Blog Tour Book Review: How To Disappear by Ann Redisch Stampler

This electric cross-country thriller follows the game of cat and mouse between a girl on the run from a murder she witnessed—or committed?—and the boy who’s sent to kill her.

Nicolette Holland is the girl everyone likes. Up for adventure. Loyal to a fault. And she’s pretty sure she can get away with anything...until a young woman is brutally murdered in the woods near Nicolette’s house. Which is why she has to disappear.

Jack Manx has always been the stand-up guy with the killer last name. But straight A’s and athletic trophies can’t make people forget that his father was a hit man and his brother is doing time for armed assault. Just when Jack is about to graduate from his Las Vegas high school and head east for college, his brother pulls him into the family business with inescapable instructions: find this ruthless Nicolette Holland and get rid of her. Or else Jack and everyone he loves will pay the price.

As Nicolette and Jack race to outsmart each other, tensions—and attractions—run high. Told in alternating voices, this tightly plotted mystery and tense love story challenges our assumptions about right and wrong, guilt and innocence, truth and lies.

“What a thrill ride! How to Disappear will suck you in from the very first page and never let you come up for air. It’s a game of cat and mouse with an end that will leave you gasping.”
— April Henry, bestselling author of The Girl I Used to Be

“A deliciously gritty dive into the dark side of human nature! This book pretty much defines #MorallyComplicatedYA in a beautifully-written but fast-paced read that’s both twisted and thought-provoking.”
— Martina Boone, award-winning author of the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review (mucho thanks S&S)*

It started with a murder and leads to a cat and mouse chase. Nicolette is the typical high school girl. Lots of friends and super popular among the student body. One day a young woman is murdered by her house, which prompts her to go on the run. Because she knows too much? Or because she was a party to the murder itself? Nicolette runs away from home and is on the run. Paranoia rules her mind and actions. (Girl, don’t you know that running from the scene of the crime is practically an admission of guilt?) It turns out her paranoia is not unfounded. Jack Manx is from a family with a close association with murder and crime. His brother Don (currently serving time in prison) gives him the task of hunting Nicolette down and silencing her. Supposedly Nicolette killed a friend of theirs (Connie) and might know a little too much about something that the mafia don’t want anyone else knowing. (okay….) Jack is certainly not in a hurry to accept such a job; seeing as he is trying to be on the straight and narrow, but when his family is threatened, he has no choice. The alternating POVs give the reader a better understanding of what is going on in Nicolette and Jack’s minds. While I do applaud Stampler’s overall story, I did take away half a star for the underlying romantic theme. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a romantic, but why would you fall for a girl who supposedly killed a friend of yours? And why would a girl fall for her would-be killer? Granted both Nicolette and Jack come from semi-broken homes and starved for love and attention, but seriously? That was just too much. Overall, I did enjoy this book. I enjoyed the psychological aspects of this book immensely. How far are you willing to go for the ones you love? When it comes down to your own survival, are you willing to kill? Kudos, Ann. 

4.5 stars!

"A high-intensity, cross-country thrill ride that will have you breathlessly turning pages until the very end." 

— Gretchen McNeil, award-winning author of Ten and the Don't Get Mad series)

Author Bio

Ann Redisch Stampler is the author of the young adult novels Afterparty and Where It Began as well as half a dozen picture books. Her work has garnered an Aesop accolade, the National Jewish Book Award, Sydney Taylor honors, the Middle East Book Award, and Bank Street Best Books of the Year mentions. How to Disappear (Simon Pulse, 2016), her first young adult thriller, will be released on June 14, 2016. Ann lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband Rick.

Connect with Ann!

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Pre-order Giveaway

Order a signed copy of HOW TO DISAPPEAR before June 14th, 2016 and you’ll receive a swag pack with your book order.

With your signed book, you’ll receive a bookmark; the tiny flashlight from Nicolette’s escape kit; Nicolette Holland and Cat Davis’ (fake!!!) ID's; and one skeleton key in a pretty tulle bag (there are lots of different kinds of keys) that Nicolette used to unlock the doors at the Bluebonnet.

To receive your swag, order your copy of HOW TO DISAPPEAR online at shoponceuponatime.com and in the Order Comments field, enter a name if you would like to have the autograph personalized, or "signature only" if no name is required.

