Eden arrived. I looked at my phone. She should be here in four or five hours.

I shook my head. I hated the idea that she was on the road by herself. She was stubborn. I knew that the first minute I laid eyes on her, but this was crazier than hell.

Driving all the way from Chapel Hill to Padre was damn near reckless, but I couldn’t talk her out of it. She said it had something to do with proving that she was moving for the right reasons. If it meant that much to her I knew better than to stand in her way.

I pulled the door behind me and turned the heavy brass key in the lock to secure the room. Maybe one day I’d be able to afford those fancy keyless entries, but that was far off. I was lucky the Palm was still open. It had been a rough year trying to keep it afloat, but Eden breezed in here and showed me what was possible. She had all kinds of creative ideas about marketing, advertising, and services we could add. It was one of the things I loved about her—she saw past the peeling paint and the rusty doorknobs.

She saw the Palm the same way I did and she loved it. She loved every last pink and blue tile, the way the boardwalk creaked when you walked on it, and how we probably had the only pool on the island without a diving board. That girl was something else.

I didn’t take it lightly that we were moving in together. Who could? Last time I tried this Laura and I barely left on speaking terms. But that was different. That was Laura and her obsession with med school. This was Eden and everything about her made me realize it was the right decision. Sure I was nervous, but I’d never tell her that. I didn’t want things with us to end up like they did the last time I gave this a shot. I was going to make sure it wouldn’t.

That’s why I had to surprise her with the beach cottage. I couldn’t let her move all the way here and start off in room twenty-four. We’d probably get on each other’s nerves faster than the tide changed on the beach, but besides that I wanted her to know I took this seriously. The blue house next door meant something. It wasn’t a cramped shoebox where we’d have to split a closet and a dresser combo. It was a place that could be ours, a place we could work on together, and a place where we could figure out the future.

I shoved the key in my pocket. I had to get it back to the office. My phone rang.

“Hey, Marin. What’s up?”

“I just talked to Eden. She’s in Louisiana.”

“You didn’t ruin the surprise did you?” I had trusted everyone on the island with the beach house secret, but deep down knew someone would let it slip. Things had a way of getting out around here.

Marin laughed. “No, she has no idea. She thinks you are bunking up in that cute little room of yours at the Palm.”

“Thanks, girl. Did she sound ok? I’m trying not to bug her.” What I really wanted to do was call her every hour and find out where she was, but that would contradict her plan. I managed to respect it since she got on the road.

“She sounded like a girl who can’t wait to see you. I’ll let you know when she get’s to the bridge, ok?”

“Alright. Thanks. I appreciate you checking up on her for me. I don’t want her to think I don’t think she can handle it.” I opened the door to the stuffy office.

“She can handle it. Don’t worry about her, Grey. She’ll be here tonight. Call you later.”

“Thanks.”

Marin hung up and I tossed my phone on the cart. I had a few rooms to check before I made my way to the cottage to get things set up. Eden would be here tonight. This would be her office. I was handing over the books, the reservations, and all of the marketing to her. It was probably a bigger step than sharing a bathroom, but I knew I didn’t trust anyone else with Pop’s legacy like I trusted Eden.

As I shoved the cart out of the back door, I heard the wind kick up on the beach. Eden and I were moving in together. I knew after tonight my life would never be the same, and there was no turning back. Good thing I didn’t want to.

-----------------

Previous book in the series.

KISSING EDEN - AVAILABLE NOW!

Purchase KISSING EDEN from...

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hCXkkv

B&N: http://bit.ly/NKhAGi

Smashworks: http://bit.ly/1dcvQB5

iTunes: http://bit.ly/Y9509p

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

T.A. Foster's Bio:

T.A. Foster once spent a monthlong spring break on South Padre Island, where she soaked in the Texas sun, beach, and learned what real Texas country music is.

Sometimes fiction does spring from reality.

She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children, and two canine kiddos.

T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip.

Author Links:

Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster