A Mended Man by Jaime Reese

Title: A Mended Man

Series: The Men of Halfway House #4

Author: Jaime Reese

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 28, 2016 
Photographer: wagnerLA Photography 
Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He's a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin.
Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he's worked so hard to build.
But Jessie can't do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan's ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together.
———
***This book contains scenes and subject matter some readers may find distressing.***
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Although part of a series, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

“This book is wonderful and beautifully worded. Jessie has a gift with words.” - Reader Review

“This story is not only an emotional roller coaster but it is full of action and mystery as well. There are several different stories all coming to a proverbial head in this book, and the outcome is excellent.” - Alpha Book Club

(This is taken from a scene between Aidan and Jessie.)

"You don't give up, do you?"

"Not when it comes to you. No."

"Jess, I'm not easy. I have more baggage than the underbelly of a cargo plane."

"Then I'll set my bags right next to yours."

He shook his head. No one had ever been this relentless to be with his miserable ass.

"I've got one last question for you," Jessie said.

Aidan turned his head slightly toward him but refused to make eye contact.

"Do you…" Jessie hesitated and rubbed his hands on his thighs again, revealing a hint of that introverted, vulnerable side others usually saw when they looked at him. "Do you want to be with me?"

Point-blank. That was the million-dollar question that determined how this conversation would end. Even if he did have enough energy to erect his shield, he couldn't lie to Jessie. He exhaled heavily. "More than anything."

"Then that settles it."

"Jess…it's not that easy."

"Don't make it harder."

Aidan sighed. "I'm not used to this," he said, gesturing between them with his hand.

"Talking or having a relationship?"

"Either. Both. Fuck if I know."

"Okay. Well, you've never had a problem talking to me before, so we'll work up to the big stuff. One detail a week. I'm not going to stress you out with a one-a-day quota. One detail we wouldn't share with anyone else."

One a week. Aidan forcefully rubbed his hands together. He could handle that. Maybe. Sorta.

"And as far as the whole relationship thing, I'm not an expert. But, we kinda already have something. Don't you think?" Jessie looked over to him with a hint of a smile playing in his expression, cocking his head.

He definitely wasn't an expert in relationships, but if Jessie thought this defined a relationship, then maybe he could totally handle this.

Jessie bumped his shoulder. "We're just missing out on all the fun stuff."

Aidan groaned. It drove him nuts when Jessie teased him.

"I'm not saying it'll be easy. I know…" Jessie hesitated and rubbed his thighs again. "I know we're both very different from each other and from what other people usually see when they look at us. But…I see you, not the guy you want everyone else to see. And you're worth it, Aidan. It bothers me that you don't recognize how amazing you are, but I'm willing to give this a shot. I just…I hope you think the same of me." He quieted for a few moments then subtly nodded, concluding some internal conversation. "You work at things so you can appreciate the success at the end."

Aidan shook his head and scoffed. Jessie and his inspirational poster lines…too fucking cute to deny. His ability to take a mountain and turn it into a few pellets of dust always amazed Aidan. Jessie was bossier than people could imagine and far more of a control freak than anyone suspected.

"Jess."

"Yeah?"

"You're totally worth it."

Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.

The Men of Halfway House A Better Man A Hunted Man A Restored Man A Mended Man …More to come…

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Leave a Mark by Stephanie Fournet

Title: Leave a Mark
Author: Stephanie Fournet
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Blue Tulip Publishing

She’s pierced, and dyed, and covered in tattoos—and she’s everything Dr. Lee Hawthorne wants.

Dyed, pierced, and covered in tattoos, Wren Blanchard is the exact opposite of everything Dr. Lee Hawthorne thought he wanted.

His residency is almost finished. With the perfect job, the beautiful house, and the polished girlfriend, he knows he should be happy, yet he isn’t.

But once Wren lands in his ER with her sharp tongue and artist’s soul, she leaves a mark on him that just won’t fade.

Wren knows the good doctor is way out of her league. To people like him, she’s a circus freak. Besides, she’s not the type to get hung up on guys, especially ones with midnight blue eyes—ones who know all about antiques, crack bad jokes, and love Joss Whedon.

No. She doesn’t need that.

After all, she has friends, a psychotic cat, and a promising career as one of the best tattoo artists in town. And it’s enough.

Really, it is.

Or it would be if Lee weren’t there every time she turned around.

