Sunsets at Seaside by Addison Cole - Book Blitz - FREE Book - Giveaway!

This is my stop during the book blitz for Sunsets at Seaside by Addison Cole. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 23 august till 5 September. See the tour schedule here.

Sunsets at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers #4)
By Addison Cole
Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance
Age category: New Adult, Adult
Release Date: 23 August, 2017

BLURB:

Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summersfeatures a group of fun, flirty, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They’re sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you’ll be begging to enter their circle of friends!

Sunsets at Seaside by Addison Cole is the sweet edition of New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster's steamy romance novel Seaside Sunsets.The stories and characters remain the same, and convey all of the passion you expect between two people in love, without any explicit scenes or harsh language.

In SUNSETS at SEASIDE…

Jessica Ayers has lived a sheltered life with little more than cello lessons and practices taking up her day. Now a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she escapes the prim and proper symphony to vacation in the Seaside community in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, to determine if she is living life to the fullest or missing it altogether.

For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother—and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sweet, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie’s business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the brown-haired beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie’s life—and his heart—upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away.

You can find Sunsets at Seaside on Goodreads.

You can buy Sunsets at Seaside here:

- Amazon

- Barnes & Noble

- Kobo

- iBooks

- Google Play

- Paperback

Check out these teaser images:

Earlier books in this series:

Get Read, Write Love at Seaside for free here:

- Amazon

- B&N

- Kobo

- iTunes

- Google Play

Upcoming books in this series:

Secrets at Seaside (releasing October 25th)

Nights at Seaside (releasing December 13th)

Seized by Love at Seaside

Embraced at Seaside

Lovers at Seaside

Whispers at Seaside

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

SIGN UP for ADDISON'S Sweet with Heat newsletter. Fun, flirty romance with a dash of heat. www.AddisonCole.com/Newsletter.

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Addison’s books are available in paperback, digital, and audio formats.

You can find and contact Addison Cole here:

- Website

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- Pinterest

- Instagram

- Google+

- Bookbub

- Newsletter

GIVEAWAY:

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Sunsets at Seaside. One winner will win a $10 Amazon.com giftcard or Paypal Cash (winners choice) – Open International.

For a chance to win, enter the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Lola’s Blog Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Lola’s Blog Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

The Sullivans Boxed Set Books 1-3 (Sullivans #1-3) by Bella Andre - Book Blitz - Giveaway!

This is my stop during the book blitz for The Sullivans Boxed Set Books 1-3 by Bella Andre. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 14 till 27 August. See the tour schedule here.

The Sullivans Boxed Set Books 1-3 (Sullivans #1-3)
By Bella Andre
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: December 5, 2015

BLURB:

More than 6 million readers have already fallen in love with the Sullivans! Now get ready to meet your new favorite family in Bella Andre's New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romances with the first three books in the #1 hit series.

"Not since Nora Roberts has anyone been able to write a big family romance series with every book as good as the last! Bella Andre never disappoints!" Revolving Bookcase Reviews

THE LOOK OF LOVE:

Chloe Peterson is having a bad night. A really bad night. The large bruise on her cheek can attest to that. And when her car skids off the side of a wet country road straight into a ditch, she's convinced even the gorgeous guy who rescues her in the middle of the rain storm must be too good to be true. Or is he?

As a successful photographer who frequently travels around the world, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women, and whenever he's home in San Francisco, one of his seven siblings is usually up for causing a little fun trouble. Chase thinks his life is great just as it is--until the night he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. Not only has he never met anyone so lovely, both inside and out, but he quickly realizes she has much bigger problems than her damaged car. Soon, he is willing to move mountains to love--and protect--her, but will she let him? 

FROM THIS MOMENT ON: 

For thirty-six years, Marcus Sullivan has been the responsible older brother, stepping in to take care of his seven siblings after their father died when they were children. But when the perfectly ordered future he's planned for himself turns out to be nothing but a lie, Marcus needs one reckless night to shake free from it all.

Nicola Harding is known throughout the world by only one name - Nico - for her catchy, sensual pop songs. Only, what no one knows about the twenty-five year old singer is that her sex-kitten image is totally false. After a terrible betrayal by a man who loved fame far more than he ever loved her, she vows not to let anyone else get close enough to find out who she really is...or hurt her again. Especially not the gorgeous stranger she meets at a nightclub, even though the hunger - and the sinful promises - in his dark eyes make her want to spill all her secrets.

CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE:

Gabe Sullivan risks his life every day as a firefighter in San Francisco. But after learning a brutal lesson about professional boundaries, he knows better than to risk his heart to his fire victims ever again. Especially the brave mother and daughter he saved from a deadly apartment fire...and can't stop thinking about.

Megan Harris knows she owes the heroic firefighter everything for running into a burning building to save her and her seven-year-old daughter. Everything except her heart. Because after losing her navy pilot husband five years ago, she has vowed to never suffer through loving - and losing - a man with a dangerous job again.

You can add The Sullivans Boxed Set Books 1-3 to your to-read list on Goodreads.

You can buy The Sullivans Boxed Set Books 1-3 here:

- Amazon

- Barnes & Noble

- Kobo

- iTunes

- Google Play

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bella Andre is the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of "The Sullivans", "The Maverick Billionaires", "The Morrisons", and the NYT bestselling "Four Weddings and a Fiasco" sweet romance series written as Lucy Kevin.

Sign up for Bella's newsletter at www.BellaAndre.com/Newsletter
Visit Bella's website at www.BellaAndre.com
Follow Bella on twitter at www.twitter.com/bellaandre
Join Bella on Faceboook at www.facebook.com/bellaandrefans

Having sold more than 6 million books, Bella Andre's novels have been #1 bestsellers around the world and have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists 32 times. She has been the #1 Ranked Author at Amazon (on a top 10 list that included Nora Roberts, JK Rowling, James Patterson and Steven King), and Publishers Weekly named Oak Press (the publishing company she created to publish her own books) the Fastest-Growing Independent Publisher in the US. After signing a groundbreaking 7-figure print-only deal with Harlequin MIRA, Bella's "The Sullivans" series is being released in paperback in the US, Canada, and Australia.

Known for "sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance" (Publishers Weekly), her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine "Red Hot Reads" twice and have been translated into ten languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post called her "One of the top writers in America" and she has been featured by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, USA Today, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME Magazine. A graduate of Stanford University, she has given keynote speeches at publishing conferences from Copenhagen to Berlin to San Francisco, including a standing-room-only keynote at Book Expo America in New York City.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

You can find and contact Bella here:

- Website

- Facebook

- Street Team

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- Pinterest

- Newsletter

GIVEAWAY:

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of The Sullivans Boxed Set Books 1-3. One winner will win a special Bella Andre swag pack. Open International.

For a chance to win, enter the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Lola’s Blog Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Lola’s Blog Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Saving Brad by Siobhan Davis - Cover Reveal

Today is the cover reveal for Saving Brad by Siobhan Davis! This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

Saving Brad (The Kennedy Boys #5)
By Siobhan Davis
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: October 2017

BLURB:

An enemies-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis. Standalone with an HEA and no cliff-hanger.

Brad
I’m in love with my best friend’s girl.
She knows it. He knows it. Everyone knows it.
Faye will never be mine, but try telling that to my stupid heart.
An endless rotation of girls streams in and out of my bedroom in a desperate attempt to forget her, but nothing eases the horrid ache in my chest. Rejection isn’t anything new for me, but it hasn’t gotten any easier.
Until she reappears in my life. Like an out-of-control tornado. Storming in, all fierce and angry, ready to steamroll everything in her path. Rachel is trouble with a capital T bundled in a gorgeous, sexy, Irish package.
She pushes all the wrong buttons, and I can’t decide if I want to yell at her or kiss her.
I should steer clear.
But I’ve never been very good at taking my own advice. Especially when it comes to girls I can’t have and shouldn’t want.

Rachel
I need to escape.
To put as much distance between me and that monster so I can start living my life.
Yet, even the vast Atlantic Ocean isn’t enough to sever the connection. To allow me to forget how he’s ruined me. His hold is more than just physical. He has a vise-grip on my head and my heart, and I can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t function.
So, I do everything to blot it out.
Until he reappears in my life.
Brad McConaughey. So hot. So infuriating. So in love with my best friend.
Every word out of Brad’s mouth makes me want to throat punch him or kick him in the nuts.
But he makes me feel, and I hate him for it. A part of me might actually love him for it.
I should keep my distance, but like destructive magnets, we are drawn together.
This isn’t going to end well.
I know it. He knows it.
But we’re powerless to resist.

