The dancer.
The victim.
The sister.

I’ve worn a lot of labels over the years. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to escape. I hid in my dance. I ran away from my life as much as I could. I fought to be somewhere else, even if I couldn’t be someone else.

One night, after my partner lashed out at me and I’d been hurt, the Vandals took me and never looked back. They introduced me to a world I had no idea existed and a family so much greater than the one I’d been trying to survive.

I gave myself up once to protect them.
I’ve fought for them.
I’ve bled for them.
I’ve killed for them.
And I’d do it all again if it keeps them safe.

My name is Emersyn Sharpe. I was born Ivy Hardigan. When the Vandals kidnapped me, I had no idea how life-changing it would be or how I would find real love. More, I found my place in this world. To have the future I want, I will finally wage war on the past.

NOTE:
FIERCE DANCER is a full-length mature dark, new adult romance with enemies-to-lovers/love-hate themes. The dark romance aspects of this tale continue. Please be aware some situations may be uncomfortable for readers. Trigger warnings can be found in the foreword should you require them. This is a why choose novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest. This is book nine and the final in the series.

If you haven’t read all the books in this series STOP! Go back and read them all first! This one begins just before the end of Reckless Thief.

While we all know the dire situation Emersyn is in, we are taken back to where she is leaving with Milo to be safe from the events that are about to begin.

I really loved this part since we get to see them as they really get to know each other as siblings. The protection, love and devotion that comes so naturally for Milo, is beginning to show in Emersyn. It’s still new to her, this having a brother. They actually talk about everything, including Lainey, very interesting.

It’s a lot of driving and it’s the next morning as they are approaching the meet up that all their internal alarms go off, this isn’t right, this is an ambush.
We get to see all the interaction before Bradley Sharpe orders his men to bury her. She had her bracelet, Liam would find her, the guys would find her and Milo.

Back at the clubhouse, another piece of the puzzle was beginning to unfold as Freddie, Vaughn and Rome watch JD and the rats pack up the last of the trucks to be sent out. Freddie senses something off but can’t quite put his finger on it. As they are discussing the tattoos Freddie wants, they get a surprise, their mole wants to break out their prisoner. The Mole is exactly who I thought it was. Nah not telling. But Kellen’s phone is compromised, and things go into motion to get to Milo and Emersyn.

With both Emersyn and Milo back at the clubhouse, although Doc has had to keep Milo sedated, Emersyn is in far better shape. Jasper and Liam have been dispatched to collect Lainey and Ezra joins them as well. Liam and Ezra spend much of the flight at each other’s throats. For Lainey it’s a relief when they land.

A reunion of sorts ensues, as Jasper and Liam see Emersyn awake. Tears and hugs then Emersyn along with Lainey and Doc they go to see Milo. Love Lainey and her kickarse attitude.

Downstairs is a waiting game as they wait for all their allies to show up and Emersyn joins them.

This is a favorite scene.

“How is he?” Ezra asked after a prolonged moment in the gruffest tone. That absolutely cost him to even ask.

She tilted her head, then glanced toward us. Her smile when she met my gaze steadied me then her expression sobered as she looked at Ezra. “He’s going to be okay. He needs rest and antibiotics.”

Blowing out a breath, Ezra nodded. “Can I do anything?”

“Coming with Lainey was a lot, and keeping her safe is everything. So, thank you.”

I didn’t grin as Hellspawn completely neutered the bastard’s grumpy mood. “Tell me if you need something else.”

“We got our girl,” Jasper said. “You don’t need to suck up.”

Ezra glared at him and it was my turn to laugh as I focused on the table again. “Don’t bait him,” I said, lining up the next shot. Hearing that Milo would be okay was one thing, but seeing the relief in Hellspawn’s face and hearing it in her voice offered far more comfort.

“Who?” Ezra asked. “Me or him?”

“Both,” Hellspawn answered, drifting closer to the table with Rome following her. She paused to wait for me to finish the shot. When I straightened, lifting my arm, she glided to me and slid up to my side. Wrapping that arm around her, I took a deep inhale of her hair and pressed my cheek to hers.

The tension knotting my spine released and I had to lock my legs to keep from leaning on her. Turning around and leaving five minutes after we got them to safety at the clubhouse burned. But she and Milo both needed Lainey Benedict. Ezra was being a raging dick about bringing her here, so I wasn’t going to fight that battle on the phone. I showed up and Jasper went with me, then we brought them back.

It protected them and shut Ezra up. The reward was right here, cuddling against me. The relief was profound. “I’m alright,” she whispered against my chest. I felt more than heard the words. I soaked in the content as I rubbed her arm and pressed my lips to the top of her head again.

“Need you,” I told her, and she pressed a hand to my chest before she tilted her head back. I didn’t need another invitation to kiss her. She parted her lips at the first brush and I sank into the kiss, half wishing I was fucking into her, but this was enough. The delicate, kittenish licks were enough to make me insane on a good day.

Today? They were the cure for everything ailing me. She sucked on my tongue then nipped my lip like I was taking away her favorite treat. When I deepened the kiss again, she let out the most delightful little groan.

Someone coughed.

Then a second person.

When a third person cleared their throat with almost obnoxious loudness, I growled. It was hard to be irritated when she let out a wild giggle that succeeded in breaking our kiss and I lifted my head to marvel at the light dancing in her eyes as she grinned. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I murmured. “Don’t mind me when I steal you away and lock these assholes out.”

“Awww,” she elongated the complaint with a laugh even as Freddie echoed it. Then the little pair of comedians glanced at each other with equally wild grins. I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be mad,” she teased. “I’m perfectly fine with being stolen by one of you. You just have to bring me back.”

“Fine,” I huffed with all the mock impatience I could muster. When she flicked my nose then kissed me again, I adored her with my eyes. “Look at that, you’ve kissed me right into submission.”

“Bullshit,” Jasper sneezed and Ezra, the prick, burst out laughing. An alarm went off on my phone— and everyone else’s. I slid Hellspawn right back to Rome and pulled the phone out to check.

“Friendly,” I said, before I headed to the door. Adam had arrived and it was good. I didn’t leave the clubhouse alone. Vaughn and Freddie trailed me, and there was no mistaking the sawed-off shotgun Vaughn carried. Yeah. We weren’t soft balling this.

I messaged Adam to pull inside and hit the remote to open one of the exterior rolling doors. He didn’t answer, just drove his black Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG inside without hesitation. As soon as he cleared the threshold, Adam shoved the door open and stalked out.

“Is she safe?”

“They both are,” I told him, betting he was asking about Lainey every bit as much as he was Emersyn. Relief trickled through his expression, easing some of the icy emptiness he often adopted. He cut a look at Vaughn and then Freddie before staring at me. “Ezra’s inside, hopefully not picking a fight, but I already belted him once.”

Rolling his eyes, Adam just shook his head. “Typical.”

I shrugged. “C’mon. I’ll get you a drink, then we all need to talk.”

Freddie raised his phone, while flicking his eyes to the side door. I made a face then shook my head.

“Fine, fuck it— Vaughn, can you take Adam in and get him a drink?” I locked my gaze on him. Preferably, he would keep him from starting a fight too, or sit on him if he did. Vaughn lifted his chin once in acknowledgement before jerking his head toward the door.

“C’mon in. People are a little on edge, so I recommend minimizing any and all assholish tendencies if you don’t mind.”