If you pre-order an electronic copy of HOW TO DISAPPEAR, forward your receipt or proof of purchase to HowToDisappearBook@gmail.com with the name & address where you’d like your goodies sent.

Offer valid in the only in the United States. 

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Release Day Blitz: Mister O by Lauren Blakely

Lauren Blakely's MISTER O is here for all of your reading pleasure! MISTER O is a standalone, sexy romantic comedy, including a forbidden romance, told from the male POV. You met Nick in Lauren’s BIG ROCK, and he’ll keep you up long into the night as you turn the pages of MISTER O.

"This book is an absolute gem! Nick is so freaking SEXY! And funny! And adorable in the HOTTEST way!!!" - NYT Bestselling Author Emma Chase

"This was absolutely brilliant! Full of sex, sarcasm, and shenanigans, Lauren Blakely, once again, brings me to my knees in her romantic comedy!"
 - Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads

✮✮✮MISTER O will be available on Kindle on release day May 2!✮✮✮

Just call me Mister O. Because YOUR pleasure is my super power.

Making a woman feel 'oh-god-that's-good' is the name of the game, and if a man can't get the job done, he should get the hell out of the bedroom. I'm talking toe-curling, mind-blowing, sheet-grabbing ecstasy. Like I provide every time.
I suppose that makes me a superhero of pleasure, and my mission is to always deliver.
But then I'm thrown for a loop when a certain woman asks me to teach her everything about how to win a man. The only problem? She's my best friend's sister, but she's far too tempting to resist--especially when I learn that sweet, sexy Harper has a dirty mind too and wants to put it to good use. What could possibly go wrong as I give the woman I've secretly wanted some no-strings-attached lessons in seduction?
No one will know, even if we send a few dirty sexts. Okay, a few hundred. Or if the zipper on her dress gets stuck. Not on that! Or if she gives me those f*&k-me-eyes on the train in front of her whole family.
The trouble is the more nights I spend with her in bed, the more days I want to spend with her out of bed. And for the first time ever, I'm not only thinking about how to make a woman cry out in pleasure --I'm thinking about how to keep her in my arms for a long time to come.

Looks like the real Adventures of Mister Orgasm have only just begun....

**MISTER O is a standalone romantic comedy and it follows supporting characters first introduced in BIG ROCK**

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"A sexy, delicious, toe-curlingly good time!"
- NYT Bestselling Author Marie Force

Excerpt

PROLOGUE

Ask me my three favorite things and the answers are so easy they roll off my tongue. Hitting a homerun for my softball league, drawing a killer cartoon panel, and, oh yeah, making a woman come so hard she sees stars.

            Not gonna lie. That last one is my favorite, by about a mile. Giving a woman a sheet-grabbing, toe-curling, mind-blowing orgasm is pretty much the Best Thing Ever.

            A woman’s climax is like summer break, Christmas morning, and a vacation in Fiji all rolled together in one fantastic package of window-shattering bliss.

            Hell, if we could harness the beauty and energy from women coming, we could probably power cities, solve global warming, fix every problem known to man. The female orgasm is basically the manifestation of everything good in the world.

            Especially when I deliver them, and I’ve given thousands upon thousands. I’m like a superhero of pleasure, a good-deed doer, the once-upon-a-geek-now-a-stud, and my mission is to dispense as many climaxes to my lovers as possible.

            How have I managed to achieve this amazing feat? Simple. I’m both a student and a master of the art of giving Os. I consider myself an expert because — in the interest of full disclosure here — I’m completely, 100% obsessed with a woman’s enjoyment between the sheets. Getting her off is the name of the game, and if you can’t get that job done, you should get the hell out of the bedroom.

            But, hey, I’m also humble enough to admit I’m still a learner.

            Since there is always something new to discover with a woman.

            Does she want it soft, hard, fast, light, rough? Does she like it with teeth, toys, my cock, my tongue, my fingers? Would she want a little something extra, like a feather, a vibrator, or some sort of fantastic combination of all of the above? Every woman is different and every path to her pleasure is its own erotic journey with so many fantastic stops to make along the way.

            I take mental notes, study her cues, and always get out and do the field work.

            I suppose that makes me the Magellan of the female orgasm. A true explorer, venturing forth, fearless and ready at any moment, to map the terrain of her pleasure until she cries out in rapture.

