An Excerpt from Marine on a Mission

Here’s an excerpt from MARINE ON A MISSION, my novella from the NAUGHTY HEROES: IN AND OUT OF UNIFORM BOXED SET.

The dimness of the bar had softened him slightly, but the stark lighting in the break room hid nothing. Mitch seemed an inch or two taller than when he’d left. His shoulders were broader, stretching the seams of his T-shirt, his biceps were huge. The soft material clung to his chest like a second skin. There was a scruff on his chin, as though he hadn’t shaved in a day. His hair was short, but still longer than military regulation. It was as black as night and thicker than ever.

He’d left her a boy but come back a man. Clichéd, sure, but no less true.

She jumped to her feet. “What are you doing here?” She needed space, some time to pull herself together before she faced him again.

He took several steps forward, and she noticed he was favoring his left leg. Had he been injured? She hadn’t heard and there’d been no one to ask. She’d tried to speak with his uncle after Mitch had left, but he’d run her off the property at gunpoint. She’d never gone back.

When he kept coming toward her, she wanted to back away, but held her ground.

“Sara Leigh.” He said her name. Just that, but it sounded so intimate. She closed her eyes against him, but it didn’t help. She was very aware of his presence. She caught the slightest whiff of soap, felt a breath on her face, and then his lips touched hers.

The bar, the past, everything disappeared. There was only Mitch and her. Only he’d had the ability to make her feel special, as though she could conquer the world, as if she was worth loving.

She yanked her head away. He’d taken that from her, forcing her to learn to stand on her own two feet, to find her self-worth by herself. She should probably thank him for that. Maybe in another decade or so, she’d be able too. Right now, all she wanted to do was gather the tattered remnants of her pride around her and survive this night.

“Why did you do that?” she demanded. “You have no right.”

He ran his fingertips down the curve of her jaw. “I did it because I had to.” He leaned closer until their noses were almost touching. “And sweet Sara, I have every right.”

NAUGHTY HEROES: In And Out Of Uniform A collection of UNFORGETTABLE HEROES

MARINE ON A MISSION 
N.J. Walters 

When Mitch McCoy left rural Kentucky to join the U.S. Marines he never thought he'd return. Now he's undercover with a state drug task force. He's not only facing his past, but also Sara Hawkins, the woman who broke his heart. This investigation will risk their lives and their hearts. 

 SEX BOMB 
Nicole Austin  

From first sight I knew Marine Lieutenant Harlie Savage wasn't fragile like a flower—she was fragile like a bomb. Definitely not some princess who needed to be saved, either. She was a queen who only lacked a sword, and I vowed to be her weapon. 

HER SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 
Belle Scarlett 


Leia has no idea who ex-Marine Major Tate McIntyre is when he saves her life in a dark alley. Yet Tate's certain Leia is his to have, hold, and protect. He vows to keep her safe at any cost. His only price is her heart. Semper Fi! 

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN
Katherine Kingston

A disabled vet rescues a woman on a mission to collect evidence, saving her from the men chasing her. As Jace and Shannon race to survive and outwit a traitor, a deep connection grows between them. But staying alive long enough to explore the attraction will take everything they've got.

MILITARY BLUES
Elizabeth Lapthorne

Luke is struggling to recover from a career shattering IED blast that sees him permanently discharged. Milly's career self-destructed and she's moved cities in the hopes of starting again. Can this new life and new relationship be a second chance for them both?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z29RCY1/

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1134068523

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/naughty-heroes

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1483388473

Universal: https://books2read.com/u/b5QgqA

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at: Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Christmas Traditions

I love this time of year—the music, the colored lights, the tree, the holiday movies and the excitement. Like most families, we have various traditions that have changed or evolved over the years. But one tradition that never changes is my mother’s fruit cake.

Yes, I said it. Fruit cake. We’re big on this holiday staple in my family and all of us would feel slighted if our mother didn’t make us one of her amazing cakes. Heck, when I was a kid, I used to ask for one for my birthday every year. Mom would make a fruit cake for the family celebration and a chocolate one for the party with my friends. I don’t know what makes hers so special. Maybe it’s the rum, maybe it’s the love. All I know is Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it.

