This week, Entangled Publishing is celebrating its new adult heroes! Today, we celebrate men who don’t mind getting their hands dirty – the working man! Entangled has all of the Embrace stories about Blue Collar guys on sale for just 99¢ today!

To celebrate, authors Candace Havens, Suzanne van Rooyen, Beth Anne Miller, Julie Particka, Tiffany Truitt, Erin Butler, Cole Gibsen, & Melissa West shared their thoughts on writing about The Right Man for the Job.

Is your hero inspired by a real-life person? If so, who?

Candace Havens (author of Branded): Oh, no. I’ll never tell. Let’s just say my late teen years were spent around a lot of very sexy cowboys. Shhhhh. Don’t tell my husband.

Suzanne van Rooyen (author of Scardust): Yes, there are aspects of my hero that are definitely inspired by real life people but he’s more of an amalgam than a fictional version of any one specific person.

Beth Anne Miller (author of A Star to Steer Her By): I participated in a semester at sea when I was in college, and have sailed on a few tall ships since then, so I would say that Tristan is inspired by all those deckhands and mates –male and female– that I observed, who work hard and tirelessly to keep the ship running smoothly and safely. There have been a few particularly hot deckhands that I’ve perhaps observed a little more attentively, who may have inspired Tristan a little more specifically. 😉

Julie Particka (author of Fall with Me): My family is blue-collar. The business run by Jenna’s dad is basically the business that my father ran. (And yes, all of us worked for him for at least a summer.) Sutton, however, was basically a combination of the fact that my first boyfriend ended up working for my father for a while (long after we broke up) combined with the idea of falling in love while under the watchful gaze of a parent. (So, while the *idea* of my ex-boyfriend was involved, Sutton is nothing like Dennis LOL)

Tiffany Truitt (author of Seven Ways to Lose Your Heart): The professional in me should categorically deny that any of my male heroes are inspired by real people…especially because I don’t want my friends or exes reading into anything…but, subconsciously, I am sure there is some sort of resemblance to men I have dated. I asked my friends if the hero, Kennedy, reminded them of anyone, and one set named one guy and the other set of friends named another. So, sure, yes, or maybe not.

Erin Butler (author of Last Wish): My husband. Out of any of the heroes I’ve written, Ronan is the most like my husband. He’s got a temper, but he’s also sweet, fun-loving, and LOYAL.

Cole Gibsen (author of Written on my Heart): My hero was inspired by every working, single, father, who works their ass off for their family.

Melissa West (author of No Falling Allowed): Yes, my husband. My husband is outwardly a white collar businessman, but on the inside, he is a handyman all the way!

What other kinds of heroes do you like to read about?

Candace: Any kind of alpha hero. I like a strong man who takes care of business. But I also like enlightened alphas who are strong, but also have a soft, mush heart.

Suzanne: Military heroes. I have a very soft spot for soldiers, for those who choose to sacrifice the people and things that they love to protect others and the greater good. There’s something so selfless and courageous about that.

Beth: On the whole, I like to read books with heroes who aren’t afraid of a little dirt. Cowboys or firefighters or law enforcement or military guys. I’m re-reading all of Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters books right now, so all those military and ex-military guys are on my brain. 🙂 I tend to be more attracted to the jeans-and-a-tee-shirt guys than the Armani suit guys, to guys who work outside rather than in an office. That’s definitely not a hard and fast rule, but I would say that I pick those books up more frequently.

Julie: I love down-on-their-luck heroes, the kind that are a little exasperated with everything but still keep going no matter what goes wrong. These kind of guys tend to take life as it comes, and I find that really appealing because no matter how hard you try to build something nice and orderly, life comes at you. I love heroes who are ready to face that head on.

Tiffany: I would hate to pigeonhole myself into reading about only certain types of heroes. I like to think I am an equal opportunist. My enjoyment of a good romance book is less about the hero and more about the relationship between him and the heroine. I like a bit of conflict there, a battle of the wits. Doesn’t matter if the hero is a cowboy or an astronaut as long as he can hold his own.