You can find Saving Brad on Goodreads.

You can pre-order Saving Brad exclusively on Amazon.

It will be available to read with Kindle Unlimited once released.

Previous books in this series:

The first three books have to be read in order. The books after that can be read as a standalone and have a HEA and no cliffhanger. The Kennedy Boys series is free to read in Kindle Unlimited and book one Finding Kyler is currently available for only 0.99$ on Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling True Calling, Saven, and Kennedy Boys series.

Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

You can find and contact Siobhan here:

- Website

- Blog

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Google +

- Instagram

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- Kennedy Boys Newsletter

Crash Land on Kurai by SJ Pajonas - Book Blitz - Giveaway!

This is my stop during the book blitz for Crash Land on Kurai by SJ Pajonas. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 19 till 20 July. See the tour schedule here.

Crash Land on Kurai
(Hikoboshi #1)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction, Action Adventure, Space Opera
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 18 July, 2017

BLURB: 

Yumi Minamoto has the shortest fuse on the ship. She’s just whipped a bully and been confined to quarters, but she’s not staying there. A disgraced journalist trying to clear her name, her job is to document the mission to the Hikoboshi system, and she’s determined to get it right, despite all the trouble she causes. But when unknown vessels fire on their ship, and Yumi's life pod crash lands on a dying moon, she's separated from her family and friends, and her mission falls to pieces. Now she must navigate the unfamiliar and deadly terrain, deal with a society she doesn’t understand, and try to stay alive until rescue comes… if it ever does.

Crash Land on Kurai is the first book in the Hikoboshi Series, an action adventure, space opera series that explores the worlds settled by the Japanese who fled Earth a century ago. Culture, history, technology, and swords clash in a fast-paced future society on the brink of war.

You can find Crash Land on Kurai on Goodreads.

Read the first four chapters of Crash Land on Kurai! Get your sample here from Instafreebie!

You can buy Crash Land on Kurai here on Amazon.

The book is available to read with Kindle Unlimited.

Check out these teaser images for Crash Land on Kurai!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephanie (S. J.) is a writer, knitter, amateur astrologer, Capricorn, and Japanophile. She loves foxes, owls, sushi, yoga pants, Evernote, and black tea. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing or spending time outside, unless it’s winter. She hates winter. Someday she’ll own a house in both hemispheres so she can avoid the season entirely. She’s a mom to two great kids and lives with her husband and family outside NYC. They have no pets. Yet. When it comes to her work, expect the unexpected. She doesn’t write anything typical. Find her online at http://www.spajonas.com.

You can find and contact SJ Pajonas here:

- Website

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Tumblr

- Instagram

- Youtube

- Wattpad

- Bookbub

- Amazon

GIVEAWAY!

There is a tour wide giveaway during the book blitz of Crash Land on Kurai. These are the prizes you can win:

- 2 winners will get a US$10 Amazon.com gift card and a Nogiku Series Omnibus ebook delivered via BookFunnel (valued at US$13)

- 1 winner will win a Nogiku Series Omnibus ebook delivered via BookFunnel (valued at US$13)

For a chance to win, enter the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Lola’s Blog Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Lola’s Blog Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Withhold by Andrea Pearson - Book Blitz - Book Sale - Download Bonuses - Giveaway!

This is my stop during the book blitz for Withhold by Andrea Pearson. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz takes place on 18 July. See the list of participating bloggers here.

Withhold (Mosaic Chronicles #9)
By Andrea Pearson
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult, New Adult, Adult
Release Date: 18 July, 2017

BLURB:

With the lives of everyone she holds dear at stake, will Nicole be able to do what it takes to stop the evil surrounding her?

In the ultimate battle between good and evil, Nicole is in a race to stop Keitus before he achieves his plans. If he succeeds, he will crush everyone who has opposed him and enslave Earth and countless other planets. Unfortunately, he is only minutes away from his goal.