            Fine, some might say I have an addiction.

            But really, is it a bad thing that I love to make the woman I’m with feel good? If that makes me a guy with a one-track mind, then I’m guilty as fucking charged. I’ll freely admit that when I meet a woman I’m into, I’m picturing in seconds what she looks like coming, how she sounds, how I want to send her soaring.

            The trouble is, there’s one woman I just can’t go there with, even though lately my brain desperately wants to figure out how to drive her wild. It’s been an epic battle, and I’ve had to keep her in a special drawer, locked, sealed and key thrown away because she is the definition of hands off.

            Which sucks royally because she’s about to make things even harder with the words that come out of her mouth.

"Nick is hilarious, sexy, passionate, sweet, and knows that cake is very important to a woman's heart and soul. Together, their banter is refreshing, their sex is off-the charts hot, and their minds are brilliant." - Sandra at Two Book Pushers

About Lauren Blakely

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With nine New York Times bestsellers,her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller List more than three dozen times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love and Fighting Fire. She recently released BIG ROCK, a sexy standalone romantic comedy that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. In the late spring, she’ll release MISTER O, another standalone romantic comedy.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

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Blog Tour Book Review: Let Me by Cecy Robson

LET ME

The O'Brien Family Series Book Two

Cecy Robson

Releasing April 19th, 2016

Once he was broken beyond repair.

Now this MMA contender is fighting to be a better man—for her. RT Book Reviews proclaims that the O’Brien Family series from award-winning author Cecy Robson “has the hottest brothers ever!” And in Let Me, it is Finn’s turn to discover how love can heal the deepest wounds.

A mixed martial arts star on the rise, Finn O’Brien dismantles his opponents with brutal precision. And yet beneath his fierce persona, Finn is raw from a trauma he’s buried for years . . . until the day his deep-rooted rage erupts and lands him in court-mandated therapy. Finn’s not one to bare his soul, but if talking it out means meeting beautiful women like Sol Marieles, he’ll give it a shot.

Sol is working toward her master’s degree in psychology, and already she feels like she’s in over her head. With an important internship on the line and a scary family situation demanding her attention, the last thing Sol needs is Finn around to distract her. The man is ripped and seriously sexy yet it’s his troubled side that warns her to keep her distance. But their attraction is intense, and he clearly has the heat to see how far and fast their passion takes them.

Alone, Finn and Sol have been fighting to find happiness in their lives. Together, there’s no stopping themmas they face their greatest challenges—not in the ring, but in their hearts. 

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The heavy door to the lobby opens with a loud smack, drawing attention to those waiting to be seen. The counseling center is private and held in high regard. The majority of our clients come from money, but a few of our therapists work pro bono, counseling those from working class backgrounds similar to mine. Some are like Loretta, suffering from eating disorders and mild anxiety issues. But the majority are severely damaged individuals with suicidal tendencies. I catch sight of one of our more heartbreaking cases sitting in the corner beside his father. Poor kid, he can’t be more than fifteen. And there he waits with his wrists bandaged down to his elbows.

I want to walk over and give him and his dad a hug. Both look like they could use one. Those people on the street who offer free hugs to strangers? I’m one of them. I always have been.

Today though, I refrain, staying focused on Loretta. “Good job,” I tell her, knowing how hard she’s trying. “I’ll see you next week.”

“Sol?”

I turn my head. I know that voice. Loretta doesn’t bother with a goodbye, leaving me instead with a “Mm, yummy” when she sees who called to me.

“Yummy”. Yes, that about sums up Finn.

Finn O’Brien, damn. You know those cute guys . . . those really hot kind of cute guys? Finn blows them away. I’m not typically attracted to redheads, but I make the exception for Finn. Oh, and Jamie from Outlander.

Finn has the whole bad boy thing going on, tats crawling along his muscular arms, hair buzzed on the sides and short on top. A modern Mohawk, it think that’s what it’s called. Oh, and don’t get me started on that dimple on his right cheek that appears when he grins, just like he’s doing now.

“Hi, Finn,” I say. His brother is with him, the one that looks the most like him. He’s older by a few years, handsome, polished, perfect. Well, if you like that sort of thing. Me? Did I mention how sexy Finn is?

