Thursday, June 30, 2016

Danielle Allen






The cattiness.
The fights.
The shaming.

I don't generally watch reality television, but I definitely don't watch reality dating shows. Besides the fact that it's completely staged, it's a horrible depiction of people -- women especially.

Women are pitted against each other to compete for the affection of a man they "fall in love" with after a week or two.
I call B.S.
It is complete crap.

So when my best friend, Koko, was hired as a makeup artist o the set of the most popular reality dating show, The One, I teased her mercilessly. She told me that if I didn't stop teasing her, she would get me back.
And she did...
Which is how I ended up as a contestant on The One.






When society tries to put you in a box, knock the walls down. –Tati Green 

“You have a pretty face” is such a back-handed compliment. It’s like telling me that my face is beautiful, but the rest of me is not. 

Despite what society says, my curves are hot.
My love life, on the other hand, is not. 

My mom says I’ll never find love because of my weight.
My sister says I’ll never find love because of my personality.
My almost-fiancĂ© says I’ll never find love because I’m incapable of loving anyone. 

My mom and sister are full of it, but my ex kind of has a point. 

At twenty-seven years old, I’ve never been in love. I date a lot, yet sparks never fly. But when I experienced the heart-pounding, skin tingling feeling for the first time, I didn’t think it would be caused by a guy I’ve never met. And I damn sure didn't think he would end up holding my future in his hands in more ways than one.




Roman Harper is known for being three things:
A talented artist…
A charismatic loner…
And most notably, an unintentional heartbreaker.

Even though he doesn’t mean for women to fall in love with him, Roman Harper has left a string of broken hearts in his wake.  But after a lie tore his world apart eight years ago, Roman doesn’t let anyone get too close to him. Sex is sex and love is…completely out of the question.  Using the past as motivation, Roman pours his heart out onto his canvas.  His heartache inspires some of his best work. And at twenty-eight years old, his art is finally getting the recognition that he’s always desired. But when Roman wakes up on the morning after his successful event with no recollection of who left the cryptic message on his bathroom mirror, everything changes.





Months after a secret admirer shook up his life, Roman Harper has found peace with the past that haunted him for eight years. He’s opened his heart to Bianca Baker. He's made a name for himself in the art world. Life is good…

Until an anonymous package with a cryptic message changes everything.

When it happened before, it ripped him apart. This time around, he has so much more to lose.






Mya Washington is a rebel. Or at least, that’s what her family has always said. As the youngest of a set of triplets, she has always been the more rebellious of the three…even though she never considered herself a rebel.

Outspoken? Yes.

Rule Breaker? Sometimes.

Trouble Maker? Nev—occasionally.

Growing tired of being typecast and misunderstood, Mya moves to New York looking for a fresh start away from the life she grew up in and out of the shadow of her older sisters. Striking out on her own may have put a strain on the family dynamic, but it's the new beginning Mya was looking for.

But after the unexpected death of her mother, she is blindsided yet again by a wedding invitation she didn’t see coming. Her father’s upcoming marriage only cements the wall she’s put up around her heart. Because if her father could be such an utter disappointment, why should she even attempt to open up to any man?

Enter Colton Davis.



Is it better to have loved and lost or to have never loved at all?

Sexy, successful and stylish, Autumn Jones believes in love. She believes in the all-consuming, mind blowing enormity of love. She believes in the euphoric state of loving and being loved. She believes in it because she’s had it once. And when it was lost, she was devastated, but she never stopped believing in the existence of love. Unwilling to settle, she learned from the past and moved on with the expectation that she’ll love again.

Beautiful, talented, and slightly jaded, Summer Wilson believes in sex. She believes in the all-consuming, mind blowing enormity of good sex. She believes that love exists, but Prince Charming does not. At least not for her. She’s seen the downside of love—insanity, heartbreak, infidelity, divorce—and she dates with the expectation that she won’t ever subject herself to that type of vulnerability. Instead, she chooses to love her family, her friends, and her work. And although she enjoys the company of men, her heart is hers and hers alone.

Best friends since elementary school, Autumn and Summer kick off the summer by embarking on a dating experiment. Unfortunately, expecting the unexpected doesn’t prepare them for what the dating world has in store.



Sahara Lee is damaged by grief and guilt.

Ten years ago her world was turned upside down and she never recovered. One decision, one choice, one accident killed the person she was before.

The old Sahara had family, friends, and the love of her life. Now Sahara isolates herself from any and everything she once loved. Immersing herself in fashion, art, and music as a way to escape the pain of the past, she accepts her lonely existence as penance for the role she played in the accident.
That is, until she meets Tyree Barker.

Back to Life reminds you that living and existing are two completely different ways to go through life. Grief will break you but guilt, guilt will destroy you. And once that happens, what can bring you back to life?



When Sahara Lee’s past and present collided, a series of events occurred that changed her life forever, leaving her future up in the air.

As a college freshman, a tragic accident changed the course of Sahara’s life. Ten years later, just when she started putting her life back together, Sahara’s world was rocked again due to a similar accident.

Heartbroken and guilt ridden, Sahara fell into old, familiar habits before quickly realizing that she wasn’t the same Sahara Lee anymore. Unable to live a lonely, loveless, isolated life anymore, Sahara decided that the way she coped before wasn’t going to work this time around.

Time didn’t heal her wounds, but forgiveness might.


Danielle Allen is a lover of football, fashion, film and fiction. From karaoke nights to vacationing and everything in between, she enjoys making the most out of the life in which she’s been blessed by living authentically and intentionally. Danielle spends her days teaching college students and her nights writing.