With so much at stake, Nicole and her friends must approach Helen, a volatile and dangerous spirit who will probably destroy them regardless of whether she gives them what they want. And the chances of her helping them are slim.

Fast-paced and epic magical fights, exciting plot twists, and non-stop action and adventure await. So sit down, buckle up, and hold on for the explosive, much-anticipated conclusion to the award-winning and bestselling Mosaic Chronicles.

You can find Withhold on Goodreads

Withhold is only $0.99 on release day!

You can buy your copy of Withhold for only $0.99 today only! 

Buy your copy here:

- Amazon

- Nook

- Kobo

- iBooks

DOWNLOAD BONUSES:

If you pre-order or buy a copy of Withhold you can receive some download bonuses! Here is how it works: buy your copy of Withhold and forward proof of purchase (a confirmation email or a screenshot) to withholdbonuses@gmail.com.

You’ll receive 7 books (two books from Andrea Pearson and 5 from other authors) and some other goodies, including a bachelor of science degree from Katon University, coloring pages, word search, fantasy illustration by Andrea's husband (James E. Curwen, professional illustrator) and more. Read all the details about the download bonuses here.

Earlier books in the series:

Discern (Mosaic Chronicles #1)



He's dark and powerful, a magical anomaly. She's inexperienced and untrained. Can they set aside their differences in time to save themselves?

Links:
- Amazon
- Nook
- Kobo
- iTunes
- Goodreads

Praxis (Mosaic Chronicles #2)



Links:
- Amazon
- Nook
- Kobo
- iBooks
- Goodreads

FREE BOOKS!

You can get both Discern and Praxis for free when you sign-up for Andrea’s newsletter! You can sign-up for her newsletter here.

Find the whole Mosaic series on Amazon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

Andrea graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Series and Mosaic Chronicles) and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life - it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her family and close friends is where she's happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

You can find and contact Andrea here:

- Website

- Blog

- Facebook Page

- Facebook Profile

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- Pinterest

- Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Withhold. This giveaway is US Only. One winner will win a $50 Amazon gift card!

For a chance to win, enter the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Lola’s Blog Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Lola’s Blog Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Worth Remembering by Holly James - Book Blitz

This is my stop during the book blitz for Worth Remembering by Holly James. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 14 till 20 July. See the tour schedule here.

Worth Remembering
(English Rose #1)
by Holly James
Genre: Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: June 4, 2017

Blurb:

Running into her head-over-heels first love during a week’s holiday in Mallorca with her spirited friend Lou was not what Samantha Hillcrest had planned. When sparks fly on the idyllic Mediterranean island she wonders how she’ll be able to return home to her husband and grown-up children, pretending her life hasn’t been turned upside down. Caught between family commitments and the red-hot, sizzling chemistry she shares with Gabriel—her love from twenty-five years ago—Samantha faces an impossibly heart-breaking choice.

A stand-alone novel, Worth Remembering is the first story in the English Rose series which follows a group of authentic English women on their complicated romantic journeys.

You can find Worth Remembering on Goodreads.

You can buy Worth Remembering here on Amazon.

Worth Remembering is part of Kindle Unlimited.

About the Author:

Holly James was born and raised with her three siblings in Norfolk, England. She packed her bags at eighteen to spend the next four years at university. She lived in Newcastle, Birmingham, London, France, and Spain before settling in beautiful New Zealand. Her daily loves are good coffee, writing, her children, and her husband—the order depending on what kind of day she’s having.

All Holly’s books are stand-alones with no cliffhangers. To be notified of new releases subscribe to her mailing list at http://www.hollyjamesauthor.co.uk.

You can find and contact Holly James here:

- Website

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Amazon

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

After I Break by Mandy Peterson - Cover Reveal - Pre-Order Book Sale - Giveaway!

Today is the cover reveal for After I Break by Mandy Peterson. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The cover MSN Art Studio (Maduranga Sampath).

After I break is a direct sequel to the first book Before I Shatter.

After I Break (Before I Shatter #2)
By Mandy Peterson
Genre: Science Fiction
Age category: Young Adult/ New Adult
Release Date: July 28, 2017

BLURB:

On the heels of tragedy, Vita must stay hidden to stay alive.