Another tradition is chocolate fudge, but not just any fudge. I use the same recipe my mother used when I was a kid. It’s fast and delicious.


Five Minute Fudge (From the Carnation Milk Cookbook)

2/3 cup of Carnation milk
1 2/3 cups of sugar

~Bring sugar and milk to a boil and boil on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir constantly. Remove from heat.

Add:
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet dark chips)
1 ½ cups of plain mini marshmallows (I use Kraft minis)
1 tsp of vanilla flavouring

Stir until smooth and pour into greased 8” X 8” pan.

Cool and cut into squares.



And if you’re looking for a calorie-free treat to help get you through the season, be sure to pre-order Naughty Heroes now for only 99-cents. Price will go up soon after it releases.

NAUGHTY HEROES: In And Out Of Uniform A collection of UNFORGETTABLE HEROES

MARINE ON A MISSION 
N.J. Walters 

When Mitch McCoy left rural Kentucky to join the U.S. Marines he never thought he'd return. Now he's undercover with a state drug task force. He's not only facing his past, but also Sara Hawkins, the woman who broke his heart. This investigation will risk their lives and their hearts. 

 SEX BOMB 
Nicole Austin  

From first sight I knew Marine Lieutenant Harlie Savage wasn't fragile like a flower—she was fragile like a bomb. Definitely not some princess who needed to be saved, either. She was a queen who only lacked a sword, and I vowed to be her weapon. 

HER SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 
Belle Scarlett 


Leia has no idea who ex-Marine Major Tate McIntyre is when he saves her life in a dark alley. Yet Tate's certain Leia is his to have, hold, and protect. He vows to keep her safe at any cost. His only price is her heart. Semper Fi! 

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN
Katherine Kingston

A disabled vet rescues a woman on a mission to collect evidence, saving her from the men chasing her. As Jace and Shannon race to survive and outwit a traitor, a deep connection grows between them. But staying alive long enough to explore the attraction will take everything they've got.

MILITARY BLUES
Elizabeth Lapthorne

Luke is struggling to recover from a career shattering IED blast that sees him permanently discharged. Milly's career self-destructed and she's moved cities in the hopes of starting again. Can this new life and new relationship be a second chance for them both?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z29RCY1/

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1134068523

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/naughty-heroes

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1483388473

Universal: https://books2read.com/u/b5QgqA

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at: Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

A Little Bit of Geek and a Whole Lot of Sexy....

Good morning. How's everyone been? Can you believe summer is almost over. Ack! Where does the time go?

Things have been a bit crazy in the cave lately. I've been revamping, moving stuff around and getting organized for the next few months in the writing cave. It's taken me a while to get over my mother's sudden passing, but I think I'm finally ready to keep forging onward.

My mom was one of the most kickass women I'd ever met. She took on being a single parent with gusto back when things like that simply weren't done, especially where we lived. Divorce was tantamount to sin back then. But Mom didn't care. She'd done right by her kids, and that's all that mattered.

When I sat down at the keyboard and decided it was time to write again I knew the series I did had to honor that tough resilience she'd raised us with. The thick skin and backbone I inherited from her (thank goodness, cause wow--publishing is ROUGH). Covert operations style romances with sexy badasses have always been a favorite of mine, one I'd been determined to do a series for. But, like most writers, I wanted my own personal spin on it.

Mary "The Edge" Reynolds and her vagabond team of brainiac BFFs sauntered into my brain and nested immediately. They were brilliant, proudly geek, and more than ready to take on all the brawn my Arsenal world offered. They didn't need a sexy, muscled man to save them, but they didn't mind having one by their side kicking ass along with them.

So, welcome to the Arsenal. Where the women are smart, sexy and a little on the awkward side when it comes to handling the former military badasses that've somehow become an instrumental part of their lives.

