5TH SHOWCASE: Last Chance

In this fifth installment of my Showcase series, the focus is on Last Chance, book 1 of the Sunscapes Trilogy. It has a lovely new cover (as does book 2) but is still the same epic, romantic adventure!

On Amazon: Last Chance (Sunscapes Trilogy)

BLURB:

Corrupt and malign, the corporation Quasicore has dominated Del's life for ten years, using his father's debt and his brother's safety as leverage to make him do their bidding. Forced into acts that become progressively more shady and criminal, Del finally rebels when they demand the unthinkable. To kill.

Desperate for a way out, he flees the Core, only to find himself entangled with the dazzling and dangerous Shays. Sin Shay's offer of protection seems too good to be true and her motives are suspect. Is Shay Enterprises simply a rival of the Core or a partner in crime? Is Sin's offer of a new life his last chance at redemption or just another version of hell?



Excerpt:

His dreams were filled with her. He relived the slice they had run together in such stunning, perfect accord, his body throbbing with exaltation.... Then he relived the kiss, except in his dream they didn’t stop at one. And then they were no longer in the crowd, but in a slicer, or maybe they were slicers, but he knew they were naked and moving, flying together, twisting and sliding and…

He felt a touch on his shoulder and opened his eyes to see Sin bent over him. At that moment with the dream still clinging to him, he didn’t realize he was awake. It seemed only natural for him to reach up and bury a hand in the dark silk of her hair, pulling her closer to capture her mouth with his. She tasted sweeter than any dream could be and her scent filled his senses like a drug. But reality caught up with him when she pulled away, a storm in her green eyes and a frown on her brow.

He swore softly when he realized what he’d done. “Sorry…” he rasped but wasn’t sure what else to say. How was he supposed to explain? Sorry Boss, I was having a sex dream about you?


Amazon Reviews:

5-STARS - "Another winner from Michelle O'Leary" by K. Frost love O'Leary's books, but having a trilogy this time is fabulous. More time with great characters and well plotted, thrilling stories.In Last Chance, we meet the Shays, Sinsudee (Sin) and her brother Manakai (Kai). Wealthy, powerful, and very dangerous. They are willing to pay off a massive debt to free Del Givliani from the Core, a powerful company that is in every way a massive criminal organization. He'd been tied to the Core, forced to do things he wasn't proud of, to pay off his father's debts and save his brother. The Shay's have their own reasons for saving him, but Del is worried that he's gone from the frying pan to the fire.

Del is the quintessential bad boy. Sexy, dangerous, and suspicious of what he's gotten himself into. He's also head-over-heels in lust with the beautiful Sin Shay. Sin is attracted as well and has trouble remembering she Del's boss. Kai is an intriguing combination of sexy charm and knife-edge dangerous. These are all strong, well thought out characters and I was really happy that Sunscapes is a trilogy so I'll be able to spend more time with all the main and secondary characters.

The plot is great, convoluted, exciting, and draws you in from the first page. Intricate plotting and solid characters are O'Leary trademarks. All her books are keepers, the kind you save to reread to visit old friends. Book 2 of the Trilogy, "Here There Be Dragons" is out now and I'm off to continue the adventure. Enjoy.

5-STARS - "Great Book" by Vickie Pais
I am an avid reader... I read a lot of suspense Mystery Books not really much SiFi, but I will tell you right from the first couple pages I was drawn into this story. And before long I could not stop reading it. I will check out all books from Michelle O'Leary.

4-STARS - "Dangerous Games" by Mara
Absorbing sci-fi with an excellent plot and cast of characters. The undeclared war between two major trading houses in the far future has a distinctly Machiavellian air of Renaissance Italy. The characters are well written - the Shaw twins are a delight and the romance between Sin and Dev is cautious and inexorable. I'm looking forward to the next pair of characters' story!

On Amazon: Last Chance (Sunscapes Trilogy) 


Hero & Heroine:

Sin Shay: corporate predator and undercover operative, she plays a dangerous game with her rival that has galactic reprecussions, as well as very personal ones.

Del Givliani: slicer pilot trapped into a life of crime; Sin Shay offers him a new start, but he has as much trouble believing her as keeping his hands off her.


What I liked best: The most enjoyable part of this book for me were the characters--the character arc for Del seeking redemption and a place to belong, and the Shay twins with their mysterious past and sensational personalities. The secondary characters also delighted me, so much that I had to keep this story going into a trilogy.