Gemini’s Director has made a deadly move in his attempt to recover Vita as his second-in-command. Led by her ever-prepared rescuer Evan, Vita jumps headlong into the inner sanctum of the Undocumented — an organization united in their mission to save the chaotic purity of mankind. Allying with former enemies proves difficult, especially when they expect Vita to be the girl the Gemini propaganda created: a visionary leader, terrifying soldier, and advanced human. A girl she simply is not anymore.

When her mother finally reveals the secret of Vita’s origin to her, Vita wonders just how much her intended purpose determines her fate. Questioning her value and humanity, she would just as soon stay a regular person until intelligence uncovers a new mix of Vita 2.0 candidates under the Director’s harsh command — all children.

There’s no other option but to stop the Director: a madman who has discovered that Vita is broken and will go to any lengths to make her whole again.

You can find After I Break on Goodreads

You can pre-order After I Break for only $0.99 here:

- Amazon

EXCERPT:

CHAPTER ONE:

Thick fingers coil around my upper arm, dragging me through the crowd pressing in from all sides. Tall, polished buildings made of stone and glass create a corridor, guiding us. Pop-up kiosks crowd the cement walkways, each table displaying specialty wares from food to fabrics. The rich aroma of coffee teases my nostrils. The happy jostling of this crowd directly contradicts the misery beginning to fill my heart.
An old man fighting for his life with an ax.
Losing the fight with a horrifying shot to the head.
My stomach cannot handle the overload. Evan insistently carries me through to the edge of the crowd, but my feet drag. Bile rises up my throat and spews all over the sidewalk. My rescuer pauses impatiently and yanks me along as soon as I finish, ignoring the disgusted cries of a woman now wearing vomit-spotted white pumps.
“Sorry!” I manage to choke out as he pulls me away. I yank my arm free of his grip and keep pace next to my partner who manages to look relatively calm but hurried. We get some interesting looks as we rush through the streets.
Evan is dressed sensibly in his jeans, t-shirt, flannel, and hiking boots. On the other hand, I am woefully unprepared for a trek through a bustling morning in a metropolis. Still clad in pajamas, wool socks, and bed-head, passersby glance at me as if I might be mentally ill.
Who knows? Maybe I am.
Wherever we are, it is a comfortable temperature out, warmer than the Swedish cabin that we disappeared from. The people sound different here, too. Their language is rounder, and the words run together. The English language is recognizable and gives me some measure of comfort. At least I can speak the language here. I keep my head down and follow Evan through winding streets to a large brick building with two large domed windows and a large clock in the center.
“What is this place?” I wheeze. My socks slip and slide on this floor, making me work twice as hard to keep up with his brutal pace.
Unaffected by my plight, Evan’s voice is stiff. “King’s Cross. Train station. They’ve got a place where you can change.”
My gaze wanders over the modern surfaces within this massive structure. People flow through the entrance and exits, living streams. Evan leads us to a row of lockers and pulls a key from his boot. I raise a questioning eyebrow as he fiddles with the lock.
“Grandfather and I prepared for this possibility. We’ve got tickets, clothing, money. Everything we need to get to safety.” He flings a gray duffle bag across his body and hands me a matching overnighter. “The ladies room is over there.” He motions behind me. “I’ll be waiting outside. Go get changed.”
I’m in shock. Slow to think. Even slower to speak. My brows furrow. “What — ?”
“Not now, Vita.” He cuts me off with a hand in the air. “There will be time for that later. Please, just go get changed.” His eyes plead with me. Just cooperate.
So I do. Surprisingly. I’m not used to taking orders any more, but now is not the time for me attempt to regain my dinged pride. Obviously. I have no idea what is going on, which sadly is a feeling I am starting to become familiar with. Betrayed by my sort-of boyfriend, deceived by my father, and targeted by an assassin in a Gemini jacket. Sure. I can acknowledge that I have zero plans, and doing something is better than the alternative. Even if it’s as simple as getting dressed.
After I slip on a pair of black leggings, black tank top, and gray loose knit sweatshirt, I lace up the pristine running shoes. My feet welcome the soft interior, the protection of real soles. My toes wiggle in appreciation, and I sigh. True to his word, Evan is waiting immediately outside the door for me. In his hands, two large paper cups of coffee, one he hands off to me as we walk. Wordlessly, he locates and boards our train with no issues. All I have to do is follow along.