“If I do?” Adam asked.

“Well, then when someone hands you your ass, you’ll know why…” Vaughn deadpanned that delivery perfectly, and I had to swallow my own chuckle as Freddie rolled his eyes.

Once Vaughn and Adam were inside, I focused on Freddie. “When is he due?”

“Soon,” Freddie said. “I texted him. I know you’re not a fan, but Bodhi came through for us.”

Yeah, I was aware of Freddie’s trust in the guy. “Fine,” I said. “But you let us control how much Cavendish knows.”

“Why don’t you like him?” Freddie asked, and I sighed. “Long story. It begins and ends with money, privilege, and the ability to buy your way out of just about anything.”

“And?” The dry question served to deliver a point. Frankly, he wasn’t wrong. I had that kind of money. So did Ezra and Adam.

“Cavendish is a loose cannon,” I told him. “The family wealth covers up a lot of crimes and crazy.”

“I like him.”

“I know you do,” I said, then clasped Freddie’s shoulder lightly. “I trust your judgment.” The surprise flickering through Freddie’s eyes at that declaration was humbling. “I need you to trust mine here too. If he can help, I welcome it. Just like Doc’s guys. But…”

“Bodhi isn’t one of us,” Freddie said, and the understanding there helped. “Yeah, I get it. Though if he can help…”

“As I said, we’ll take it. We’re already bleeding, Freddie, and this last battle—” It had come too fucking close for Milo and Hellspawn.

He nodded. “I got it. I’ll follow your lead.”

Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait that long before Bodhi arrived. Just like Cavendish always did, he blew in when he was ready. The man ran on his own timetable and acted like the whole world was just here for him.

Dick.

Thankfully, Doc’s guys arrived hot on his heels. While he didn’t say much after greeting Freddie, Bodhi seemed to be studying Doc’s guys the same way they were studying him— too many unknowns. Once we had them inside, the clubhouse felt too crowded. Hellspawn was sitting with Kellan, curled up in his lap, half asleep. Probably because he was rubbing her back and she was exhausted.

Jasper and Vaughn formed a barrier between the rest of the room and Kellan. Yeah, even if Doc trusted his friends and we were trusting him— adding Ezra and Adam to this volatile mix wasn’t helping. As it was, Adam and Bodhi were glaring daggers at each other. Then Lainey descended the stairs and her arrival seemed to toss a match right into the kerosene.

“Elaine Benedict,” Bodhi said with a wide grin as he crossed the room. Her expression would have been entertaining if Ezra wasn’t already storming across the room.

She raised her brows at him. “Cavendish,” she said slowly. “When did you get here?”

He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to each of her cheeks like they were French, and she gave him a light shove before she headed toward Hellspawn. Vaughn shifted to let her slide onto the sofa next to Kellan.

“Right,” I said, watching the girls confer for a moment. “I think it’s time we all put our cards on the table…” Kellan and I had discussed some of this but not all of it. “Before anyone starts throwing their dick around about who is the bigger badass, listen. We all have pieces of this puzzle.”

I tracked my gaze to Hellspawn as she slipped off Kellan’s lap to let him stand. The guys moved and then we formed a loose circle around the girls while facing Ezra, Adam, Doc’s guys— Lunchbox, Bones, and I forgot what the last guy was called. Alphabet wasn’t here, so I’d guess he was with their girl wherever.

Doc had come down to join us and seemed to read the room as easily as I had. This was a seriously volatile combination of people.

“We’re going to start with what we know,” Kellan said. “You guys have all helped us in different ways since this began, but I’m making it clear right now— there’s going to be more blood spilled before this is over. None of you are committed, yet. If you want out, now is the time to go.”

No one moved. Not that I expected them to make that choice. If anything, Adam turned his brooding, studious gaze on Kellan and seemed to be assessing him. “Read us in… if we can help— if I can help, I will.”

Ezra sighed. “Fine, fuck it. You guys are always good for a fight.”

“We’re here for Doc,” Bones said like that answered everything, and granted it probably did.

“Is there going to be pizza?” Bodhi asked and I rolled my eyes. “Cause I’m hungry and think better with food.”

Fucker.

Hellspawn laughed and I almost forgave the son of a bitch for being a son of a bitch.

Almost.

“Right,” Kellan said. “Pizza later. Everyone take a seat, this is going to be a minute.”
Heather Long. Fierce Dancer ARC – Heather Long (Kindle Locations 1600-1681). Kindle Edition.

With their forces gathered they begin to formulate a plan, the first thing needed is Bradley Sharpe’s location.

There is plenty of sizzle in this one as they all welcome Emersyn home again. A surprise is an apology from Adam to Emersyn for trying to keep Lainey away from her. He also has a mission that could interfere with theirs. His current boss, who no knows, wants Julius King aka Jeff Hardigan dead. In the last book you will recall that he is Milo and Emersyn’s father, although they haven’t let on they know the truth. That is for this book and trust me it was awesome the way Emersyn handles him and gets the promise of a location of Sharpe from him.

One of the biggest standouts in this book is Freddie, his growing relationship with Emersyn truly moves forward in giant steps. I also love his bird name it’s truly perfect for him.

This book is a building crescendo of suspense, intrigue, romance, and the finale absolutely superb!

BRAVO, Heather!

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Long

I love books. Not just a little bit, but a lot. Books were my best friends when I was growing up. Books didn’t care if I was new to a town or to a class. They were always there, my trustiest of companions. Until they turned on me and said I had to write them.

I can tell you that my own personal happily ever after included writing books. I’ve always said that an HEA is a work in progress. It’s true in my marriage, my friendships, and in my career. I am constantly nurturing my muse as we dive into new tales, new tropes, new characters and more.

After seventeen years back in Texas, we relocated to the Pacific Northwest in search of seasons, new experiences, and new geography. I can’t wait to discover what life (and my muse) have in store for me.

Maybe writing was always my destiny and romance my fate. After all, my grandmother wasn’t a fan of picture books and used to read me her Harlequin Romance novels.

Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, friends to enemies to lovers, you name it, I love them and love to write them. I started with Earth Witches Aren’t Easy, the first in the Chance Monroe trilogy, but my characters and I have traveled a long way since I created that urban fantasy world.

One of the series I hear my readers recommend the most is the Untouchable series followed in quick succession by the Vandals, and that just delights me. No lie, whenever one of my readers brings up my wolves, I do a little a fist pump.

I’m active on social media, and I love hearing from readers. Feel free to tag me with a question about any of my books, or just say hi!

The mentor.

The doctor.

The Vandal.

I grew up on the streets despite my older sister’s best efforts to keep my nose clean. I thought I knew better. I worked hard. and made money. Who cared if what I did was a little illegal?

Then a little boy paid the price for my carelessness. A little boy and his baby sister. It was the wakeup call I needed, even if the cost came too high.

Rough choices made for rough outcomes and when I had the chance to join the military or go to jail to get straight, I went to the military.

I paid for my thoughtless actions by becoming deliberate.

I paid for my greed by offering service.

I paid for my chance at a better life with blood, sweat, and fire.

That service left me scarred but determined. Medical school and training taught me I could continue to serve.

I walked away from the streets, from the blood, the violence, and costs of doing business. Living a life I stole not once, but twice, I focused on helping, on protecting, and on healing.

Until she came back into my life.

I didn’t start this current war, but I will damn well end it.