Erin: I love a good hero. As long as he’s swoon-worthy, I don’t really care.

Cole: I have zero hero discrimination. I love them al!

Melissa: I like a variety. There are great heroes in all walks of life.

Playlist

Code:

Link: https://open.spotify.com/user/hollishter/playlist/6HvAK2mNlP6M6feOZAGP8K

Branded by Candace Havens
The last thing I need is a Texas princess like Callie messing with my head. But there’s something more to this spoilt little rich girl than the perfect image she works so hard to keep. There’s only one rule to keeping my job and a roof over my sister’s head: stay away from the boss’s granddaughter. But I’m not always great at following the rules.

No Falling Allowed by Melissa West
No Kissing Allowed #2
Twenty-four hours. That’s how long it took my life to flip upside down. Wake up in bed alone after the best night of my life? Check. Get fired? Check. Wealthy parents cut me off when I refuse to follow their path for my life? Check. Now I’m in Cricket Creek, SC—a place where no New Yorker belongs—disowned and broke, with a new job that I can’t mess up. Oh yeah, and staring at my one-night stand, who happens to be the complete opposite of my type. Southern. Cocky. Bartender. Who knew Mr. Wrong could feel so right…

Seven Ways to Lose Your Heart by Tiffany Truitt
In the span of seven days, Annabel Lee will lose her heart. Kennedy Harrison, as reckless with life as Annabel is obsessed with order, never could commit to anything. But he’s got a history with Annabel, and for once Kennedy doesn’t want to run. Determined to spend time with her before she leaves for college, Kennedy dares her to join him on a road trip to a music festival. And neither of them could ever say no to a dare. What follows is a dizzying week of music, shady hotels, comical dares, and a passion neither one knew existed. But when it ends, Annabel and Kennedy will realize the biggest dare of all might just be falling for each other.

A Star to Steer Her By by Beth Anne Miller
Ever since her last dive ended in bloodshed, Ari Goodman’s been terrified to go back into the water. But the opportunity to spend a semester at sea is too good to pass up. So is Tristan MacDougall. Rugged, strong, and with demons of his own, Tristan heals her with every stolen moment they share. But when a dive excursion goes wrong, their only hope for survival is each other.

Scardust by Suzanne van Rooyer
Dead Rock, Texas, 2037 Raleigh made a promise to his brother before he died, that he’d scatter his ashes on Mars. His plans are thwarted when a meteor near-misses him in the desert, and in its crater he finds a man with no memory of who he is—but whenever they touch it ignites a memory swap between them. As their minds and worlds collide, reality unravels and Raleigh must face a painful truth, one that could shatter his dreams of finding love, reaching Mars, and fulfilling his brother’s last wish.

Fall with Me by Julie Particka
Dumped by her college boyfriend for her best friend, the last thing Jenna Brandt needs is to be around her backstabbing-BFF’s hotter-than-hot brother, Sutton Bell. When he offers her a chance to get revenge on her ex, she can hardly say no—even if spending time with Sutton puts her heart in jeopardy all over again. Sutton’s determined to convince Jenna he’s not the player he used to be, but saving his sister from making an awful mistake might mean losing Jenna for good.

Last Wish by Erin Butler
Remembering Kyle #1
Nothing feels right. Not since my best friend died and I screwed up the one promise asked me to make. Now my life is empty. So goddamn empty. Then she walks into the bar, all bright beauty and sweet lips made for kissing. Em Stewart is a complication…one I need to avoid. No matter how hard I try, I can’t resist her, and our unexpected road trip sure as hell isn’t helping my cause. But I’ll be damned if I screw up my first chance at something real…

Written on My Heart by Cole Gibsen
Written on My Heart #1
It’s been six months since Ashlyn Daniels was kicked out of her home. Six months since she stood up to her abusive stepfather and got a busted rib—and seeing all her things set ablaze in a backyard bonfire—for her trouble. Never going back. She doesn’t need trouble…especially if trouble is tattoo artist Lane Garrett, who’s six-feet-plus of tattooed hotness and a complete ass. But while some secrets are as visible as ink on the skin, others must be hidden at all costs…

This week I’m helping Entangled Publishing celebrate new adult heroes! Today is focused on the out-of-this-world hotness of otherworldly heroes! Entangled has all of the Embrace books that feature paranormal heroes on sale for just 99¢ today!