The exterior of the train reminds me of a very long tram similar to the ones we had in the Lunar Colonies, but the interior could not be more different than those bleak boxes. Individual black leather seats pair off on either side of a center aisle. I run my fingertips along the cold seat backs as we meander toward the middle of the car. Bags jingle as passengers stow them overhead before sliding into their chairs. As I hoist mine overhead, Evan taps my forearm. He shakes his head ever-so-slightly. Do not stow your luggage.
Instead, we settle in with our bags in our laps. As the train pulls away from the station, I can’t stop myself from examining the changing scenery out the nearest window. Evan speaks to an attendant briefly, but my brain is firing rapidly. I can’t seem to find a single topic to latch onto. Catching my breath from the relentless pace through all of those crowded streets, I feel the heaviness seep in slowly through my pores.
Scrambled eggs with shards of glass scattered on their fluffy peaks.
Being knocked to the floor.
Pinned underneath Evan’s weight.
Seeing stars as my head makes contact with the hard wood.
Door crashing in.
Weapons trained on us.
George swinging the ax.
Gunshot.
Then suddenly in another town, likely a different country from the way these people speak. Hurtling through swarms of bodies; now speeding through the landscape. No idea where I am or where we are going.
Tears begin pinching the features of my face. My knuckles turn white on the armrests. I blink as fast as I can. My mind grasps for something — anything — to keep these tears from spilling down my cheeks and shrink the lump in my throat. Warm hands peel mine from their strangle hold. They fit so well around mine.
“I need you to hold it together. Just a little longer, okay?” His low voice penetrates my grief.
“How can you be so calm?” My voice doesn’t match his. It wobbles and squeaks.
“Because I have to be. We can deal with this later. For now, we need to get to safety.” His rock solid expression leaves me conflicted. Should I feel glad or horrified that he’s not falling apart after what happened to his grandfather?
My lower lip trembles. The world has betrayed me. Gemini has betrayed me. “I thought we were. Safe.”
His hands squeeze mine. “Only 30 more minutes. Then we get off the train and take a car the rest of the way.”
“Where are we going?”
He leans in closely to whisper in my ear. “It’s a small base with the façade of a storage unit. They’ve agreed to help us if it should ever come to this.”
“They who?”
A sigh heaves his chest. Whatever the answer is, he thinks I won’t want to hear it. “The Undocumented.”
My eyes grow wide. The last time I saw the Undocumented, we were shooting at each other. My favorite teammate had been killed. How many times had they made an attempt on my life and the lives of those I cared for?
Seeing my wild look, Evan grasps my hands harder. “It’s okay. They aren’t what you think they are.”
“How do you know?” I rip my hands away and tuck them into my lap. “This is insanity! We could be walking into a trap!”
He sighs. “It’s not.”
“They could kill us on sight!” They would certainly have every right to. The faces of the three men I shattered nearly two years ago swim in my mind. Someone has to be unhappy about that.
“They won’t.”
“But —”
“Because I’m Undocumented.” Evan declares, matter-of-factly. “They’re the people who are helping us. They’re the contacts who’ve been working tirelessly to give us shelter, identities, security, in case of an emergency. So believe me when I say this is the safest place we could possibly be.”
I clamp my mouth shut and recline my seat.

The first book in the series!

Before I Shatter (Before I Shatter #1)

Vita must make the choice:

Continue risking her life for a cause she doesn't believe in or make an unprecedented escape?

LINKS:

- Goodreads
- Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mandy Peterson grew up all over Nebraska and eventually settled down there with a family of her own: husband, daughter, and son.

When she isn't writing about herself in third person, Mandy the high school librarian can be found digging through young adult and new adult lit. An avid reader of all genres (but she secretly told me she loves sci-fi the most), you will usually see her with her nose in a book or face to her Kindle app, iced or blended coffee drink in hand. A former roller girl and roller derby referee, she can also be found watching roller derby online or dragging her family behind her to cheer on teams in person all over their great state.

You can find and contact Mandy here:

- Website

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!

There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of After I Break. This giveaway is open international. One winner will win a $10 Amazon gift card.

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