Danielle Allen is the author of the Back to Life Series (Back to Life, Back to Reality, Back to December*), Love Discovered in New York, Autumn & Summer, the Heartache Series (Heartache, Heartfelt, Heartless*), Work Song, The One, and the upcoming Nevermore.

*coming Winter 2016/2017

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Just A Man

Title: Just a Man
Series: The Porter Trilogy #1
Author: Shannon Youngblood
Genre: Alpha Adult Romance
Release Date: June 30, 2016

For Charlotte Ann-Marie Hightower, living with her best friend, applying for a Personal Assistant job at Alex Porter Industries and enjoying all that Southern California had to offer was enough to scab over the tragic truth of her past. Little did she know that Alex Porter, a sexy billionaire entrepreneur, would turn everything on its axis. Alex comes with his own past of tragic regret that often causes his desire for complete control in all areas of his life. However, with one look from the fiery haired daydreamer, everything changed for him too. Now Charlotte finds herself facing the deepest darkest aspects of the past while Alex refuses to do the same. The question becomes, can they save each other from a past that quickly becomes their present?
“The chemistry literally drips from the pages as you get into the complex, yet sizzling relationship between Alex and Charlotte.” - Author Janea Keyes
“Honestly, this was one of my favorite books to read in a very long time!” - Reader Review
“Shannon did a wonderful job with her descriptive language with her premier novel.” - Reader Review
Well, my name is Shannon. I live with my wonderful husband Vaughn and I read. Like a lot. From May 2015- January 2016 I've ready over 250 books. I decided I'd give this writing thing a try. I've always loved to write short stories but the challenge of a book seemed a bit daunting to me. Be gentle with me. I try my best, but please give me any criticism you can. I would love to make this a full time thing! Love you all and thanks for reading!
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Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Tasting Temptation


Tasting Temptation
by Aria Glazki
Series: Forging Forever, #2
Genre: Spicy Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer:  Paper & Sage
Release Date: June 28, 2016



After last summer’s failed attempt at romance, Gina is absolutely done with men. And especially with millionaires. She has a good job as a fashion editor and amazing friends, and she’s decided she needs nothing else. All she really misses is the sex. But that rush just isn’t worth the risk of being ensnared in another relationship. When the hot bartender at her best friend’s Sonoma wedding suggests some harmless stress relief, she takes him up on the offer. When it’s sufficiently satisfactory, she indulges in a repeat—for the road. When she learns he’s actually the wealthy owner of the vineyard, the mix of fury and fear is damped only by the knowledge that she never has to see him again.

Hunter Cavaliere is determined to honor his grandfather’s legacy, and so far, he’s right on track. The vineyard is thriving, he has plans for expansion, and his wines speak for themselves. The only thing missing is the right woman to share it all. But through his grandparents’ marriage, Hunter learned what true love is, and he’s unwilling to settle for anything else. A woman who judges him because of his money definitely isn’t high up on his list. Still, when circumstance unbelievably keeps bumping him into the intriguing brunette from Portland, he can’t shake the feeling that she is someone he should pursue.

Gina’s poised to run the other way, but one more taste of Hunter may just prove too tempting to resist.



Gina flattened her palm on the bar and sighed. Maybe the emptiness was a sign that a drink was a bad idea.

Before she could make her mind up to leave, a barman came out of the back room, carrying a fresh case, which he set down with a clunk. His eyes raked over her torso before his lips pulled into a crooked smile. “You look like you could use a drink.”

“How extraordinarily perceptive.”

His smile grew, crinkling around his eyes. “Maybe if you’re nice to me, I’ll pour you one.”

Gina exhaled, focusing on the man before her. This was a game she’d mastered long ago, even if she was a bit out of practice. “Maybe if you’re nice to me, I’ll let you.”

He strode closer. “What’ll it be?”

“What are you offering?”

He picked up a towel and wiped off his hands before running his fingers over the bottlenecks arrayed between them. His faded tee shirt stretched slightly across his chest and shoulders as he moved. Deftly, he spun a glass from its spot out of sight and placed it silently on the bar. He uncorked a fresh bottle with a pop. A deep red gurgled into the glass.

Gina lifted it and took a long sip.

The barman’s eyebrow crooked. “Glad I didn’t pour you the good stuff.”

She set the glass back down, half-drained, and shrugged. “I’ll be paying you for it, regardless.”

“Wine isn’t about the money. It’s about the experience.” He fitted the bottle with one of those tops that control how much is poured at a time.

“Or the goal.”

Friendly eyes caught her in their gaze. “There are better ways to de-stress, you know.”

“Are you saying I seem stressed?”

“You’re part of the bridal party, aren’t you?” Another smile tugged at his lips. “Stress comes with the territory.”

She leaned slightly over the bar. “And you’re offering to make it all better?”

He sobered as his eyes trailed over all the skin exposed by her summery top. “How could I deny you?”

Gina traced the stem of her wineglass with her fingers, knowing exactly where his mind would go. “Is this a service you frequently provide, then?”

“Maybe I should start.” He leaned onto his elbows on the bar, so their faces were almost even.

Gina’s lips parted as she considered the man before her. Dark hair lay tousled, with stray locks drifting over his forehead. Symmetrical eyes demanded attention, easily holding their own with the strong line of his pronounced nose that drew her gaze to gently curving lips, set in a wash of stubble that flowed over a crisply defined jaw. De-stressing definitely didn’t sound like a bad idea, if they played on her terms.




Book 1: Mending Heartstrings


Aria Glazki's first kiss technically came from a bear cub. Though no fairytale transformation followed, she still believes magic can happen when the right people come together—if they don’t get in their own way, that is. So now Aria writes heartfelt romances about relatable people overcoming real-world obstacles to build love that lasts.