Together they've got some touch challenges ahead of them, but I suspect they won't have any problems. I can't help but think Mom would love Mary and all her friends. She'd probably be right there along with them.

We've all had those beautiful, brilliant influences in our lives. Who was yours?

Jagged Edge releases October 17th and is the first book in The Arsenal series. Pre-order your copy now.

Homegrown Terrorists vs. Navy SEALs by Sharon Hamilton #giveaway

SEAL My Home has just released, Book 2 of the Bad Boys of SEAL Team 3. It is part of my larger SEAL Brotherhood series. I’ve written the story of a Navy SEAL, raised in foster care, never knowing family, and finding it in the brotherhood of his SEAL teammates. Along the way, he uncovers a terrorist cell, who threatens to destroy everything he now holds dear.

 I debated a little before writing this story, since I’ve taken certain license with certain elements in the news around home grown terrorists. The fact is, there are terrorist training camps within the borders of the United States today. My hero questions why they are allowed to remain, just like the reader does. While I don’t solve this problem, I do reveal that this may become part of our social landscape in the months and years to come. The bombings and terrorist attacks so common in war-torn areas may be coming to our own shores in the not-too-distant future.

One of the traits that is most unique and the reason I love to write my SEAL stories is the fact that these warriors absolutely can’t stand bullies, or people who prey on the innocent, and are highly trained to defend them, even at the cost of their own lives. But this poses a problem when the acts of terror occur on home turf, and that’s where the story lies.

Then I threw in finding the love of his life, a near career-ending snowboard accident, and the appearance of family he’s never known, and my hero, Rory Kennedy, is suddenly ill-prepared for all these events, in spite of his training.

Here’s a short excerpt:

           Rory made fists with his hands, which caught the notice of the detectives. If both of them were missing, something was definitely wrong. Kyle’s brow was wrinkled, and he was gently shaking his head.

            “And you’ve had no contact since L.A. No phone calls or emails with his office, with this Derek guy?”

            “Absolutely, no. I haven’t checked my computer in a few days, but last time I did, nothing.”

            “Would you check it right now, please?” one of the detectives asked.

            Rory got up slowly, positioning his cane for steadiness. Kyle stopped him.

“Let me. Where is it?”

“Next to the bed.”

Rory walked slowly with his cane for support and leaned slightly into a stool as Kyle placed the computer on the eating bar. The two detectives looked over Rory’s shoulder. Scrolling through his Gmail account inbox, he found something he’d never seen before.

            It was a single line item with a subject line: Raymond Corrigan, from Raymond Corrigan’s computer. Underneath there was a single picture, which flashed slowly on the screen line by line. It was a picture of Raymond, bound and gagged, barefoot, sitting on a chair on a concrete floor of some dark warehouse. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit. On his lap was a copy of the New York Times dated today. His eyes were swollen shut with dark bruises. Underneath the picture were the chilling words:

            Proof of Life.

SEAL My Home Links

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/19L5B5W
Amazon: http://amzn.to/19L5E1B
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1CPtbtR
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1F3V6U1
Amazon AUST: http://bit.ly/1yBj5aL
Amazon FR: http://amzn.to/1xzZNaE
Amazon DE: http://amzn.to/1Dw4fZ3
iBooks: http://apple.co/1HHeKYG
Nook: http://bit.ly/1NCab3P
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1BNHqL4

Character Interview: http://bit.ly/1Dw4Jyh
Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/1P089Om

I thank Sabrina York for allowing me to appear on your beautiful site today. One commenter will be awarded SEAL My Home in Kindle version, or any of the other books from my backlist, either Kindle, Audio or Paperback. And I will ship internationally. Just leave a comment, and Sabrina will chose a winner.

Thanks again for having me!

ABOUT SHARON

Sharon Hamilton is a NYT and USA/Today bestselling author most known for her SEAL Brotherhood series.

Her Golden Vampires of Tuscany are not like any vamps you’ve read before, since they don’t have to go to ground, and can walk around in the full light of the sun.

