Carries Book Reviews

Gavin
Russell
(Gavin Nolan’s Biography #1)
Publication date: March 14th 2017
Genres: Adult, Thriller

The Chicago summer is heating up…

In a luxurious hotel off Michigan Avenue, Detective Gavin Nolan arrives on a grisly scene. Two men have been brutally murdered, and one of the victims has a familiar face. The twisted display is like nothing Gavin has ever seen, but it’s the message scrawled in blood on the bathroom mirror that leaves him reeling: Gavin, you could have saved me.

Other men have been viciously slain as well over the last few weeks. As he dives further into the victims’ lives, Gavin and his partner, Derrick, discover that each of the men have a common thread—one that Gavin shares. It’s a reality he has suppressed for years.

On top of Gavin’s personal chaos, the killer is displaying the bodies in a series of specific designs to depict a long ago memory. Recognizing the pattern, Gavin soon is forced to recall the dark event. In order to catch the killer, Gavin must reconcile his past.

Before he becomes the final victim himself.

GAVIN is a sexual thriller that will leave you breathless…

WARNING: This book contains graphic scenes, explicit language, and violent, sexual situations.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Entering the hotel room, Gavin slipped on a pair of rubber gloves as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. The curtains were drawn and the shadows lingered in the empty corners. Even Derrick’s bulky frame submerged into the murky darkness, yet he could see his partner gripping his gun. The hotel suite was a corner room, with prime views of the city and the lake.

McNeal had some money, he thought. Gavin took out his penlight and turned it on silently.

The beam’s intense light flashed on the empty lounging area, exposing the modern forest-colored couch, a low glass coffee table, two glass side tables, and a stiff tan leather chair. On the opposite wall, where Derrick ambled toward, there was a large flat-screen television hanging over a long black lacquered dresser. In the far corner near the window, a black pencil desk sat peacefully with a Herman Miller chair, poised for potential guests. Even from this distance, Gavin could see that the ordinary hotel propaganda about tourism and the site’s information still lay untouched. To the right, near the door of what was most likely the bedroom, he saw a pristine bar area with a marble countertop and slate floors. A small mini fridge could be seen in the shadows and remained sealed.

“Smell that?” Derrick’s baritone voice boomed in the stillness. Gavin saw that the penlight was waving over the closed door. His partner opened the door and slipped into the other room.

“Bleach.” Gavin took some steps into the sitting area. With one last look around, he determined that it seemed too clean and orderly. No objects broken, no signs of struggle. As if nothing had happened.

“Gavin, the payload’s in here.” Derrick’s voice was slightly muffled.

Straightening his back and glancing once over his shoulder, Gavin entered the bedroom. The curtains were drawn. While the lamp in the far corner of the room gave plenty of light, Derrick’s flashlight danced haphazardly around the bed where the victims remained. Indeed, the housekeeper was correct, because a glimpse of hell’s dungeon grotesquely displayed itself before Gavin’s eyes.

Author Bio:

For nearly two decades, Russell was an executive chef in the restaurant industry, in which he created succulent entrees and managed various types of kitchen operations. In the last seven years, he began to teach future culinarians how to achieve their professional goals in hands-on classroom and lecture settings. With his recent graduate work in the field of sociology, his interests center on organizational behaviorism, social theory, and food insecurity.

Russell has been writing for the majority of his life. Last year, he published a second edition of his freshman novel, The Tale of Old Man Fischer. Slipping into alternative universes allows Russell to enjoy the process of creativity from the novel’s conception to its final draft. Most importantly, inspiration is a continuous piece of his work and results from the world around him. Currently, he lives in Up State New York with his wife, two children, and several cats.

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Echo
Nana Malone
(The Player #3)
Publication date: March 21st 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports

Money, power, prestige…freedom. Echo Coulter is—The Player.

You are a Coulter. You will be perfect. That’s what Echo has been told every day of her life. As the only girl in the Coulter clan, she knows it’s her job to be the glue of the family. But with the Olympics looming, the last thing she wants is to follow the rules. She wants to break free, and she knows just the guy to help her.

Cole Atkins has no interest in spoiled little rich girls. Besides, he’s got the job of a lifetime and just met the girl of his dreams…That is, until she ditches him under the cover of darkness. He can put her out of his head and deal with a spoiled princess for a couple of months right?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

He knew where his mind should be. But that didn’t matter because right now it was filled with her, and how the scent of her clung to his skin. Someone that was supposed to be a one-night stand had somehow burrowed her way into his mind. Fine, whatever. He’d figure it out. He could find her again. How hard could it be?

Pulling on a pair of boxers, he looked around his apartment for any trace of her, but found nothing. No excuse to look her up to return something she forgot. If he wanted to see her again, he’d have to find her. And he was surprised by how strong that impulse was.

He’d hooked up a lot, but he’d never had a one-night stand that had gone quite like that. But then, he rarely woke during the night, and so he’d never taken the time to talk, like he had with Cece. Or maybe they’d overshared. He wondered if that was what had run her off so easily. He shook his head to force the thought aside. Not with what had happened between them after their little talk. He wouldn’t believe that they’d been able to connect so strongly physically, if the personal things they shared were what had made her run.

He’d never felt a connection like that before. Maybe her friend had dropped digits. If he couldn’t find her, that was it, he’d let it go. But he at least had to try.