My name is Mickey James. Little Bit is everything. I fought to stay away, and I’ll fight to keep. Our enemies are going to learn that my skill at healing broken bodies makes me damn talented at damaging them too. They drew blood, we’ll bury them.

NOTE:
Reckless Thief is a full-length mature dark, new adult romance with enemies-to-lovers/love-hate themes. The dark romance aspects of this tale continue. Please be aware some situations may be uncomfortable for readers. Trigger warnings can be found in the foreword should you require them. This is a why choose novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest. This is book eight in the series.

If you haven’t read the other books in this series, STOP! Go back and read them all, each book adds significantly to the story, and it is imperative to read them in order.

This book tells us Doc’s story, and it begins with a recap of the end of Merciless Spy. This gives us much more detail of what went on and let me just say go grab some tissues.

As we work through each pair of Vandals, we see the damage of this ambush not only to properties but also and more importantly the physical and mental.

The losses make for many tears as well as a determination to finish this horrible game Emersyn’s uncle is playing once and for all.

For Doc/Mickey J it means the Vandal in him is back, as he not only calls in support from his team but also surrenders to his feelings for Little Bit/Emersyn.

While Emersyn has told everyone her story, she had yet to tell Milo. She didn’t want to tell him what her life had been with her uncle. Now she has to tell him, there is no question in anyone’s mind that her Uncle Bradley was behind this.

They need a lot of answers so they can plan, and Emersyn’s mom Moira, could hold some important ones.

Now this book is really about everyone, but I have to say watching Freddie is one of the best parts of it.

This is a favorite scene.

“You know what I adore about you, Boo-Boo?”

“My taste in coffee and donuts?”

A chuckle escaped at her response. “I will never argue with your taste in either. Though I may ask to share.”

“You don’t have to ask,” she said, her voice dipping a fraction with emotion. “Whatever I have, I’ll always share it with you.”

“What about when you get mad at me?” Playing with fire right now? Yep. I flicked the ash off the end of my cigarette.

“Hmm… even then. Though I haven’t been mad at you yet, so I’ll reserve the right to change my mind. Maybe I’ll make you watch me eat a donut first, then I’ll share.”

She looked so damn serious that I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not the easiest guy, Boo-Boo.”

“I hate to break this to you,” she said, her expression barely shifting. “None of you are easy.”

“Well…” She had a point. “But I’m particularly difficult.”

“I’m a brat,” she tacked on with a shrug. “I bet I can be more irritating than you are if I set my mind to it.”

Huh. That was a thought. “How about a bet?”

“A bet?” When she straightened up, I reconsidered the offer for a heartbeat.

No, I wanted the bet. “Yeah, which of us can be more difficult and irritating to the others.”

“That feels like a trap,” she murmured, but it didn’t seem to dissuade her. “I don’t know if they need to be dealing with us being difficult right now…”

I laughed. “Maybe. Maybe not. Sometimes, giving them something else to think about can be fun—” Then again, I sighed. “Then again, maybe not now.”

“But we could bet on it for later.”

We could. I rolled the cigarette between my fingers before I took another drag. My eyes watered and I sputtered another cough. When she reached over to pat my back in sympathy, I turned my face to blow the smoke away from her.

“What are the stakes?” If we were going to bet on anything, we needed to have stakes.

“What do you want?”

I stared at her, then reached over with my free hand to tuck an errant tendril of her hair behind her ear. The tilt of her head, the dark length of her hair— even pulled back into the ponytail— appeared to have grown so much longer over the last year. That was what hair did, obviously, even though it fell nearly to her ass at this point.

No answer seemed to come easily to me. If anything, all I wanted was this moment. “More moments like this.”

Confusion filled her eyes. “Just hanging out with me?”

“I like hanging out with you.” Loved hanging out with her. Boo-Boo didn’t mind it when I was quiet. She laughed at my jokes. She let me have my little lies when I needed them. When I wanted more…

I wanted more.

Holy shit, I really did want more. I wanted to make her smile and I wanted her to be proud of me. I wanted… I wanted to be the person she needed. I wanted to take the risks she took…

“I haven’t forgotten about our date,” she promised. “I’m actually excited about it.”

“Might be a bit,” I grumbled.

“I can wait.”

“What if I don’t want to?” The irritation was immediate, but I winced because I didn’t want to lash out at her.

“Then don’t,” she countered, leaning back and pulling her legs up to sit crisscross in the chair. “We can be creative.”

Creative?

“What? Do our date here?”

At the Clubhouse? With the guys? I mean, I liked the guys, but… I wanted to take Boo-Boo out. Like when Jasper and I took her to the movies. Granted, I invited myself on their date.

“Why not? I mean— we have rooms that we don’t use.”

I frowned.

“We have my studio—”

Scratching my jaw, I turned that idea over.

“There’s the warehouse itself. If we get rid of the rats, we could probably play laser tag out there or something…”

I snickered.

“There’s the pool table and darts…”

She was offering up so many excellent suggestions.

“We also have that huge sofa in the suite and a television.”

“That all seems kind of… boring for a date, Boo-Boo. I want it to be special for you.”

Head tilted, she smiled. “It will be special, because it’s with you.”

That squeezed all of the air out of my lungs. I crushed out the cigarette. “I don’t know if I’m worth that much.”

“Freddie,” she said, sliding out of the chair. She knelt in front of my seat, and I shifted my leg so I didn’t have a knee in her face. “You are worth everything.”

No, I wasn’t.

“Yes, you are,” she said, as if arguing the thought I hadn’t spoken aloud. She covered my hand with hers, and there was a question in her eyes. When she started to pull her hand away, I clasped her fingers. She could touch me; I liked it when she did. “You are worth it to me.”

I opened my mouth then closed it again. How the fuck did I argue with that? She was worth it to me, too… worth so much more. Dropping the dead cigarette into the fire pit, I squeezed her hand and then pulled out my phone.

Boo-Boo didn’t pull away. She just watched me as I skimmed through my apps and pulled up the music one. Finding the version of the song I wanted took me a hot minute. When I had it, I stood up slowly, still holding her hand, and tugged gently.

Graceful as always, Boo-Boo rose to stand with me. Fear fluttered in my stomach, like acid burning its way out. “Will you dance with me?”

Surprise flickered over her face. “Up here?”

“Yep,” I said, then pressed play on the music and tucked the phone into my shirt pocket before I could lose my nerve. The soft piano version of “Infinity” by Jaymes Young drifted out, almost too soft with the breeze but more than loud enough for us. Her eyes brightened at the first couple of bars.

She put a hand on my shoulder as I settled one on her hip. I didn’t know much about fancy dancing, but I could do this. For fourteen perfect seconds, she drifted with me and the world narrowed its focus down to just the two of us.

At the sixteen-second mark, I began to sing and it came out a little broken and rusty at first. Fuck knew singing right after I smoked probably wasn’t a great idea, but Boo-Boo’s eyes grew so wide. Surprise and delight filtered across her face and every single fear I had went to ash just like that cigarette.

I sang for her, and she danced with me.
Heather Long. ARC Reckless Thief – Heather Long (Kindle Locations 1571-1626). Kindle Edition.

Finding Reginald Sharpe is only the first step, and we also get to know the identity of The King. Now that was a surprise I didn’t see coming. But then Heather is always throwing those curveballs at us.