Sharon’s Guardian Angels struggle with the human charges they are sent to save, often escaping their vanilla world of Heaven for the brief human one. You won’t find any of these beings in any Sunday school class.

All of Sharon’s books are available on eBooks (most formats), print and Audible.

A lifelong organic gardener, Sharon lives with her husband in the Wine Country of Northern California, where most of her stories take place. When she’s not writing, she’s getting verra verra dirty in the mud, or wandering Farmer’s Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.

Join Sharon Hamilton's Newsletter

Sharon Hamilton

Life is one fool thing after another.

Love is two fool things after each other.

Author Page ** Sharon's Blog ** Sharon's Website ** Facebook**Twitter

Sharon’s Newsletter

Long Awaited Stone Hard SEALs Duet—Get it now at a discounted price! #New Tiara Giveaway

Oh, she knew he was handsome. She could tell from the lines of his face. But in the light of the flickering fire, with all the goo wiped away, he was breathtaking. A powerful jutting chin, high cheekbones, feathery lashes, and sharp gray eyes. His forehead was broad, his nose straight and long, and his lips… Oh, holy heaven. His lips. Full and lush and delectable.

All her tiredness fled. She was swamped with the hum of a new energy.

***

Last summer, Hot Alpha SEALs took the book world by storm, getting rave reviews for this collection of scorching military romances, and earning spots on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.

Ryder’s story was such a hit, readers asked to read Drake’s story as well. Here, now, for the first time, are BOTH adventures!

The duet (a full length novel) will retail for $2.99, but I wanted to offer it at a discounted price of 99¢  during preorder for those of you who  have read Ryder’s story and have been waiting so patiently for Drake. This is a great deal as well for your friends who missed the Hot Alpha Collection and are new to this exciting read.

STONE HARD SEALS

A Duet of Steamy SEAL romance by NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Sabrina York

Book One: Ryder

A hostage rescue mission turns Ryder “Stone” Maddox’s world on its ear when he comes face-to-face with his greatest fear: A woman he cannot resist. But he has to resist Lily Wilson. He’s vowed never to fall in love. Besides, as the daughter of a senator, she is definitely off-limits. Lily sees things differently. Irresistibly drawn to this hot, hard SEAL, she is determined to prove they belong together…and that her man does not have a heart of stone.  (Originally published in the NYT and USA Today Bestselling Hot Alpha SEALs collection)

Book Two: Drake

Drake Ronan is all man—a rock hard SEAL who doesn’t need help from anyone. Doesn’t need anyone. But when he’s shot during a dangerous rescue mission, and has to rely on a beautiful nurse to survive, he realizes he has to rethink his resolution. Suddenly he can’t imagine his life without Brandy in it. It’s a damn shame she has a secret that could ruin everything.

READ AN EXCERPT

“Are you hungry?” He asked because her belly growled loudly enough to attract pirates on the mainland.

“A little.” She licked her lips. “But I’m really thirsty.”

He pulled out the straw of his CamelBak and leaned forward, holding it to her lips. He should have shuttled off all his gear and just handed the damn thing to her because when she leaned in close and he got a whiff of her, he nearly passed out. You would think a woman who had been held prisoner by filthy pirates for nearly a week would smell bad. She did not. She smelled like heaven. There was a light musky odor of sweat—it was hot in the tropics—but it twined with something that was essentially female.

He’d never felt such hunger. It screamed through his soul.

And, on top of that, their faces were close. And she was sucking on the nozzle. And fuck. He was a warrior. A trained weapon. On a mission.

This was no time for a hard on.

But he was hard. Damn hard.

Her lashes flickered as she glanced up at him; she moaned as she swallowed. A shiver walked down his spine. Walked right down his spine and coiled in his balls.

When she sat back with a sigh, he put the nozzle to his lips as well. Not because he was particularly thirsty, but because he wanted a taste of her mouth, while it was still fresh.

