The Birthday Bash Blog Hop is now over! My winner has been picked!
Thank you all so much for stopping by and commenting on my first kiss excerpt. I love you all! Your responses were awesome!!!!!
I’m so sorry I couldn’t respond to each of you in the comments—this past week has been crazy in real life (illnesses, ER visits, vet visits, barf, poop, broken cars, etc. Seriously. CRAZY.)
Roll out the Red Carpet ~ Evernight celebrates four years of publishing!
Join authors, bloggers and reviewers as we take a RED CARPET tour featuring Evernight’s smart and sexy books. Slip on your virtual stilettos and walk the red carpet of award winning titles, spectacular reviews, and paparazzi style interviews.
Be sure to visit every stop on the tour where you can enter for a chance to win great prizes, including a new eReader, gift certificates, swag, books and much more!
Now I turn the spotlight on my smart and sexy book…
DARK is book one of my Stronghold Series. It features Greyson Dark, a Sentry, and the girl he can’t resist, Eva Waverley. She’s had a rough life, but she won’t let Greyson’s gruff crankiness bring her down.
The Sentries are territorial, guarded, and relentless in their duty to defend humanity from a secret, deadly menace. In order to remain vigilant, these semi-immortal men must remain aloof and solitary. No one, not even their true mate, will distract them from their mission to protect Earth from annihilation…
The next book in the series, DUSK, is coming soon from Evernight!
DARK is an Amazon Bestseller, BookStrand Bestseller, and an All Romance eBooks Bestseller!
What are people saying about DARK? –>
Manic Readers gave it FOUR stars!
“I found myself just as fascinated by Greyson as Eva was. He was strong but silent, grouchy but sensitive, not to mention smokin’ hot.”
The Romance Reviews gave it FOUR stars!
“The book is fast-paced, easy to follow, with a great conflict and it left me wanting more.”
Readers loved it:
“I really enjoyed this fascinating romance! It was well written with a great blend of romance, science fiction and action!”
“YAY, great read…can’t wait for the other books in this series.”
Answer my question in the comment section for a chance to win (be sure to include your email address):
GRAND PRIZES:
- Your choice of an Amazon Kindle Fire HD or Kobo Arc 7
- $100 Amazon GC
- $50 Evernight GC
ERIN M. LEAF’S BLOG PRIZE:
- $20 Amazon gift card AND an eBook copy of DARK. Read the excerpt below and answer my question to win!
First Kiss Excerpt from DARK:
“Eva.”
She stopped and took a deep breath, staring at the ground. When she looked up, there he was. Dark. Handsome. Totally unapproachable. It suddenly occurred to her that they’d never introduced themselves. She’d spoken with him more than a dozen times now, and she didn’t know his name. He shouldn’t know hers. “How did you know my name?” she asked.
Instead of answering, he strode forward.
She fought not to step back as her breath caught. She struggled to keep her hands still. She shoved down her attraction for him. He’d never given her the slightest indication that he felt the same. She shouldn’t be doing this to herself, anyway. He had to be at least twenty years older than she was, or more. And she was leaving. It’s just a stupid crush, she told herself.
“I have something for you,” he said, voice low and rumbly.
“I came to say goodbye, but you weren’t here,” she forced out past her frantically beating heart. He’d come close enough for her to feel the warmth radiating off his body. He smelled fresh and musky, like a pine forest just after a hard rain.
“I know.” He touched her cheek lightly, then pulled something out of his pocket.
Eva looked down. His ring lay nestled in his palm with a silver chain strung through it.
“Here.” He undid the clasp, then slid the chain around her neck. “Don’t ever take this off.”
Eva licked her lips, twisting her hands together so they wouldn’t tremble and betray her nerves. “What are you doing?”
“This will keep you safe.”
The chain was long enough to slide down her shirt between her breasts. It tickled.
“I don’t understand,” she said thickly. He’d left his fingers against her neck. She couldn’t breathe with him this close. He felt like a storm: dark and overwhelming. She wanted him, badly, not matter how much he might hurt her.
“Don’t take it off,” he repeated, then he cupped her cheeks with both hands, tilting her face up.
Whoa, she thought, when she finally deciphered the complicated look on his face. He was attracted to her. Shy, overweight, screwed-up Eva. How was this possible? As she tried to understand this miracle, he moved in and lightly touched his lips to hers.