As always, this book has plenty of sizzle mixed in with everything else. While I knew something to happen at the end, I didn’t expect what actually does. GASP!

It’s going to be a very long month until the final book arrives.

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Long

I love books. Not just a little bit, but a lot. Books were my best friends when I was growing up. Books didn’t care if I was new to a town or to a class. They were always there, my trustiest of companions. Until they turned on me and said I had to write them.

I can tell you that my own personal happily ever after included writing books. I’ve always said that an HEA is a work in progress. It’s true in my marriage, my friendships, and in my career. I am constantly nurturing my muse as we dive into new tales, new tropes, new characters and more.

After seventeen years back in Texas, we relocated to the Pacific Northwest in search of seasons, new experiences, and new geography. I can’t wait to discover what life (and my muse) have in store for me.

Maybe writing was always my destiny and romance my fate. After all, my grandmother wasn’t a fan of picture books and used to read me her Harlequin Romance novels.

Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, friends to enemies to lovers, you name it, I love them and love to write them. I started with Earth Witches Aren’t Easy, the first in the Chance Monroe trilogy, but my characters and I have traveled a long way since I created that urban fantasy world.

One of the series I hear my readers recommend the most is the Untouchable series followed in quick succession by the Vandals, and that just delights me. No lie, whenever one of my readers brings up my wolves, I do a little a fist pump.

I’m active on social media, and I love hearing from readers. Feel free to tag me with a question about any of my books, or just say hi!

The pop princess with her bright blue hair, pouty lips, haunting eyes, and the voice of a siren… She’s always been too busy for us. Music seems to be the one language we both speak.

It’s not enough. For her. For them. For anyone.

I’m not enough.

My brothers want her, the world owns her, and everyone else is vying for a piece of her. At the end of the school year, she walked away and didn’t give us a second look. Discarding us like she had her father.

Now, I can’t decide what I want more—for her to come back or to never see her again.

NOTE:
Please note this is a reverse harem and the author suggests you always read the forward in her books. Contains some bullying elements, mature situations, and is recommended for 17+. This is book two of four in a series and the story will continue through future books.

If you haven’t read ‘Problem Child’ STOP, go back and read it first. This series needs to be read in order.

At the end of the last book, Kaitlin makes a startling discovery at parent’s weekend. Her mother couldn’t make it and sent Johnny instead which was nice, what wasn’t was seeing her father. At first thinking he came for her, the truth comes out two-fold as she realizes he’s here for Ramsey, Lachlan and Jonas, they are her stepbrothers.

For the guys they are stunned to realize she didn’t know they were her stepbrothers, but also don’t understand why she treats her father the way she does.

The picture Ramsey paints in the first chapter of this book is not the one we have from Kaitlin. We also get a look at how much their mother dislikes Kaitlin, never a nice word there only viciousness.

We get to see Frankie and Ian at the beginning of this one too. I love their relationship with KC, Aubrey and Yvette. I found it very interesting that Dix is the one who sneaks Kaitlin out to dance in clubs. Even more interesting when Lachlan outs her and then things go sideways.

Summer over and everyone is settled back in the dorms. Ramsey as an RA, Jonas a senior with his own suite and KC and Aubrey in the same one as the previous year. Lachlan shows up and is now rooming with Ramsey as Jonas isn’t having him anywhere near him.

Not even a full night and fire breaks out in one of the girl’s dorms. Ramsey takes charge as buildings are evacuated.

This is just one of many favorite scenes in this book.

Harley descended one of the stairs. She had a girl with her, and they both wore masks yet were also sooty and coughing. “Can’t get up to the third floor. Something is wrong with the door…”

“Go,” I told her, ushering them toward the door. Then I was running up the steps. It was so hot inside that my skin felt like it had a sunburn, and it was harder and harder to take a breath. I pulled my shirt up to cover my mouth and nose, but it wasn’t much.

The door in question had no signs of warping. It wasn’t hot to the touch, but it was… jammed. I reached up to grab a screwdriver that had been crammed in between the hinges. There’d be no way to open it from either side.

I yanked the door open and turned my face away as hot air and smoke rushed out. “The door is open,” I yelled. “Can anyone hear me?”

“We’re coming,” a feminine voice yelled. “Need help, Kathy hurt herself…”

I didn’t recognize the name as I peered through the haze and the smoke. It was so dense in here I swore my chest burned. My eyes watered and then Aubrey Miller was there with Kathleen Ross. Behind her were three others, including a spark of blue hair. Relief hit as I reached for the injured girl.

“Give her to me,” I said. Her ankle was twisted at what had to be an uncomfortable angle. “Downstairs,” I ordered as I scooped her up. “Stay together.”

There were no arguments as they followed me down. I paused once or twice to make sure blue hair was still with us, but I kept losing her in the smoke. Outside, the cooler air hit like a sledgehammer.

I was coughing all the way over to the quad where the nurse and some of the security staff had set up. I passed them the wounded girl and turned around.

“How many, Harley?” I asked as soon as I found the RA.

“Four… four are missing…”

Four. I twisted, scanning the quad. I’d just brought out three or four. Where…

Aubrey Miller was racing past me back to the building when I caught her arm. “No, stay out. It’s too dangerous in there.”

“KC didn’t make it out. She was right behind me then she wasn’t.”

Shit.

“Stay,” I ordered before running back into the building. The hot air billowing out was suffocating. “KC,” I yelled as I took the steps two at a time.

“Kaitlin…”

My heart stopped on the second floor where I found my blue-haired menace struggling with a pair of large guitar cases.

“What the hell are you doing?” I tried to wrench one away from her and she held onto it.

“I can’t leave them,” she said in a voice so raw it hurt my soul to hear it. “I need them…”

“They aren’t worth your life.”

“Yes,” she countered. “They are.”

“Give me one,” I ordered. “Let’s go.”

“Don’t leave it?” The fact she sounded like she was begging in between coughs rankled me.

“I won’t,” I said. “I promise. Come on, let me get you and the guitars out of here.”

Finally, she relented and I took the larger of the two cases. Then she let me pull her to her feet. She staggered but managed to stay on them. We were descending the stairs together, and she coughed with every step. It was a violent struggle to breathe.

“C’mon,” I encouraged her, hating my own raw cough.

The smoke was thick, the visibility low, but I’d already done this route three times. I knew how to get us out of here. She stayed with me, her hand firmly clasped in mine as we made it to the doorway.

If not for how tight she dug her fingers into my hand, I would have missed her wavering and the sudden laxness as she passed out. Guitars, be damned. I turned and got her over my shoulder then seized the guitar to take with us.

Outside, I carried her, nearly dropping the guitar twice. She’d inhaled a lot of smoke; we both had.

“I have it,” Aubrey was saying as she pried the guitar from my hand. I kept going, racing KC over to where they had the triage set up.

“She needs oxygen.” I put her down, then went back for the second guitar.

She’d thought they were worth her life, so I wasn’t leaving the damn thing.

When I got back, she had an oxygen mask on. The flashing lights of emergency vehicles strobed through the smoke and the darkness. The sounds of sobbing filled the air. KC still struggled to breathe, even with the mask on. She coughed and kept trying to remove it even if her eyes were closed.

“Don’t,” I snapped in a croaking voice. “You could suffocate without oxygen right now.” Her throat could have smoke damage. Worse, her lungs. I turned away to cough, my eyes were irritated and even my breathing had turned to wheezing.