One kiss seals their fate.

Their attraction is undeniable–but Wren’s past is full of ghosts. Is their bond strong enough for a solid future? Or will their new relationship crumble beneath the weight of all she carries?

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

This...just this!! Wow, I did not expect to affected so much by this read. It took me completely off guard with its seemingly feel good vibe but it has an emotive and raw undercurrent that left me in bits.

Lee and Wren's paths would never have crossed being polar opposites in the social sphere and appearance, except for the illness that brought Wren to Lee's hospital needing emergency treatment. Tattoo artist Wren wears her past on her body while Dr Lee's upbringing means he is reluctant to go outside the norm but the attraction between them is off the charts.

What mad me fall in love with this book was that Lee completely and utterly saw Wren and understood her, knowing what she needs. Wren's body art is more than just self-expression. It is an attempt to keep the world from getting too close to her and, in a way, hiding from her own past. Lee's compassion, insight and patience are just what Wren needs if she will let him in.

I loved, loved, loved this book and it put me through the emotional wringer but it was so worth it. Every woman needs and deserves a Lee in their lives - where can I find one!?! I can guarantee that I will be returning to this book again and again.

Wren seethed.

A part of her had been secretly elated to see him again after their morning encounter. This wasn’t an accident. He’d come to her.

But the other part told her she’d be a fool to trust him. He might, indeed, have ended things with Marcelle, but once a cheater, always a cheater. And even if it had just been one kiss, Lee Hawthorne was bad for her. It had been so hard to walk away from him just a few hours ago. And she barely knew him. What would happen if she let him in?

“Well? What do you want?” she snapped, glad that her resentment sounded convincing.

Lee blinked, and Wren held her breath, hoping that the question would be enough to call his bluff. Nobody as buttoned-up as Lee came in and got tattooed on a whim. She crossed her arms and waited, giving him a look of supreme impatience. He’d call it off. She knew he’d call it off.

If he goes through with it, I’ll give him my number.

The moment she placed this bet with herself, Lee reached into his back pocket and drew out his wallet.

“I know what I want.” He opened the brown leather wallet and pulled out an antique brass skeleton key.

“What’s that for?” Wren asked, completely surprised.

One side of Lee’s mouth turned up, but the corners of his eyes angled down just a little. “It was my mother’s.”

She stopped her line of questions right there. The look in his eyes had the power to melt her defenses. It was so far from the cocksure grin he’d worn when he’d declared she’d kissed him back or the amused smile that sat on his lips whenever he was laughing at her. This look was innocent. This was the look of a boy.

Without a word, she held out her hand for the key, and Lee placed it on her palm. It was short, perhaps three inches long with a decorative head and a bit that was notched in the shape of a cross. The head bore three perfect circles just above the shaft with kidney-shaped loops on either side. She could only guess at its age, but it was beautiful, and she knew inherently that the piece it opened had to be beautiful, too.

Wren steeled herself. She could do this. She could let him make his play and be the professional she always was. The key was cool, and it would make a kickass tattoo. And that would give her confidence.

“You want it life-sized?” She glanced back up at him, all business.

He considered the key a moment. “Yes. Just like that.”

“Color or true black?”

Lee’s eyebrows drew together. “What do you think?”

Wren turned the key over in her hand. It was tarnished in places and buffed into a high shine in others.

“If you want it to look just like this, I could do mustard for the brass and platinum for the shadows. And a thin outline in black, of course.”

The left side of Lee’s mouth curled in a grin again, and his eyes danced. “Yeah, that’ll work.”

Wren pulled her eyes away. “Lemme make a copy of this to use as a stencil.” She turned and ducked into Rocky’s office without another word and took her time centering the key on the thermal copier’s glass and loading the feed tray with a sheet of transfer paper. Wren wasn’t about to take any chances with the perfect lines of the key’s shaft and bit. The overhead light in the office was off, and the space was a little cooler, so she drew in a slow breath to calm herself.

When she returned with key and stencil in hand, Lee had sat himself on the end of her table, and Rocky was finishing up with Dallas.

“Okay, doc, where do you want it?” she asked, sounding as detached as she could.

Lee’s eyes narrowed slightly on hers, and he drew a finger up to his chest. “Right here.” His fingertip brushed across his left pec, and Wren had to shift the weight on her feet and concentrate on keeping her expression even. She moved past him and raised the head of her table just a little.