What I liked least: Usually I say the ending, but since I started book 2 right away, it didn't feel like an ending.

Questions or comments? Post here or email me: moleary.author@yahoo.com
-M

Blog Tour for "Secrets Abound, My Love" by Pamela Foreman!

Secrets Abound, My Love

Pamela Foreman, Published Author

Genre: Romantic Fiction

SYNOPSIS: When David and Annette join their families and begin one of their own, the couple can’t imagine how their marriage will affect their children, new and old. As parents, they each have high  hopes for their children and their marriage, but in only a few short years, the path has gone the way of destruction.

 

Drugs, alcohol, abuse, loneliness … Secrets hide among the folds of their new lives and David and Annette are faced with the challenge of reconnecting with their children, while learning to be parents all over again.

How will they cope, discovering the hidden secrets? Will their marriage survive or will the threat of losing their children drive them apart? Can they fight adversity and win, or will their marriage be over as quickly as it began? Find out in Secrets Abound, My Love, the third segment in the Nebraska Holds series.

Purchase Link: http://tinyurl.com/mlsv78n

EXCERPT:

 

“Oh, Georgia! Lighten up!” Jersey shook her finger at Georgia. Georgia could tell her sister had been drinking not only by her behavior, but Jersey smelled of the beer or liquor. The two girls plus their fellow triplet, Virginia, were barely seventeen, and their step-sister Mallory was still sixteen. The four were about to be seniors in high school and their sibling was already an alcoholic.

Jersey and this male friend of hers both laughed then shushed each other like preschoolers about to get caught in an mischievous act. Georgia didn’t even know his name and didn’t remember ever seeing him before. Georgia rolled her eyes, knowing this was not going to get any better.

“How did he get in here?” Georgia asked. She put her hands on her hips, an action she had observed her mother doing over the past several years as all her older siblings had become teenagers. Georgia knew for a fact this boy did not enter through the front door of their house.

“How else?” Jersey slurred. “The window.”

“The window? We’re on the second floor!” Georgia put her head in her hands, exasperated. She’s been covering for her sister for more than two years now, but she wasn’t sure she could any longer. Jersey seemed to be getting herself deeper and deeper in trouble. 
 

 

 Author Bio: Pamela Foreman is a wife of seventeen years to her high school sweetheart and the mother of four children. Having grown up in Texas, Pamela currently lives in central Virginia. Pamela received her master’s degree in accounting from Liberty University and is an avid reader. She enjoys sewing, crocheting, knitting and scrapbooking when she is not involved with her children’s activities and spending time with her husband.

 

Pamela is the author of the Nebraska Holds series, a series surrounding the lives of David Anderson and Annette Miller, middle-aged adults who have both gone through the sudden deaths of their spouses and each have children to continue to raise. The series currently has three books, You're Right, My Love (December 2011), Not Again, My Love (January 2013) and Secrets Abound, My Love (January 2014).

 

 Author Links:

 

Website: http://www.pamelaforeman.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamelaforemanauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pamela_foreman

About Me: http://about.me/pamelaforeman

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pef1996/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/111814691744564977712/posts

 

 

 GIVEAWAY:

 

Thanks again for visiting! Be sure to leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy of my book in either print or electronic form.

 

4TH SHOWCASE: Light of Kaska

In this fourth installment of my showcase series, the novel taking center stage is Light of Kaska, a scifi romance with a captivating caste of characters on a wild adventure. I'm delighted to show off Light of Kaska's new cover, a sultry visual much more reflective of the story than the previous covers.

Amazon Link: Light of Kaska













Blurb:

Escaped convict Chase Stryker is on the run from the Collectors, an agency that tracks down criminals and brings them to justice. Hiding on a drowsy farming planet seems ideal, but murder and mayhem follow him wherever he goes—in an ironic twist of fate, he’s blamed for a murder he didn’t commit and sentenced to death by flame without a trial.

Rescue comes in the form of Sukeza bet Marish, an unlikely champion whose unassuming, fearful exterior inspires his contempt. But there’s more to his little rescuer than meets the eye, starting with the fact that she’s not part of the farming community and the secret they’d kill to protect. His reluctant fascination begins when he discovers that she smells like sunshine, tastes like nectar, and can offer him everything he never knew he needed.