“Good advice,” a paramedic said as he slid in next to me. “Let’s get you some oxygen, too.”

“She needs a hospital,” I said. KC’s eyes were red and irritated. Worse, there was a hint of blue around her lips and not just her hair.

“We’ve got her,” the paramedic assured me, before he handed me a mask to put on. The coughing hurt, but the oxygen helped. KC suddenly tried to sit up, her expression wild.

I yanked off my mask. “They’re right there,” I told her in a raw voice. “Your guitars are safe.”

She sagged like someone had cut her strings. The paramedic got the mask more firmly set on her face. He was checking her vitals and then shooting me a look when she grabbed at my hand.

I held my mask in place and let her grip my hand as I watched the fire department get the water hoses on. The building was a loss. Even if they hosed down all the flames, I doubted whatever was left would be remotely salvageable.

“You want to go to the hospital with her?” the paramedic asked. “We’re triaging right now. She’s breathing, we want to keep her on the oxygen and then we’re gonna transport. We have others with more serious wounds who are going first.”

“I’ll stay with her,” I said. “Then yes, I want to go to the hospital with her.”

I needed to know she was going to be all right, especially if she was going to make such crazy calls where her life was concerned.

Her eyes were closed again, as she dug her nails into my hand until it felt like she wanted to draw blood. I didn’t try to pull away. Instead, I just leaned toward her and said, “I’m here, Kaitlin. I got you. You’re going to be okay.”

Far too briefly, her eyes flickered open and she focused on me, then they closed again. I had to keep both her mask and mine in place. It wasn’t long before Aubrey joined us. She shot me a narrow-eyed look, but I wasn’t going anywhere. Neither was she.

When it was our turn to transport in the ambulance, she gripped the guitars then stared at me and the vehicle.

“I’ll stay with her,” I promised. “Look after those.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she said finally. “You better damn well take care of her.”

I didn’t offer any platitudes, but I wasn’t going anywhere until KC told me to fuck off herself. It wasn’t until I was sitting in the ambulance with a fresh oxygen mask that I caught sight of my brothers. The pair of them stared at me and then at her.
Heather Long. Mad Boys – Heather Long (Kindle Locations 844-889). Kindle Edition.

Payton shows her true colors in this book, she is obsessed with Ramsey, Lachlan and Jonas, even though they want nothing to do with her.

With housing limited on campus and Kaitlin and Aubrey assigned to a room with Payton things have to change rapidly. Jonas offers the empty room in his suite to Kaitlin and she accepts. This gets her away from the danger that is Payton.

I thought Kaitlin had been through a lot in the last book, but seriously this book goes to another level. I really loved that a friendship was beginning with Jonas, and that Ramsey makes headway as well. Lachlan really has a ninja problem that Kaitlin finds amusing though.

So much happens I can’t even begin to express how appalled I am at some of the behavior aimed at Kaitlin. I can’t even say more without giving stuff away and I won’t do that.

I couldn’t put this book down; it wasn’t a short book and it also has one heck of an ending. When’s that next book again?

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Long

I love books. Not just a little bit, but a lot. Books were my best friends when I was growing up. Books didn’t care if I was new to a town or to a class. They were always there, my trustiest of companions. Until they turned on me and said I had to write them.

I can tell you that my own personal happily ever after included writing books. I’ve always said that an HEA is a work in progress. It’s true in my marriage, my friendships, and in my career. I am constantly nurturing my muse as we dive into new tales, new tropes, new characters and more.

After seventeen years back in Texas, we relocated to the Pacific Northwest in search of seasons, new experiences, and new geography. I can’t wait to discover what life (and my muse) have in store for me.

Maybe writing was always my destiny and romance my fate. After all, my grandmother wasn’t a fan of picture books and used to read me her Harlequin Romance novels.

Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, friends to enemies to lovers, you name it, I love them and love to write them. I started with Earth Witches Aren’t Easy, the first in the Chance Monroe trilogy, but my characters and I have traveled a long way since I created that urban fantasy world.

One of the series I hear my readers recommend the most is the Untouchable series followed in quick succession by the Vandals, and that just delights me. No lie, whenever one of my readers brings up my wolves, I do a little a fist pump.

I’m active on social media, and I love hearing from readers. Feel free to tag me with a question about any of my books, or just say hi!

Enrollment begins this autumn.

Born into Hollywood royalty, I’ve been making the hot sheet and generating internet buzz since before I could even walk. Doesn’t matter that my parents divorced prior to my second birthday, I can’t escape the shadows—or scandals—of my movie star mother and my rock star father.

At least, I couldn’t until Aubrey, Yvette and I formed Torched and went double platinum as we made a name for ourselves. Four years after taking the world by storm, I’m exhausted. We all are. I’m also ready to try and be a regular kid. Only problem is I’ve never been normal. I don’t actually know what that feels like. Accepted into the prestigious Blue Ivy Prep, I have a lot to prove to the students, the faculty, our fans, but most of all to myself.

Despite my tabloid reputation or maybe because of it, I don’t intend for anything to get in my way. Especially not anyone who decided I’m an empty-headed pampered partying princess before I even showed up. If they want a fight, I’ll bring them a war.

*Please note this is a reverse harem and the author suggests you always read the forward in her books. Contains some bullying elements, mature situations, and is recommended for 17+. This is the first in a series and the story will continue through future books.

From the moments we shared with Frankie and Ian in the Untouchable series I knew we had to know the story of Torched. Their last tour introduced Frankie and Ian to the world, and now Kaitlin, Audrey and Yvette are stepping away from the stage to finish school.

All Kaitlin wants is a normal school experience, although how normal is a prep school? Blue Ivy Prep is her choice and Aubrey will be attending with her. Unfortunately, her reputation as a problem child has followed her here. There’s only one truly noticeable exception given to Kaitlin and that’s her blue hair, she has contractual obligations that will require her photo and the hair is her signature.

As the book begins, we get a look at teacher/TA meeting, followed by Kaitlin and Aubrey arriving with Kaitlin’s driver Dix. The first encounter with another student happens at the gate and they are pleasantly surprised. Sydney who offered tips right away and her sister Olivia would be people worthy of getting to know better.

The girls settle in and meet the RA for their building, Harley. There are rules to be followed but they don’t foresee any problems.

First day on campus as others are moving in, Kaitlin goes for a run. On her way into the dorm, she once again runs into Sydney and makes lunch plans for another day. She also runs into their neighbors one who can’t keep his hands off his girl and the other who’s just obnoxious, he will be referred to as Hot Shot. This too is important.

The girls settle in and meet the RA for their building, Harley. There are rules to be followed but they don’t foresee any problems. First day of classes brings the first indication of some problems.

This is a favorite scene.

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Beautiful, I love you. No ands, ifs, or buts. No beating around the bush. Will you marry me?

From the first proposal on the playground when we were five to the one two weeks ago, Coop has always been there for me.

Baby Girl, the only thing I’ve ever wanted is you. Forever.

Protector. Best friend. Lover. Jake’s a part of me in a way I can’t define. Even when we were apart, I knew we would find each other.

This is my love song for you, Angel.

Music is Ian’s love language. He doesn’t just wrap me up to keep me safe from the world, he pulled me into his. He shared his love and the knots that bind our hearts are beyond anything I could have imagined.

From the day I met you—you were the one, Babe. The only one.