“Okay,” she breathed. “Shirt and tie off. Lie back on the table.”

She turned away to her ink cart and felt her face heat when she heard the whir of silk on silk as he pulled open his tie. She busied herself setting up a fresh razor, her green soap, her alcohol wipes, and gauze. With her sterile scissors, she cut around the stencil and set it aside. Wren laid out two sterile grips, her liner and shader tips, and got her colors ready.

Knowing he’d be shirtless, Wren schooled a bored look on her features before she turned. She met his eyes first, and it would have helped if he’d looked back at her with that smug grin. Feeling pissy was a good defense, and his grin pissed her the hell off.

But the look he gave her was far from it. He lay back, watching her with a mix of wonder and… What was it? Hope? Whatever it was, it made her cheeks burn again.

Okay, so this may be the most unusual playlist ever assembled. This is largely due to the fact that Dr. Lee Hawthorne has both a jukebox and a sense of humor, so why can’t we mix Simon and Garfunkel with a little Pitbull? The Wurlitzer, naturally, only holds 45s, so most of the songs that come up in the novel are much older than Lee and Wren, but I can see Wren punching “Under Pressure” and Lee following with the confidence of Sam and Dave and whimsy of The Police. Lee and Wren both love antiques, after all, so why wouldn’t they share a love of old music? And with as many self-doubts as Wren carries, who else but Hozier would she have on her playlist? The list ends with Diana Krall’s version of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” for obvious reasons. (Make sure you read the Epilogue.)

Stephanie Fournet, author of Fall Semester, Legacy, Butterfly Ginger, and Leave a Mark, lives in Lafayette, Louisiana—not far from the Saint Streets where her novels are set. She shares her home with her husband John and her daughter Hannah, their needy dogs Gladys and Mabel, and an immortal blue finch named Baby Blue. When she isn’t writing romance novels, she is usually helping students get into college or running.  She loves hearing from fans, so look for her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and stephaniefournet.com.

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Getting Him Off Series by C.R. Lemons

Series: Getting Him Off

Novels: Getting Him Off Quickly, Getting Him Off Secretly, and Getting Him Off Completely

Author: C.R. Lemons

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: Available Now

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Investigative Paralegal Daisy Sinclair works alongside her boyfriend Criminal Defense Investigator Warren Cole to solve a complex murder case when they find themselves defending a dear friend and co-worker. The case has them collaborating with local law enforcement and going undercover in a notorious outlaw motorcycle club while her personal life has her planning her best friend’s wedding as the maid of honor. Daisy finds herself in two completely different roles as she juggles both assignments. However, when crime scene evidence leads her to the wedding venue these roles warp her into an Investigative Paralegal Maid of Honor Extraordinaire and no suspect or wedding guest will be crossed off the list until thoroughly cleared.

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"This book had me guessing the whole time. I loved reading the book and working out the case in my mind as it was pieced together in the story." - 5 Star Reader Review, Getting Him Off Secretly, Book 2 

 

"C.R. Lemons has done it again with her creative, erotic and above average mind. She knows what her readers want to see and how she wants her characters to appear. [...] C.R. Lemons is a highly recommended author and I wouldn't change anything about her style of writing." - Reader Review, Getting Him Off Completely, Book 3

“I have such an active imagination and I truly enjoy transcribing it into words. As I am writing, the people, places, and things come to life before me and I completely lose myself. Writing is my meditation. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Thank you and happy reading.” After receiving a degree in paralegal studies, C. R. Lemons was a paralegal for many years until deciding on a career change of currently managing her award-winning, family-owned business. As a child, she would sneak her mom’s romance novels and lose herself in them. She always had an active imagination and dreamt of sharing it through writing. This dream finally came true with her Getting Him Off Series... Getting Him Off Quickly (Book 1), Getting Him Off Secretly (Book 2) & Getting Him Off Completely (Book 3) along with her naughty poetry musings... Naughtiness is Contagious, An Orgy of Erotic Poetry. As an erotic thriller novelist, C. R. Lemons is a self-proclaimed occasional naughty poet. Her love of writing started through poetry in her teens. She was recently inspired to start writing poetry again and found a talent in the erotica. C. R. Lemons is a native Texan who enjoys her coffee strong, her music rockin’ and her life full of laughter.

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