Authors Marnee Blake, Reese Monroe, & Jocelyn Adams share their inspiration for their otherworldly heroes!

Who or what inspired your otherworldly heroes?

Reese Monroe (author of the Bound by Hades series): I’ve always been inspired by The Rock and Vin Diesel. Yeah, I know I kind of dated myself a little there, but in some of their movies…**whew**…the lengths to which they’ll go to protect what’s theirs–amazing to watch.

Off the screen, if you watch their social media feeds, it’s all about family, inspiration and working hard for your goals. I’m all about that.

Oh, and they’re nice to look at, too.

As far as what inspired me while creating my heroes…Love. In all honesty, faith, hope and love are the key elements to all my stories. Love being the greatest of these. It makes my heroes stronger than they already are and that kind of strength, no matter what kind of evil they face off with, gives them an edge.

Jocelyn Adams (author of the Mortal Machine series): Years ago, a friend of mine suggested I read the Anita Blake series of books by Laurel K. Hamilton, and I absolutely fell for Jean-Claude. Tall, unusual, with a colorful past, and that French accent was the cherry on top. He was the first hero I’d ever read that stepped outside the boundaries of typical romantic relationships. The moment I finished the first book in the series, I knew what genre I wanted to write.

Besides otherworldly heroes, about what kind of heroes do you like to read?

Marnee Blake (author of the Altered series): I love reading about heroes who do real-life heroic things as well. FBI agents, cops, detectives, military men, firefighters… People who help others are sexy.

Reese: Those who cherish their mates above all else and would do anything for them. Also, I love a good hero that is strong and honorable.

Jocelyn: Dark anti-heroes are my absolute favorite, or even better, villain-turned-heroes. There’s nothing I love more than a good redemption story.

Playlist:

Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect the human Serena Cross from his mortal enemy. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable breaking the rules he’s lived by. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?

Ruined by Jus Accardo
Eternal Balance #1
Jax lost the genetic lottery. Descended from Cain, the world’s first murderer, he’s plagued by a curse that demands violence in exchange for his happiness. Samantha can’t outrun her problems. When an attack at school drives her back home, she’s thrown into the path of a past–and a guy–she’s been trying to forget. But someone–or,something–followed her home from school: a ruthless monster with a twisted plan centuries in the making. Forced together to survive, and fighting an attraction that could destroy them both, Jax and Sam must stop a killer bent on revenge.

Embraced by Jus Accardo
Eternal Balance #2
Descended from Cain, Jax Flynn is destined to spend his life making others suffer. To shield the world from horrific chaos, he was forced to sacrifice the only thing he loved. Samantha Merrick. When an enemy from the past resurfaces with an ultimatum—complete a simple task or Sam dies—they’re backed into a corner. The goal? Kill a demon called Malphi. The problem? Jax’s demon, Azirak, has no intention of letting that happen…

Released by Jus Accardo
Eternal Balance #3
Jax Flynn’s life just went from bad to worse. He was already sharing his body with a demon named Azirak, but after killing its mate… Well, shit got real. Now the demon has taken control of Jax’s body and everything he cares for is at stake, including Samantha, the girl he loves. Yeah, that’s not going to happen. It’s time Jax showed everyone what he was really made of.

Forged by Fate by Reese Monroe
Bound by Hades #1
He’s waited more than 900 years to love her…Being the Gatekeeper to Hades is no small feat, but Theo Bradford’s mark has finally surfaced on young genius, Sadie Nowland, and now he has to convince her to embrace her supernatural heritage. Targeted by a vicious demon escaped from Hades, Sadie is thrust into the volatile world of Shomrei warriors and a connection to Theo her brain can’t comprehend and her body can’t deny—a bond that just may be the key to the world’s survival.