Archie’s my hero in some ways, he pushes and he demands. At the same time, he savors and teases. He’s a builder and a fixer. I had no idea that the day he arrived was the day the last piece missing in my world would lock into place.

Marry us.

My name is Frankie Curtis, the four men I love more than anything else in this world want me to marry them. They want forever.

They want me.

If you haven’t read the other books in this series. STOP! Go back and read them, they are so very important to the progression of this relationship.

I knew this day was coming, I was anticipating it and wanted it. Now it’s here and I find myself sniffling. This is the final Untouchable book. This is Frankie, Coop, Archie, Ian and Jake getting their HEA. I am sobbing…and smiling.

I loved the opening to this book with them sky-diving. Mind you I would never jump out of a perfectly good airplane, but with them it was just another fun adventure. They do a lot of crazy things but they do it together and that’s what has made this series so perfect.

There’s a lot to be done, graduating, where to live after, planning the wedding and making sure everything is legally perfect.

I loved their family meeting to decide some of these issues, it is one of many favorites.

Here’s a peek at it.

We finished eating and then moved upstairs to our living room. Frankie curled up on one corner of the sofa, fresh wine glass in hand.

“New York,” she said finally, then glanced at us. “We stay here? Whether we live in the city or the Hamptons or Archie gets to build us a house in Westchester.”

Jake laughed and I grinned. Archie didn’t even look remotely humbled by the declaration. “I like it. And I love the idea of building us a house. We don’t need to move yet. We’re good here. But eventually, we’ll want a place to expand.”

“Agreed,” Bubba said. “Which means Coop can work on his master’s here, and we can discuss where we want to have the wedding.”

“I still say we elope,” Archie kicked back on one of the chairs and put his feet up. Jake was scrolling through movies, more to just do something than looking for real. However, we would end up watching one. “Tell no one, go get married, then come back and plan a huge party and make it a commitment ceremony or a reveal party, you know?”

“As much as I kind of like that idea,” Frankie said. “We still have three problems with that.”

“Give them to us, Babe. We can’t fix the problems without the parameters.”

A smile flashed across her face, alleviating some of the earlier melancholy. “There’s the legal issue of five people getting married.”

“We’re working on that,” Archie said. “Legal we can handle. The ceremony itself is for us, and it’s our emotional commitment.”

“Goddamn,” Jake said, then gave a low whistle of appreciation. “You’ve really grown.”

“Yeah, fuck you too,” Archie said with a smirk. Everyone laughed, even Frankie. Bubba slid over and picked her right up before settling her in his lap. When the tension drained out of her, I nodded. That was what she needed and Bubba must have felt it as she curled into him.

“Back to the wedding,” Bubba said. “We need to pick a date, a place, and who we want to officiate. Then we need to decide how formal we want to be. Do we want to say our own vows?” Bubba focused on her. “Do you want to walk down an aisle, or should you be the one at the front while the four of us walk to you?”

Oh… hey. “That’s not a bad idea,” I said. “When it comes down to it, we are the ones who pursued you.”

Frankie chuckled. “You also made me untouchable.”

“Hell yeah, we did,” Jake said with more than a little pride. “I’m still sorry that hurt your feelings, but I’m not sorry we kept the schmucks away.”

“While I’m certain she has long since forgiven us,” I jumped in. “Let’s not pick at old wounds, shall we? What were the other problems, Beautiful? You said the legal issue is one.”

“The name issue,” Frankie said. “Do we want to change any names? I mean— Frankie Curtis Brennen Benton Rhys Standish is a bit of a mouthful.”

“You can handle it,” I teased. “You handle all of us just fine, and I speak from experience.”

She flushed, but she also laughed.

“Lose the Curtis,” Archie suggested. “Then you’re Frankie Brennen Benton Rhys Standish— Mrs. Standish for short.”

There it was, the wild smile on his face and the gleam in his eyes. I got it. The idea of her being Mrs. Brennen was definitely appealing, but Archie wasn’t wrong. If we went with all the names…

“Okay, legal issues, name issues,” Jake said, ticking them off. “What’s our third problem?”

Lifting her head, Frankie studied all of us. I braced for it, because whatever it was, we’d fix it or tackle it together.

“Kids,” she said slowly. “We’ve really not talked about it since… the new year. Do we want them?”

“Hell yes,” Archie said. “Eventually. When you’re ready.”

“Agreed,” Bubba and Jake said almost in the same breath. But I caught the look she sent me. The one that said help.

“Beautiful, we’re not in a rush. Bubba’s twenty-two, we’re twenty-one, almost twenty-two. We’re not graduating for another few months, and then I’m going after my master’s degree while you take over the world, and Bubba writes the soundtrack for two evil geniuses who will be creating all the neat new tech. We have time. We want kids— when the time is right for it. What do you want?”

She sighed as Bubba rubbed her back. “Being a mom scares the hell out of me.”

“Frankie,” Jake leaned in to catch her free hand, “you are not your mother. You have never been your mother. You have that big ass heart, and you have all four of us. We’re going to love every single child we make, no matter whose sperm wins the race…”

I rolled my eyes. Really? Making sperm into a competition.

“… you’re going to be an amazing mother. Your kids are gonna be so fucking lucky to have you. That said, nothing happens until you’re ready. If that day doesn’t come, well, there’s nothing wrong with having the freedom to be naked any time of day and fuck like rabbits on the sofa if we want to.”

It was Frankie who rolled her eyes. “You guys will do that anyway.”

“Yes,” Bubba agreed. “We will. The point is that we make the decision together. No one is doing this alone. Whether it’s you taking on a more pivotal role at Standish or Coop getting licensed— those two trying to build the next best thing without blowing anything up.”

“Hey,” Archie said. “We haven’t blown anything up in months.”

“We’re also not done with the test engine,” Jake said drily. “Yet.”

Laughter spilled out of Frankie, and she tucked her head against Bubba’s shoulder. He kept rubbing her back while Jake rubbed his thumb over her palm.

“I love our family,” she said softly. “I don’t want to lose this—”

“Then we don’t,” I promised. “We keep talking, we keep working together, we build the future we want. We do it together. That doesn’t mean we won’t have hiccups or stumbles. But we pick each other up, we steady each other, we pick up the slack when someone else needs it.”

“What he said,” Jake agreed. “I love our family too. Fuck it, if names are an issue, I say we all change our names to something so we match and the only mouthful you have to deal with is us.”

That set her off laughing even as Archie groaned.
Heather Long. Farewells and Forever (Kindle Locations 363-414).

Watching Frankie, Cooper, Jake, Ian and Archie grow into maturity has been quite the journey and as I turned each page, I saw that growth become so much more.

Hank, has really become her father even after all those years of not knowing. Kelly, Chloe, Craig and Alec have just added more to the idea family. I loved the scenes with Frankie and her siblings especially the talk with Alec.

Even Eugene and Patience had to grow in these books, as grandparents they certainly messed up early on.

Eddie, well I think he’s the one who really changed the most. I got a kick out of him and Hank.

Rachel, oh how I love her!! She’s the ultimate best friend.

Jeremy and his friend Ann are cute as can be, and I loved Archie’s meeting with them.

Then there’s the guy’s families, oh how much they’ve come to understand with their son’s unconventional relationship.

There are new places, new adventures, a return to a favorite place and of course there’s scenes that practically melted my kindle.