What he really wanted was to kiss her. But she was the senator’s daughter and he was a grunt. That wasn’t going to happen. It couldn’t.

“Did…did you say something about food?” Damn lashes. Fluttering again. He had the urge to grab his Gerber and snip them off.

He pulled an MRE from a pocket on his left leg, read the label, and grimaced. He hated the meatloaf. He should have paid more attention when he prepped his gear. He had more in his pack, but this would do for now. “I have this.”

Her nose wrinkled as she studied the silver foil.

Yeah. Wait ’til she got a taste. He ripped open the packet, broke off a piece, and handed it to her. It was messy, because of the gravy, but he didn’t want to unload everything to find an implement. They needed to eat and go.

She took a bite. Her eyes widened. “Yuuum,” she said in an unconvincing tone.

It was all he could do to hold back his laugh.

“What…” She swallowed heavily. “What is this?”

“An MRE.”

“What does that stand for?”

His lips quirked. “Meals Rarely Edible.”

Her brow wrinkled, and then she laughed.

And ah, what a laugh. A melodic trill. Some kind of sound he figured you might hear in heaven.

“Do you eat these often?”

“Not if I can help it.” He shoved a chunk in his mouth and fired it back. “But we have a long way to go today, and these have a lot of calories.”

She froze, a niblette of mystery meat halfway to her mouth. “How-how many calories?”

“About twelve hundred a meal.”

She gaped at him. “Twelve hundred?” She glared at the meatloaf as though it were made of turds. Then again, it might have been. “And you gave it to me? To eat?”

“Yeah. You’ll need it.”

“Why didn’t you warn me?” She smacked him. It was like being batted by a kitten. “Twelve hundred calories is my whole day!”

He grinned. He could burn that much with a good fart. “Perfect. It’s probably all you’ll get. Eat up.”

“For twelve hundred calories, I could have eaten a cheesecake.”

He looked around for the cheesecake.

She shoved her tiny chunk of meatloaf at him. “Here, you eat it.”

He pushed it back. “You eat it. We have a lot of ground to cover today.”

“We do?” She tipped her head to the side. “Where are we going?”

“There’s an island to the south.” He grabbed a stick and sketched out a quick map. “We’re here. At the north end of this island. And the secondary extraction point is here.”

Her throat worked. “How will we get to the other island?”

“Swim.”

She paled. “I-I can’t swim.”

It was probably rude to stare. But really? She couldn’t swim? Who couldn’t swim? “You never wanted to learn?”

“Oh, I wanted to.” She sighed. “My mother was afraid I would drown.”

“Not drowning is kind of the point of swimming.”

“She wanted to keep me safe.” He didn’t miss the exasperation in her tone. “I didn’t get to do a lot of things. Which is probably why— And wouldn’t you know it? The first time?” She gazed at him as though she’d finished a sentence. As though he’d understood a bit of what she’d said.

“Well, don’t worry. We’ll get you home safe. And then everything will be just the way it was before.”

Her sudden frown mystified him.

"An action-packed and fun read, a great addition to any collection." –I am Indeed

"I loved, loved, loved this story." –Coffee & Books

Buy Link:

ARE:  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-stonehardseals-1767628-153.html

KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/stone-hard-seals

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Hard-SEALs-Sabrina-York-ebook/dp/B00V7JWF4C/

Read reviews of Ryder’s Story: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22591884-hot-alpha-seals

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Sabrina York

Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & snarky to scorching romance.  Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york, on Facebook or on Pintrest. Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on Amazon or wherever e-books are sold. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Free Teaser Book: http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/ And don’t forget to enter to win the royal tiara!

Bookshelf! http://sabrinayork.com/books/

Website: http://sabrinayork.com/

Follow my Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/sabrinayork

Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/SabrinaYork

Like my Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaYorkBooks

Follow me on Twitter @sabrina_york https://twitter.com/sabrina_york

Follow me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5817917.Sabrina_York

Check out my Pintrest boards: http://www.pinterest.com/sabrinayork/boards/