His light blue eyes sparkle as I pass Zorina, the poor girl trapped in her own world following a brutal assault on the train. She pretends to play instruments that aren’t there, reality slipping so far from her grasp, it’s almost out of her reach.

I tilt my head in the direction of Finn’s brother because by now it’s obvious I’m gawking at Finn. “You’re Seamus, right?” I ask.

“No, I’m Declan,” he answers in a deep voice.

Oh, right. The district attorney. “Sorry. I know that Finn has a few brothers,” I offer. I should be impressed seeing how Declan has made quite a name for himself in the political arena, and I am. But Finn is who lures my attention and keeps it, despite my best efforts to appear more relaxed. “What are you doing here?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Waiting for you.”

Declan sighs, moving away from us and reaching for his phone. I grin even though I’m sure Finn is feeding me a line. The last time I saw him was at my cousin Sofia’s wedding. I’d brought my friend Alex as my date and Finn, well, he showed up with some girl with big breasts and very little clothes. And funny enough, I still had a hard time keeping my eyes off him.

“Really?” I ask.

“Yeah. Really,” he answers, leaning back on his heels and making a show of checking me out. “Don’t forget, you still owe me a kiss.”

WHOA! Readers, just a little warning before reading this book. Have some water next to you because the chemistry between H&H (hero and heroine) is COMBUSTIBLE. Sol Marieles, leading lady, is a smokin' hot and hardworkin' Latina. Unfortunately, her family life is tragic. Her mother is mentally ill and mistakes Sol for her dead sister. You know those PSA videos about Alzheimer's, Dementia, and other diseases that erodes the mind? Every since time I watch one of them, I think about what I would do if I was in a similar situation. Would I be strong enough to take care of someone I loved, even if they didn't recognize who I was? Sol is strong in spirit, but her mother is mentally sick and is slowly getting worse over time. Part of Sol is in denial and believes with the right cocktail of drugs, her mother will revert back to the person she was before. And part of her recognizes what an uphill battle this is and is slowly losing hope. The emotion is personal and can be applied to just about anyone with a family history of mental illness. 

Finn, is a power keg about to explode. As an MMA fighter, Finn is ripped, and I mean RIPPED. He's got his own demons and they are always close to the surface. He and Sol hang in different circles, but seeing as how their extended family is interlocked, they see each other from time to time and man, the chemistry. The playful and sexual innuendo laced conversations between the two always put a smile on my face. He's got a thing for Sol and doesn't keep it a secret. He's wants her and he wants her BAD. I swear to God the sexual tension was magnificent. Their relationship was a slow burn to white hot inferno. I love these two! This book was not just about the sex. It was certainly important, but it wasn't what carried the book. The family dynamic, the pain from the past, the nightmares of the present, the feat of the unknown and the potential of something good happening is what carried this book. The characters and their pain, past and future carried this book and I'm glad I read this book. There are supposedly two more O'Brien family books in the works, and I can't wait for them!

Cecy Robson is a new adult and contemporary author of the Shattered Past series, the O’Brien Family novels and upcoming Carolina Beach novels, as well as the award-winning author of the Weird Girls urban fantasy romance series. A 2016 double nominated RITA^®finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, Cecy is a recovering Jersey girl living in the South who enjoys carbs way too much, and exercise way too little. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, you can typically find her on her laptop silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

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Promo Post: The Wedding Pact by Katee Robert

Carrigan O'Malley has fallen in love with family enemy #1, James Halloran and he has absolutely no intention of letting her get away.  THE WEDDING PACT is the second book in a smoking-hot series about the O'Malleys—wealthy, powerful, and full of scandalous family secrets from New York Times Bestseller Katee Robert and Forever Romance.

Series: The O’Malley Series #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing- Forever

Carrigan O'Malley has always known her arranged marriage would be more about power and prestige than passion. But after one taste of the hard-bodied, whiskey-voiced James Halloran, she's ruined for anyone else. Too bad James and his family are enemy number 1.

Hallorans vs. O'Malleys—that's how it's always been. James should be thinking more about how to expand his family's empire instead of how silky Carrigan's skin is against his and how he can next get her into his bed. Those are dangerous thoughts. But not nearly as dangerous as he'll be if he can't get what he wants: Carrigan by his side for the rest of their lives.

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Excerpt

“What are you wearing?”

A pause, as if she’d shocked him. “You’re hitting on me.”