Marked by Hades by Reese Monroe
Bound by Hades #2
For 911 years, Gatekeeper companion Justin Bradford has denied the possibility of being mated to only one woman. He enjoys them all too much to settle down. So when he feels his mate’s Ahavah mark surface, his first instinct is to ignore it. But when he sees the leather-clad beauty in need of his help that’s easier said than done. As Justin and Yvonne navigate the mystery of her past, their bond grows, but the secrets they discover and the sacrifices that must be made could be enough to rip them apart for eternity.

Claimed by Light by Reese Monroe
Bound by Hades #3
When his sister becomes tangled with a coven of demons, college senior Slade Bennet must trade his soul to save her. But first he must kill the assigned target: a sexually charged beauty who ignites his protective instinct. Halena Girard lives for only two things: vanquishing demons and seeking Artifacts rumored to lead to Lucifer’s downfall. That is, until she’s seduced and tortured by a…frat boy? Working together is the only way Slade can find his sister and Halena, the Artifacts, but as they face the darkest of evil, crushing Halena’s carefully erected walls might prove to be the most lethal battle for Slade.

Altered by Marnee Blake
Altered #1
The sickness came on suddenly and violently. When it ended, the entire town of Glory seemed to be dead…except Blue Michaels. And she is very different. Only a handful of them made it, including U.S. Army Specialist Seth Campbell, who is fierce and protective, and way too good-looking. Now they are hunted. What their pursuers don’t know is each of them has strange new powers. And they’ll use their “gifts” to survive…no matter who stands in their way.

Avenged by Marnee Blake
Altered #2
Special-ops soldier Nick Degrassi blames himself for Kitty Laughton’s capture, and he’ll do whatever he can to free the quiet beauty, but close quarters and a shared secret bring an attraction that neither of them expected. With the organization that started it all making mercenaries for hire, Nick and Kitty must save themselves and stop a madman…before it’s too late.

Darkside Sun by Jocelyn Adams
Mortal Machine #1
Since she was six years old, Addison Beckett’s seen the world around her unraveling, as if someone is pulling a thread from a sweater and it’s all slowly coming undone. Her arrogant-but-hot professor Asher Green insists that the dead from a parallel dimension are trying to possess the living in this one. And since Addison seems to be the only one who can see these “wraiths,”she just might be the key to saving the world. Stop the wraiths. Break the rules. Save the world. All in a day’s work. Normal was overrated, anyway.

Midnight Dawn by Jocelyn Adams
Mortal Machine #2
With only three days until the wraith king turns the earth into an all-you-can-eat buffet, Addison Beckett must enlist brooding sentinel Asher Green’s help. But Asher has erased her memory, along with the knowledge that he loves her, wants her, needs her. When Addison’s trapped by the wraith king, she must choose who will stand by her side during battle: the sentinel she loves who refuses to love her back, or a powerful stranger who insists they’re meant to be together. Her decision will decide the fate of humanity, and once determined, can’t be undone.

Forever Dusk by Jocelyn Adams
Mortal Machine #3
Life for the Mortal Machine—the secret-society that protects Earth from dark forces—has become almost…normal. For everyone but Addison. The evil she’s imprisoned in her soul is destroying her sanity. Consequently, nobody believes her warnings that an old enemy has returned. If she relies too much on her soul mate Asher, he’ll likely imprison her, if only to keep her safe. So she’s forced to distance herself from her love—to keep the world from certain death.

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FIGHTING ATTRACTION

Four sexy MMA fighters who will fight hard to win their women. Fans of Real, Beautiful Disaster, Worth the Fight, and Fifty Shades of Grey will love this standalone addition to the Redemption series by New York Times Bestselling author Sarah Castille.

Snag your copy of FIGHTING ATTRACTION or add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sexy peek inside FIGHTING ATTRACTION and to enter the giveaway for the first three books in the Redemption series!

 

About the book

 My sweet, sexy Penny has a dark side. Just like me.

I will have her. And then I will lose her, and suffer a lifetime of regret.