Author Bio:

USA Today Best Seller, Nana Malone’s love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she “borrowed” from her cousin.

It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She’s been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

While she waits for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, in the meantime Nana works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

Want to know when the next book is coming? Hit up her Newsletter here. You’ll only get updated when there is a new release or a special promotion for her Sexy, Sassy Readers. http://eepurl.com/2PeXb

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I am thrilled to be sharing the amazing cover for Diane Alberts’ upcoming sexy new contemporary romance title, ROMANCING THE BACHELOR!! Everyone loves a swoon-worthy billionaire, and this cover is gorgeous! I’ve got all of the details, along with a sneak peek look at the amazing cover! Read on!

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About ROMANCING THE BACHELOR:

Eric Hamilton isn’t looking for love. Hell, he isn’t even looking for a girl. He has a five-year plan, and he’s one hundred percent focused on that. But then Shelby walks into his life, and suddenly, he can’t think about anything else. Unfortunately for him, she hates his guts, and wants nothing to do with him. But he’s a man who loves a challenge.

Shelby Jefferson can’t wait to get out of the city, and back to her country roots. She moved to Atlanta for a guy who promptly left her, and the last thing she wants is to fall for another man who might make her want to stay. But Eric is nothing if not persistent, and before long she’s inside his arms, in his bed, and she’s falling for him. Hard. But when history repeats itself, and she has to choose between a man and herself––again.

ADD TO YOUR GOODREADS SHELF!

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About Diane Alberts:

Diane Alberts is a USA TODAY bestselling Contemporary Romance author with Entangled Publishing. Under the name Jen McLaughlin, she also writes New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling books with Penguin RandomHouse. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Rough
Sybil Bartel
(Thrust, #2)
Publication date: March 20th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Jared

I’m not your boyfriend. I’m not the guy next door. I don’t even play nice.

My hands twisting in your hair, my whispered demand in your ear—I’m the fantasy you’ll wish you never had.

When I’m through with you, every inch of your body will know where I’ve been. You won’t crave more, you’ll beg for it. Because I’m not just the cocky smile with military hardened muscles you paid five grand for—I’m the experience you’ll never forget.

One night with me and you’ll know exactly why women pay me to be rough.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Desire hit me in the chest like a blast wave, then shot south. “You shouldn’t be here.” She didn’t look like she’d sounded on the phone.

“I’m sorry.” Breathy, her voice wavered. “I thought you said—”

“I know what I said.” I’d replayed every second of our conversation earlier. I’d fixated on it because this woman wasn’t like any other client I’d ever spoken to. She didn’t flirt or make one suggestive remark. She was exactly how she was now. But a hundred times more innocent.

She drew in a breath through her sexy full lips, then straightened. “Okay, well, you said we should meet. We did. Thank you for your time.” Slim fingers reached behind her and she fumbled with the handle of the front door.

I stared at her sweet mouth. “You know what I think?”

“I’m sure you have many thoughts, Mr. Brandt.”

My name on her lips sounded too damn polite. “Only two right now that matter.” I stepped closer, wondering why the hell I’d told her my last name.

She pulled the handle, the door opened a few inches and she stumbled.

“Careful.” I caught her arm and her hand landed on my stomach.

She sucked in a surprised breath. “I’m so sorry.” She bit her bottom lip and pressed her legs together as she stared at her hand. “It was, um, the door.” She flexed her fingers over my abs.

I leaned closer. “Do you know what separates fear from desire?”

Her chest rapidly rose and fell, but she didn’t take her hand off me. “I believe those are two terms that should be mutually exclusive.”

Hard and fast, I slapped my palm loudly against the door, slamming it shut. Perversely getting off on her startled reaction, I bit out two words, “That’s fear.” Calculated, slow, I dragged a finger a few inches up her bare thigh, then I cupped her face. She shivered and I dropped my voice. “But this?” I stroked her bottom lip as I stared at the thousand shades of fuck-my-life-up green in her eyes. “Biting your lip, pressing your thighs together—that’s desire.”

Her hand fisted, gripping a handful of my shirt, but she didn’t say a word.

Still holding on to her, wishing like hell I wasn’t about to let her go, I calmly shifted her to the side. Opening the door, I removed all threat from my tone. “Fear is triggered. Desire is provoked. Leave.” I told myself not to say the next line. “Or stay and get what you came for.”

Author Bio:

Sybil Bartel grew up in Northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She dreamt of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew her into the world of storytelling. She loves the New Adult genre, but any story about a love so desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful makes her swoon.

Sybil now resides in Southern Florida and while she doesn’t get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she isn’t writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her handsomely tattooed husband, her brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer…

But Seriously?

Here are ten things you probably really want to know about Sybil.

She grew up a faculty brat. She can swear like a sailor. She loves men in uniform. She hates being told what to do. She can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaks her out. Her favorite word is desperate…or dirty, or both—she can’t decide. She has a thing for muscle cars. But never reply on her for driving directions, ever. And she has a new book boyfriend every week—don’t tell her husband.

To find out more about Sybil Bartel, be sure to follow her on Twitter (she loves to hear about your favorite book boyfriend!), visit her website, like her on Facebook or join her Facebook group Book Boyfriend Heroes for exclusive excerpts and giveaways.

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