It’s hard saying good-bye to this series, but these characters live on. In my heart, in some books Heather has planned, and in the Epilogue and bonus scenes at the end of this book.

Bravo, Heather! This series will always be a favorite.

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas in the summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories–her characters drive the books.

When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Broken dreams.
Broken lives.
Broken bird.

Our feelings for her were like wild animals finally freed from their cage. But my sparrow, she was the most brutal fighter of us all. She’d had to be.

The battles she’s survived, she’s done in silence and alone.

Not anymore.

Never again.

Milo let her go. Jasper took her. Vaughn sheltered her. Liam taught her. Rome connected with her. Doc pushed her away. Freddie went after her. All because we wanted what was best for her.

Me?

I was in this fight. Our promises might lie shattered in the debris of the life we’d thought she had, but we weren’t abandoning them or her.

Oh no, I would never leave her again.

My name is Kellan Traschel, I will be whatever she needs me to be. And if war is what must be waged, then hell was what we would rain down.

First if you haven’t read the other books in this series, STOP! Go back and read them, this one begins where the last one left off.

Emersyn is back at the clubhouse and that first night she spends with Lainey. Lainey deserves to know everything, but there are some things Emersyn hasn’t yet told her.

Things get interesting when Adam shows up with Liam wanting to talk to not only Emersyn, but also Lainey. Everyone gets involved in that one.

I have loved Kellen from the very first book of this series and now I love him even more. Vaughn and Jasper are so protective and Freddie, well he’s Freddie.

There’s also the developing relationship between Milo and Lainey, that’s a source of all kinds of fun.

Although I have to say when Emersyn is with Liam and Rome things are both easy and complicated.

This is a favorite scene.

“What did Doc say?” Rome didn’t. Another reason to love my mirror.

“That they will heal,” she said slowly, fingering the scars. “That there are things we can do to reduce the scar tissue and to exercise the muscles— rehabilitate them.”

Nothing in her tone suggested it was good news nor that she believed him.

“Did he give you the rest of your results?” I kept it light as I set the water to heat on the stove. The bread was ready to drop when I was ready.

The weight of her stare settled on me and I twisted to meet that look head-on.

“I’m not pregnant.” A hot desert wind blew through me that she’d worried that had been an option.

“Okay.”

Despite the fact that he seemed focused on his food, Rome undoubtedly listened to every single word she said.

And those she didn’t.

Just like me.

“I have a bit of an infection,” she added with a grimace. “The antibiotics are already working. He wants me to take more, though.”

Right. I fisted my temper and parked it. People were going to be broken when I hit the ring this weekend. I needed the outlet. The question about her uncle was right there on my tongue, but I refused to make her explain shit to me.

I could torture it out of him.

Oh, I liked that plan.

I cracked two eggs, one at a time, into the boiling water. Then dropped the toast. Rome had nearly finished his food.

“Anything else you want to share?” Lots of ways to phrase that, but if she wanted to talk to us, I wasn’t going to stop her.

“I hurt him.”

“Doc?” I twisted to look at her again and a smile ghosted over her lips.

“No, not him. My uncle.”

Oh. “Good.”

She was chewing her lower lip again. Paying attention to the eggs and the toast, I got her breakfast together without smashing anything.

“I tried to get away.” She wasn’t looking at either of us this time. Instead, she rested a hand on the stapler.
Rome went still. Everything about Hellspawn said wild animal, trapped, and hurt. One false move could startle her.

Worse, it could chase her off.

“I punched him in the dick.” It was the almost wistful note in her voice that had me altering some plans where said bastard was concerned. “Then did that wrap his knee and jerk it move we worked on.”

She swallowed, the convulsive motion in no way detracting from the solitary note of pride.

“Something cracked when he went down. I hurt him.” The repeat of the last sentence stoked a sense of pride inside of me. When I held out the plate to her, she seemed to come back to us in the kitchen. Returning from whatever distant place she’d fled. “Thank you for showing me how to do that.”

“You’re welcome, Hellspawn. Give it another couple of days, and we’ll start training again.”

She gripped the plate, but I didn’t let it go when she blinked in surprise. “Really?”

“I know you’re not a hundred percent right now, but it’s better to know what you can do no matter what condition you’re in.”

The sheer amount of chewing she kept doing to her lower lip threatened to split the skin. Understanding kindled in her eyes and she nodded once. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Remind me that I want to show you how to kill a man…” When she dipped her gaze to the stapler and red flushed her cheeks, I added, “Without the stapler.”

There. The corners of her lips curved upwards in a real smile. There she was. “I did pretty good with it,” she admitted.

“You did amazing with it,” I assured her, and when she tugged the plate, I let it go before handing her a fork. “But there’s more than one way to skin an asshole.”

Her nose wrinkled again. “At least you didn’t say cat.”

“Hellspawn, no one is skinning your pussy. Ever.”

Rome huffed a breath, but it was Hellspawn’s reaction that I wanted. The real smile came and went as if she fought with laughter. “Not even if I ask?”

“Ask me sometime and find out.” What the fuck was I doing? The comment slipped out before I could reel it back in. But the mirth dancing in her eyes and the color in her cheeks was a thousand percent improvement from the pale, shaky woman who arrived with my other half.

I stole a glance at him and he nodded once— to me— then at her. But he was right. She responded to the teasing, to the tone, or maybe just to us.

Whatever.

Flirting with her wasn’t a damn hardship. Still, I wasn’t stepping on Rome’s toes. She dug into the poached eggs and toast with some enthusiasm.

Satisfied, I got my food reheating then went about making coffee.

“Will you tell me how you know Adam?” she asked, but only after she’d cleaned her plate and turned down my offer for more.

The last thing I wanted to talk about was Adam.

“Sure,” I countered. “Tell me what he offered you.” I took her empty plate and passed her the fresh coffee. I’d made one for Rome too.

“You won’t like it,” she warned me.

That went without saying. “Then don’t tell me.” It was the best I could do.

“But I want to know how you know him.”

Pulling out the food, I leaned back against the counter and sank the fork into the flaky, somewhat overcooked salmon, and shrugged. “I told you my price.”

Rome could have told her. He knew. But she hadn’t asked him. That, and I had a feeling he wanted to know what Reed had offered her too.

She sighed, staring into her coffee cup for a minute. “He asked me to marry him.”

The plate cracked in my hand.
Heather Long. Brutal Fighter (Kindle Locations 1202-1250).

The revelation of Adam’s out of the blue marriage proposal is just the beginning as now Ezra is also in the picture. Liam needs a whole lot of answers.

I love the relationship Emersyn has with Kellen and I’m so glad things are better with Doc. Heck every single one of them has a different relationship with Emersyn, each giving her something she needs.

Now a lot of things are cleared up in this book, but others become more cloudy.

There have been many clues sprinkled throughout all the books, but we still don’t know the identity of ‘the King’. I have my suspicions, but dang I’m not positive.

Of course, the ending had me screaming at my kindle, but I’m kind of used to that with this series. I can’t wait for the next book.

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas in the summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories–her characters drive the books.

When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

When did we become the adults? When did we become the ones who had to make the hard calls? One by one, we’ve all left our teenage years behind. College brought new challenges even as Bound Hearts brought us more.

Whether we’re making music, love, war, games, or trouble, we’ve found a good balance. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Together, we know we can do anything.

We’ve learned that even being apart doesn’t mean we aren’t together.