Excerpt:

She offered him another bite without a word, fingers trembling hard enough to shake crumbs from the pastry, her gaze lowered and cheeks a delicate pink color. He had the sudden urge to lean forward and close his mouth on her fingers, to taste her skin and feel her flesh between his lips, his teeth.

Gratitude, he thought as he took the bite without touching her. That was why he was feeling this sudden, weird affinity toward her, why the sunshine smell of her skin, the warm, sweet female scent, was having such a profound affect on him. His women were usually bigger, bolder, brassier. They weren’t small, mousy creatures who jumped at his slightest movement. It was just gratitude for her help that made him want to kiss her feet. And nibble her toes. And sink his teeth into the flesh of her calves and lick the backs of her knees and spread her thighs…

The image of his hands sliding down the inside of her thighs as she lay open to him sent a violent shaft of lust through his body, making him jerk in his chains and inhale sharply. Coughing a fragment of pastry from his airway, he tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling, nonplussed.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah, just…stiff,” he answered with an ironic twist of his lips and a roll of his shoulders. If she looked in his lap, she’d know he wasn’t referring to his shackled arms. Pretty strong friggin’ gratitude.


Amazon Reviews:

5-STARS - "You can't go wrong with a Michelle O'Leary novel" by K. Frost
Chase Stryker is a man on the run across the galaxy. As an escaped convict, the Collectors are after him. Yet, even while trying to hide himself from retribution from crimes he committed, he can’t stop need to rescue Sukeza who inadvertently helped him escape capture for another crime…this time, one he didn’t commit.

Chase is a great character. He knows who and what he is, and he makes no excuses. When helping Sukeza leads him into a world unlike anything in his experience, he stays true to his character as he tries to sort out his new life. Sukeza (Keza…I love her nickname) was on a quest to find herself before going home. Finding Chase was important for more reasons than she first thought, especially when she pushes him from one kind of prison cage into another.

Light of Kaska is one of those books that I keep to read again, and I just finished reading it for the second time, and still stayed up well into the night to finish it, even knowing the ending. I love all of Michelle O’Leary’s books. They are all wonderfully different, carefully plotted, and with characters you don’t want to let go of when the book ends. I can highly recommend every one of her stories.

5-STARS - "Gritty, Fast-paced SciFi Romance" by Fate
This heartfelt, colorful tale follows a dangerous, escaped criminal with a good heart and his farm girl rescuer who, under her demure and fearful demeanor, hides a strong will and a wicked determination. Together they'll have to face angry mobs, zealous Collectors, and their own growing attraction for each other in a universe that seems to be conspiring against them.

The novel is more about emotional conflicts than physical ones. Don't pick this up if you're expecting ship-to-ship battles or blaster fights. The 2 main characters are down-to-earth people you can relate to and respect, but they're also just naive and foolish enough that there is considerable teasing and hilarious situations that arise.

The writing was awesome. The author really has a way with words that engages the reader and makes it hard to put the book down. The world-building isn't very expansive, nor is it hard sci fi (so don't expect everything to be explained), but there is enough there to keep you on track and provide a seamless environment for the characters to traverse that makes sense.

The words fly off their pages and the book isn't very long, but it was free when I downloaded it so I can't complain. Additionally, the ending was satisfying, the story was never bogged down at any one point, and for what was presented, there wasn't really anything more to say without expanding the plot considerably. All in all, I thought it was a great book from an author I'd never heard of, but am glad to have discovered.

Amazon Link: Light of Kaska


Hero & Heroine:

Chase Stryker: an escaped convict running from the Collectors; his fascination for his little rescuer leads him straight into tantalizing trouble.

Sukeza bet Marish: heir to a powerful House on Kaska; she finds her way home when she rescues an escaped convict from his fate and his loneliness.


What I liked best: My favorite part of Light of Kaska was the character arc, for both Keza and Chase. With Keza, she finds her strength and sense of purpose by going back to her roots. Chase is a hardened loner trapped in a dark, brutal world until he meets Keza and her family.

What I liked least: I really wanted to keep following these characters and watch them continue to grow, but the story had to end sometime.


Questions or comments? Post here or email me: moleary.author@yahoo.com

-M

3RD SHOWCASE: No Such Thing

In this third installment of my series showcasing my published novels, I'm focusing on No Such Thing, a scifi romance about a woman with incredible power and how she chooses to use it. When caught between love and duty, is destruction the only way?