Eva held her breath for a split-second, then her hands drifted up to his biceps and she held on for dear life. He deepened the kiss, tongue sliding inside her mouth. Eva shuddered. He tasted like mint. He felt like danger. He gathered her close and kissed her harder, teeth nicking the outside of her lips. Eva didn’t care. When he finally lifted his head, she thought maybe she was dreaming, but the taste of blood in her mouth told her otherwise.
“Stay safe,” he murmured, then backed away.
Eva touched her lips. “Wait!”
He paused, dark eyes glittering in the deepening twilight.
“I don’t even know your name,” she whispered.
He looked at her, face harsh. “My name is Greyson.” He touched his finger to the outside corner of his eye, then nodded and backed away.
As before, he abruptly disappeared into the forest before she could say another word.
Question: If you were Eva, why would you let Greyson kiss you in the woods when he’s been so gruff with you?
Answer the question in the comment section for a chance to win (be sure to include your email address).
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Hop to the next blog for more chances to win!
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because under everything he cares and wants to protect…….gruff is ok because of what is in his heart.
Love your excerpt! Why should she let him kiss her… Because he is her soul mate and there is an unseen bond between them that she can’t pull away from. Jennifer.denys@yahoo.com
Well because he may act gruffy but inside (well maybe very deep inside) he is sweet. Just dont tell him I said that! I like just fine where all my body parts is and would like they stay there. Thank you very mutch.
neringiukasss@gmail.com
because he is her soulmate and would do anything to protect her
parisfan_ca@yahoo.com
It seems that they have an intense chemistry together, one she can not resist. Why would you fight fate. I would kiss him anywhere to be with him.
haleymiller354@yahoo.com
If the attraction is strong enough, who can analyze why? It’s an irresistible force!
vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
Of course I would let him kiss and be “gruff ” with me. I apparently never had this feeling before and would be an idiot to let it get away. Also he is hot and mysterious. What woman would not fall for that.
Kyratinker36@gmail.com
gruff is sexy…and hot…and take him behind that tree and go for it girl!!
leetee2007@hotmail.com
I think I would his gruffness shows he cares and he did come after her after all.
ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk
There is no debating the tensions that are playing out in this book! She can’t resist him is why she lets him kiss her.
cherylslife67(at)charter(dot)net
Yes, because even because he is gruff, he cares and he covers his feelings by being gruff and abrupt.
skpetal at hotmail dot com
I would have let him kiss me because sometimes when men don’t like to express their feelings or don’t know how I believe it comes across as gruff. lavidabrisco(at)yahoo(dot)com
Eva seemed to want the kiss, so that’s what matters. If it were me personally, I wouldn’t. prettylittlepages[at]gmail[dot]com
Eva was attracted to him and she saw the look in his eyes that he was attracted, too.
angiek@cfu.net
Just to see if his kiss fulfilled the attraction between them.
acm05atjuno.com
Because deep down he would do anything for her and is her soulmate.
mythic021@gmail.com
He’s attractive and he mad sure of her safety by giving her the ring. It’s also a better way to say goodbye.
bituin76 at hotmail dot com
No matter how gruff someone is with you, if there is a huge attraction,…. it’s hard to stop a kiss from happening when both really want it. Maybe he was the way he was cuz he was trying to fight the attraction,… who knows! All I know is that i’d love to read this story to find out what happens! ❤
Thanks for the giveaway!
Take care & I hope you have a great day! =)
Brandi
BLeigh1130 at yahoo dot com
because he wants to protect her – regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
It feels like Eva has been attracted to Greyson for a while, but it seems she thinks she is unattractive and that she is a women who would never draw the attention of man like him. So the fact that the man who she is very attracted to actually knows she exists and is also attracted to her is more then enough of a reason for her to let Greyson kiss her even though he is guff with her. To her the event is like a dream come true and the kiss is the hope for more for the future when she was just about to throw away that dream for good.
bmiller44@hotmail.com
He seems intent on keeping her safe. marie.mattingly88@yahoo.com
Congrats on all of your success! Yup! He may be gruff but the attraction is there! Thank you for the fantastic hop!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
He is gruff, but that’s because he doesn’t know how to show his sweeter emotions. Their attraction goes beyond his gruffness, she should kiss him because he wants her and wants her to stay safe.
jczlapin@gmail.com
*sighs* ‘Cause he just wanted to keep her safe! Sometimes, a guy acts gruff to hide feelings…
Thanks for the amazing excerpt & giveaway!
Elizabeth
elizabeth @ bookattict . com
Cause gruff can totally be sexy at times 🙂
tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com