Life has a habit of throwing curve balls. School, careers, new hobbies, friends in need, and family demands are hitting us from every angle. We’re going to need each other more than ever.

Archie, Coop, Ian, Jake, and I are a team. We’re constantly figuring it out and sometimes, we fight. We also make up.

And we’ll have each other’s backs, today, tomorrow, and into the future.

NOTE:
This is a reverse harem and the author suggests you always read the forward in her books. Contains some bullying elements, mature situations, violence, and is recommended for 17+. This is the eleventh in a series and the story will continue through future books.

Once again if you haven’t read the other books in the series STOP, go back and start at the beginning.

This book starts pretty much where the last one ended. It’s the beginning of their third year at NYU. It’s been a busy two weeks and Frankie wants some alone time with Coop. He’s volunteering at a center in Flushing so it’s a bit of a commute, but Frankie doesn’t mind taking the subway to meet up with him to travel back home together. This was so much fun and I loved the phone conversation with Hank.

Jake’s taken up playing hockey and he’s pretty good at it. He loves that Frankie comes to watch even his practices and I loved seeing the after of this one.

Frankie and Rachel always get me laughing and when Frankie models for her it’s so much fun. Rachel drops a bit of a bomb, but dang if Frankie doesn’t counter it like a pro.

I think the interactions with Jeremy and Miss Abigail are hysterical, but she’s a puppy after all and does need to have manners.

Ian and Frankie have some new things to think about with their music and it’s both fun and exciting for them. School however is the priority right now.

The person everyone is concerned about is Archie. He’s buried himself in projects and working long hours. It’s his way of dealing with Grandpa Ted’s death, but he’s isolating himself. I really loved the way Frankie stepped in.

Now all that’s just a touch of the beginning of this book. This relationship is always sizzling and full of fun innuendos.

It’s taken me a while to decide on my favorite scene, but I think when everyone gets sick after Halloween night takes the prize here. I love how they take such good care of each other.

Two days after Halloween, I woke up with more than a sore throat and Jake propped his head up on his hand as he gazed down at me. Bless him, he didn’t say anything until I said, “I think I’m sick.”

It came out so hoarse and rough, he smiled gently and pressed his lips to my forehead. “We know. You’ve been flush for two days, Baby Girl.”

I groaned, closing my eyes and putting a hand up to my face. My head hurt, my throat hurt. Even my muscles hurt. When I tried to sit up, Jake wrapped an arm around me and tugged me up against the pillows.

He nodded over to the nightstand next to the bed and I could have cried. Cold meds sat there with a tumbler on the warming plate. I’d bet anything there was hot tea in there.

“Ian or Coop?”

“Both of them, but Coop was up here earlier and he noticed how hot you were running.” There wasn’t an ounce of reproach in his voice. I cradled the tumbler and then took a sip of the tea. “Archie sounded a little rough this morning, so Jeremy banished him to his own room for a few hours.”

I grimaced.

“Bubba’s got a stuffed nose but otherwise he seems fine and Coop’s got the constitution of an ox, so he’ll be swapping out with me after he gets back from work later.”

“Jake,” I protested but he just shook his head at me.

“Nope. You’ve got a cold and a fever. You’re the worst off. It’s not our first rodeo.”

“And if you get sick?” Misery might love company but I didn’t want them sick. I told them I wasn’t and then they were all sleeping in here anyway.

“Then we get sick. I’ve never been afraid of your cooties.”

That just made me giggle. Unfortunately, that giggle turned into a cough. I covered my mouth and grimaced. Reaching past me, Jake got the meds out and held them over to me. I took them. The tea was amazing, but my throat felt like I’d swallowed crushed glass and I swore my pulse thumped in my head.

“You hungry at all?”

I shook my head, I kind of just wanted to go back to sleep. “I have to call my dad.”

“I’ll do it if you want.”

“And I have to call Eddie.”

“I can do that too.”

Sniffling, I took another swallow of the tea and then put it back on the warming plate before I turned to snuggle into Jake. He chuckled, stroking my hair.

“Hot,” I grumbled.

“Yes, you are, in more ways than one.” He nuzzled a kiss to my head. “Go to sleep, Baby Girl. I’m going to get a damp cloth. Hopefully the meds will work and we’ll get that fever down.”

I hated being sick.

He slipped out of the bed, but came back with the cold wash cloth, after he tucked it around my neck and let me cuddle right up to him, I was out.

The next time I woke up, Jake was still there. He had a book open on the Kindle and he was reading. He scooted out to go grab food for me and more hot tea while I went to the bathroom. I stood under a tepid shower when he came back up, but I was already swaying from the headache before I was totally done.

Skipping clothes altogether, I just crawled back into bed. There was soup, meds, more tea and water and then a Jake to snuggle before I went back to sleep.

The whole weekend passed with only brief moments of being awake enough to take meds and eat. My fever finally broke sometime on Sunday morning. Ian was there and he picked me up and carried my nasty, sweaty self right into the shower.

Thankfully, he was an old hand at washing my hair. They all were. Jake was waiting when we were done and they toweled me off and combed out the tangles before I got to be in fresh pajamas.

They’d even changed out the bedsheets. Jake also looked a little flushed and Ian told him to get in the bed and handed him the same meds I was taking. Archie definitely had the cold so he came up to join us, leaving Coop and Ian to run all over the place, but I could actually help.

What a shitty weekend.

Well, not so shitty I guessed because by Monday, I was mostly better except for feeling like a snot factory. Coop had finally taken a turn and he was definitely rough. Archie was already bouncing back, and Jake’s fever broke.

So far, Ian was the only one who’d escaped unscathed, but we skipped classes to look after everyone else. Thankfully, none of us managed to get Jeremy sick. Which was definitely a win.

“Hey,” Coop said in a raspy voice. He was the last of us still sick. Jake, like me, had a mild cough and a stuffy nose but he’d felt a hell of a lot better after the fever passed. Archie seemed to have dodged all of that.

Coop, though, he got all the cooties. “Hey,” I greeted him, his forehead was definitely damp and his hair sticky. “How are you doing?”

“I feel like ass,” he complained and I chuckled. “I recognize that feeling.”

“Your cooties had some kick.” The half-echo of my earlier thought made me smile even more. He shoved himself up and I twisted to get him water. If he had to drink tea, he would, but he wasn’t a fan.

“Well, maybe next time, we skip making out while I’m sick.”

He gave it a beat like he was considering it, then shook his head. “Nah. Totally worth it.”

“You’re terrible.”

“But you love me.”

Not even a question. I leaned in and when he lowered the water bottle, I nuzzled a kiss to his stubbly cheek. “I love you even when you’re gross,” I promised him.

“Good.” He made a face. “Cause I’m pretty sure I’m offending myself.”
Heather Long. Legacy and Lovers (Kindle Locations 1748-1794).

Thanksgiving is quite the occasion with all the families. It was fun and their was a lot of handling the question of their plans for the future with Frankie.

A surprise event had me tearing up. Frankie and the guys really show how much they’ve grown here and I don’t think it could have been handled better.

Archie’s grief also takes a turn and with Frankie and surprisingly Eddie it gets better for all of them.

A big plus in this one is the happy cliffhanger, it was absolutely perfect!

As much as I don’t want this series to end, I know the next book is the last. I can’t wait for their HEA.

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas in the summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories–her characters drive the books.

When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.