On Amazon: No Such Thing








Blurb:

In a desperate war, the temptation to use any weapon is irresistible. Ryelle Soliere, a telenetic with the ability to move objects with her mind, is either the Fleet’s most powerful weapon or their greatest downfall in the war against the GenTec. She is the strongest telenetic to ever come out of the Institute, frightening even her own kind with the extent of her talent. Raised in isolation and taught strict control, Ryelle boards the flagship of the Fleet determined to prove her worth in battle and her obedience to the Institute. Until she meets Declan McCrae. With his open, trusting friendship and his sweet, compelling seduction, he reveals a world she’s never seen and changes her beliefs about herself and her abilities. Feeling Ryelle slipping their control, the Institute sets out to teach the pair the price of love and war. Ryelle and Declan must discover if their future holds victory, or if there is no such thing as peace.


Quote:

“Mother of god,” the commander whispered.

Ryelle turned to look at him, a dismal ache settling in her chest at the naked shock on his face. Now she would stop being human to him and become some sort of monster. It was inevitable.

He twitched, still staring into space. “It’s coming back.”

“Yes. I didn’t want a rogue asteroid flying around knocking ships out of the sky.” Without looking away from the commander’s rigid features, she settled the rock back into its place in the ring. It was no longer a whole asteroid but the pieces would still drift along in a normal orbit with the rest of the ring debris.

“Ryelle,” he said with care, still staring at the returned jumble of rock, “that asteroid was nearly as big as this ship.”

“I know.”

“You—that’s—” His lips continued to move but no sound came out.

She felt the bitterness in her smile and schooled her expression back to blank serenity. “I know. Like this observatory, I’m going to take some getting used to.”


Amazon Reviews:

5-STARS - "Loved this book!" by Julekat
I loved this story. It combined my two loves, science fiction and romance, wrapped up in entertaining adventure. The banter and humor between the characters had me laughing out loud. I couldn't put it down.

5-STARS - "Great read!" by Amazon Customer
This is a really great book. I loved the heroine and her journey, seeing her grow up to become confident in herself and her special abilities. All the other main characters were also well developed and endearing in their own way. The story flowed well and was well written. There plot was interesting and serous moments were balanced with moments of humor. Some parts of the story could have been fleshed out a little more, but I loved the ending and how everything came together.

Link to Amazon Kindle Page: No Such Thing


Hero & Heroine:

Ryelle Soliere: the strongest telekinetic ever to come out of the Institute, she proves her strength of power and purpose aboard the warship Odyssey, finding herself and love along the way.

Declan McCrae: engineer for the flagship Odyssey; falling for the ship’s powerful new telenetic seems inevitable until that pesky war gets in the way.


What I liked best: The fun part of writing No Such Thing lay in being able to explore the romance both when these characters were young and when they grew into adulthood. So I was able to enjoy both a sweet, slow-building romance and a sultry, sizzling-hot romance in one story.

What I liked least: Endings are always my least favorite part of writing books, but in this work I also wasn't thrilled with the large, unexplored gap between the characters' first meeting and their eventual reunion. There were things I wanted to say about those intervening years but left them out in the interest of pacing.


Any other questions/comments? Feel free to contact me: moleary.author@yahoo.com

-M

2ND SHOWCASE: The Third Sign

In this second Showcase of my published novels, I'm turning the spotlight on The Third Sign, released Oct 2013.

The Third Sign is a scifi romantic adventure with a dark twist, non-stop action, and a little something for every reader: romance junkies, scifi enthusiasts, adrenaline addicts, even fans of (admittedly dark and quirky) humor.  Those who have read my Huntress novel and shorts will recognize common elements between The Huntress, Mea Brin, and the Black Widow, the volatile, dangerous heroine in The Third Sign. I do love strong, kick-ass females!

On Amazon: The Third Sign









Blurb:

Abandoned by her brother and out of her depth in one of the foulest prisons in the galaxy, Priya finds an ally in a half-mad newcomer with a deadly beauty and a mysterious past. Together they hatch a plan to break out of the prison, but before they attempt it, Priya’s brother Tier arrives as a new inmate. Determined to rescue his wayward sister, he is dismayed to find the child he knew has become a bitter, wild young woman, with a companion as magnetic as she is murderous. Between one woman’s fury at his desertion and the other woman’s seductive menace, Tier discovers escaping with his skin intact might just take a miracle.

They call me the Black Widow, the spider who kills and eats her mates. If I have another name, I don’t know it. My past is lost in blood and shadow. It never mattered until I met Priya, the quicksilver girl with a laugh like sunshine, and her brother, the first man to touch me without dying. For them, I would leave my darkness behind...but can I?