“Are you complaining?” She twisted around in her chair and stared into the mirror on the wall across from her. When he didn’t immediately respond, she kept going. The only alternative was to back down, and Carrigan was so goddamn tired of backing down. The only reason she kept taking James’s calls was because of the distraction he offered her. If he wasn’t going to play, there was no reason for her to stay on the phone.

She really wanted him to stay on the phone. “Shy? That’s okay, I’ll go first. I’m wearing a thin white tank top and a pair of black panties.” She was a liar, but it would take all of five seconds to make it the truth.

“Lovely, you’re testing me.” His voice gained an edge.

Good. At least someone was feeling as out of control as she was. “I suppose you’d like photographic proof.” She stood and shimmied out of her long skirt, and then pinned the phone between her ear and shoulder while she unhooked her bra and took it off. “Hold, please.”

Ignoring his cursing, she adjusted her angle so he would have to be blind to miss the faint outline of her nipples against the fabric of her tank top, and snapped a picture. She knew she was playing with fire. Good lord, of course she knew. But she wasn’t about to stop. She grinned as she sent the picture.

Carrigan put the phone back to her ear in time to hear his sharp inhale. “Your turn.” She held her breath, waiting to see if he’d actually do it. Receiving pictures was one thing. Putting them out in the world was entirely another. Really, she shouldn’t have taken the risk in the first place. There was no telling what he would do with them—they might show up on the Internet. Then who would want to marry her?

Funny, but the idea of countless men checking out her rack didn’t bother her nearly as much if it meant she dodged the marriage bullet. The shame on her family might be enough that her father would send her away permanently. She’d like to spend some time in New York or LA or even New Orleans. Maybe Rome or Paris or Tokyo. The world was so damn big and she’d only seen a little slice of it.

Her phone beeped, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the picture he’d sent and started to shake. Oh my God. James was shirtless, wearing only those goddamn jeans she couldn’t seem to get enough of. And they were unbuttoned—a clear invitation if she ever saw one. An invitation she desperately wanted to accept. “Damn, James. Somebody taught you how to selfie.”

“Maybe I’m a natural.” His voice was little more than a growl. “You started this, lovely. Tell me what’s next.”

The strange mix of command and handing her the reins got her head back in the game. She walked over to her bed and climbed onto it, trying to ignore the trembling in her legs. She could be in charge. She wanted to be. “I’m lying on my bed.”

“What color are the sheets?”

The question seemed to carry far more import than it should. “White.”

“They don’t suit you. Red is your color. Go on.” He sounded so damn imperial, as if he actually knew her. He didn’t. No one did, really. She wore so many masks, sometimes she worried she’d forget the woman at the center of them all.

But this time he was right. She would have chosen red for herself.

Carrigan put the thought away and focused on the now. “You talk too much.”

“My mistake.” He didn’t sound the least bit sorry. Good. She wasn’t, either. “How do you want it, lovely? Rough, I’d bet. You’re not fucking breakable, and I think you love to be reminded of that fact.” Something rustled on his end of the line. “Close your eyes.”

She obeyed without thinking, and then instantly snapped them open. “I thought I was in charge.”

“You let me know if I get something wrong.” His laugh told her how unlikely he found the possibility.

Meet the O’Malley family in book one of the O’Malley series, The Marriage Contract:

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Coming in July 2016, An Indecent Proposal

Get to know another O’Malley sibling- Cillian O’Malley

Greed. Ambition. Violence. Those are the "values" Olivia Rashidi learned from her Russian mob family-and the values she must leave behind for the sake of her daughter. When she meets Cillian O'Malley, she recognizes the red flag of his family name . . . yet she still can't stop herself from seeing the smoldering, tortured man. To save her family, Olivia sets out to discover Cillian's own secrets, but the real revelation is how fast-and how hard-she's falling for him.

Plagued by a violent past, Cillian is more vulnerable than anyone realizes. Anyone except Olivia, whose beauty, compassion, and pride have him at "hello," even if she's more inclined to say good-bye to an O'Malley. While his proposal of sex with no strings seems simple, what he feels for her isn't, especially after he learns that she belongs to a rival crime family. Cillian knows that there is no escape from the life, but Olivia may be worth trying-and dying-for . . .

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About Katee Robert

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.  

Connect with Katee

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