Rampage. Everyone loves him. He is Redemption’s top heavyweight fighter and the biggest gossip in the gym. But he isn’t the teddy bear everyone thinks he is. He’s hiding a dark secret-and he hates himself for it.

Twice a week, Rampage transforms into Master Jack, a notorious dom only the most hard-core submissives will play with. How can he-a Southern gentleman, bred to respect and protect women-want to dominate them?

But Penny Worthington wants him. Beneath her pearls, kitten heels, and prim British exterior beats a tortured heart…Master Jack is the only one who can set her free.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US  **  Amazon UK  **  B&N  **  iTunes  **  Google Books  **  BAM

Redemption Series:

Against the Ropes

In Your Corner

Full Contact

Fighting Attraction

 

PRAISE for Sarah Castille’s Redemption series:

“Powerful. Gritty. And sexy beyond belief. Sarah is a true master!”- Opal Carew, New York Times bestselling author of HIS TO CLAIM

“Hilarious, hot and occasionally heartbreaking. I loved it! “- Maryse’s Book Blog on AGAINST THE ROPES

“Castille’s follow-up to the excellent Against the Ropes doesn’t pull its punches.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review for IN YOUR CORNER

“Emotionally charged, amazingly sexy, and flat out fantastic.”- Fresh Fiction on FULL CONTACT

 

Other Books in the Redempton Series

Redemption series books are ON SALE NOW!

AGAINST THE ROPES (Redemption #1)

Order Paperback: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Indigo

Order Ebook: Kindle | Nook | Kobo | iTunes | ARe | Google Play

IN YOUR CORNER (Redemption #2)

Order Paperback: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Book Depository | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

Order Ebook: Kindle | Nook | iTunes | Kobo | Indigo | Google Play

FULL CONTACT (Redemption #3)

Order Paperback: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Chapters Indigo | Book Depository | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

Order Ebook: Kindle | Nook | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play

 

Read a smokin’ hot excerpt from Fighting Attraction!

Copyright © 2017 Sarah Castille

“You’re so fucking soft,” he breathes. “So sweet.” He presses a kiss to my neck as his hands move over my body. I wrap my arms around his neck, pull him down for more. I want his full weight on top of me. I want to feel crushed, smothered, enveloped in hot, musky male.

Jack groans. His hips press into my stomach, his erection a delicious friction between my thighs. I part my legs wider, grind against him, seeking the delicious sensation of rough denim on my throbbing clit.

“Shh. Slow down. I want to enjoy you.” He trails kisses down my neck, over my throat. Shifting to the side, he cups and squeezes my breasts through my bra, his touch solid and strong. I writhe and wriggle, unable to stay still. He is driving me crazy with his touches, making me so wet it’s all I can do not to rip off his clothes and make him give me what I want.

His eyes darken, and he shoves my shirt up over my head, baring me to his heated gaze. “Ah, Pen.”

My hands find his back and smooth over his muscles, feeling them ripple beneath his shirt as he slides one bra strap over my shoulder. His breathing is heavy, his gaze intense as his head dips down to press a soft kiss to my bare skin.

He slides the other strap off, slowly, gently, carefully unwrapping me as if he is teasing himself. I arch my back, offer my breasts for the pleasure of his mouth. Beyond rational thought, I am lost in sensation, a seething, yearning mass of want.

Jack traces his finger along the edge of my bra, leaving a burning trail across my skin. With painful slowness, he eases the cups down, releasing my breasts from their restraint. I gasp when my burning skin comes into contact with the cool air, and my nipples bead so hard they ache.

I want his mouth on me, his lips, and his heat. But he doesn’t oblige. Instead, he traces a finger around my nipple. Around and around until I tangle my hands in his soft hair and pull him down to my breast. “Please.”

“You’re making it very difficult to go slow.” He feathers hot kisses across the curve of one breast, moving down to draw my left nipple between his teeth. I moan as he licks and sucks, nips and bites, while his other hand squeezes and caresses my right breast. My thighs fall open, inviting, and he lowers his hand to my leg and traces his finger slowly along the sensitive skin of my inner thigh.