Quote:

“Relax,” the woman said. “It’s just me.”

“Just you?” Hale asked with heavy irony, remembering the black leather and predator’s eyes with a stab of heat. Dangerous beauty had always been his downfall.

“I’m watching your back.”

“Sure you are,” he snorted. Beauty or not, he wasn’t stupid enough to trust. Screw, sure. Trust, no way.


Amazon Reviews:

4-STARS - "Space Escapes" by Mara
An action-packed story of secret agents, broken women, the man who helps heal them... and lots of sex and lots of death and destruction. The strange central thread of the Seekers' twisted society and quest is a very clever bit of world building.
Warning for sensitive readers - there's a lot of sex and violence that I normally would not appreciate, but it is appropriate to the story.

5-STARS - "Another Winner from Michelle O'Leary" by K.Frost
Young Priya is the only woman in a level 4 ice world prison, just trying to stay alive, until the Black Widow arrives. Sleek, dark, and deadly dangerous, the Widow doesn’t remember her past but plans to escape and find a future. When Priya’s brother, of-the-heart if not of blood, arrives to free her, the Widow accepts an uneasy alliance with Teirnan Hale only to help her new friend escape. But escaping a corrupt warden and a couple hundred degenerate prisoners is only the beginning of their problems.
Writing a good story is about saying “what if…?” What is the worst thing that could happen next to my characters, and how are they going to get out of it? You can be sure that the characters in an O’Leary novel are going to meet up with a lot of obstacles and challenges, and they’re going to find the most interesting ways to fight back. There’s a lot of good action, some blood and fighting, but it fits the book nicely. This story has more twists and turns and dead ends than a Halloween maze. I loved it, read it twice, and know I’ll be back visiting these wonderful characters again one day.

Link to Amazon Kindle Page: The Third Sign


Hero & Heroine:

Black Widow: half-mad cyborg assassin who finds redemption in the middle of hell--a pair of siblings who lead her out of darkness.

Tiernan Hale: independent contractor bent on rescuing his imprisoned sister; a sucker for dangerous beauty, he’s mesmerized by the Black Widow, though getting near her might just be the death of him


What I liked best: I loved letting out my inner "Black Widow" through Bee and the other strong characters!

What I liked least: Endings are always so hard, not just letting those characters go but giving the whole piece a good, satisfying conclusion.

Any other questions/comments? Feel free to contact me: moleary.author@yahoo.com

-M

1ST SHOWCASE: Here There Be Dragons

This post begins a series of Showcases on my books, giving each one time in the spotlight on my blog. My first showcase is all about my newest release, Here There Be Dragons.

For those who are new to my work, I write scifi-romance novels with lots of action and magnetic characters. Here There Be Dragons is the second book in the Sunscapes Trilogy, an epic space opera with a hateful villain, hot heroes, and heart-felt heroines.

Amazon Kindle Link: Here There Be Dragons (Sunscapes Trilogy)

BLURB:

This second installment in The Sunscapes Trilogy continues the epic struggle between two mega companies, deciding the fate of the entire galaxy. The Endgame has begun, pitting Shay Enterprises against Quasicore—the Shay twins, mysterious and dangerous, weave a seductive web for their ruthless, lethal opponent, Webster Griffin, whose hunger for power and control might just destroy all civilization.

Here There Be Dragons continues the saga through Nick Givliani as he investigates the unscrupulous and unpredictable Shay twins and their intriguing cohort, Cassie Draegen. As Shay Enterprise’s resident genius, driven by a dark past of her own, Cassie is their technological advantage over Quasicore. A target of both Griffin’s avarice and Nick’s investigations, Cassie desperately struggles to fulfill the next step in the Shay’s complex design against their enemy.


What I liked: Revisiting the characters from the first book and continuing the storyline, plus watching Cass and Nick come together was delightful.

What I didn't like: Having to end this book without kicking Webster Griffin's behind all the way into the next universe! On the other hand, I got to start Book 3, Dawn of the Red Sun, so it's not all bad.

Hardest Thing To Write: As always, the hardest part of any book for me to write is the ending.

Easiest Thing To Write: The easiest and most fun parts of Here There Be Dragons were the character interactions and the action scenes.

Amazon Link: Here There Be Dragons (Sunscapes Trilogy)