I have never known lust like this, want so fierce I burn, need so intense I ache. He is a master of manipulation, a purveyor of pleasure. He knows just where to touch and how hard. He knows how to drive me up and take me down, when I can’t take any more and when it isn’t enough. I try not to think about where he gained all that knowledge, the countless women he’s been with, the things he has done to them in his room at the club. I pretend I am the only one he has caressed into a haze of lust, the only one he wants.

I open my eyes to see him watching me, assessing my reaction to his touch. I feel at once stripped bare and treasured by the intensity of his focus. He moves to my other breast, pulling down my bra cup, teasing and torturing my nipple with his mouth. He trails his fingers up my thigh and then cups the curve of my sex, over my wet knickers. I let out a guttural moan and in seconds he’s on top of me, as if I’ve broken his self-control. He kisses me hard, rough, grinds his hips against me as he presses me into the couch. I reach for him, and he grabs my wrists with one hand and pins them over my head. He pushes my knickers aside and strokes a thick finger along my labia while he sucks and bites my nipple until I am writhing and groaning beneath him.

“Please,” I moan. “Please. Please. Please.”

“Tell me what you want.” He buries his face in my neck, bites down on the sensitive skin at the top of my shoulder.

“Sex. I want to have sex. I want you inside me. Now. Take off my clothes.”

His hand tightens on my wrists so hard it hurts. “I don’t have normal sex,” he growls. “If I take off your clothes, I’m going to hurt you. I need your pain, darlin’. Can you give it to me?”

 

Giveaway

Spread the news about FIGHTING ATTRACTION with a GIVEAWAY!

Grand Prize: One (1) lucky winner will receive paperback copies of the first three books in the Redemption series (AGAINST THE ROPES, IN YOUR CORNER, AND FULL CONTACT)

Runners up: Three (3) readers will win Sarah’s bonus novella, YIELD TO ME! (Physical copies for both prizes are available for shipping addresses in US and CA. E-books will be delivered to all other locations)

 Enter at: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29348/?

 

ABOUT Sarah Castille

Sarah Castille is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Redemption Series, Ruin & Revenge Series, Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club series, Legal Heat series and the Club Excelsior series. A recovering lawyer with a fondness for dirty-talking alpha males, she now is a full-time writer, who lives on Vancouver Island.

Sarah loves to connect with readers. Visit her website and sign up for her newsletter to hear about new releases: http://bit.ly/LgFZlb

Connect with her at:

TWITTER  **  FACEBOOK  **  INSTAGRAM  **  AMAZON AUTHOR

GOODREADS  **  PINTEREST  **  YOUTUBE  **  BOOKBUB

 

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I am still loving Sarah Castille and her writing. Her latest is Fighting Attraction, book four in her Redemption series. From the beginning I was pulled into Jack and Penny’s story and couldn’t put it down. With characters that have you wanting to know more and still more, the pages kept turning. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop and turn to each other. I thought there was a good balance between Jack and Penny, both with secrets and learning to accept parts of themselves.

This week, I’m helping Entangled Publishing celebrate the heroes of Embrace & New Adult Romance!

Today we’re celebrating athletes! Here’s what Embrace authors have to say about their athletic heroes.

Are any of your athlete characters inspired by real life people? If so, who?

Tessa Bailey (author of Unfixable): Shane from Unfixable is a bartender from Dublin (in addition to being a Formula One driver). In real life, I married a bartender from Dublin. He doesn’t race cars, but there is some definite similarities.

Cindi Madsen (author of the Taking Shots series): Beck Davenport was modeled after Gabe Landeskog, Hudson Decker came about after staring at a lot of pictures of Tyler Seguin, & my inspiration for Dane was Chris Letang. Ryder “Ox” Maddox was tricky, & he’s actually more modeled off actor Robbie Amell.

Jennifer Blackwood (author of Foolproof & The Rule Maker): Gus Kenworthy totally helped inspire me to write Ryder Covington 🙂 and Claudio Marchisio was hero inspiration for Ryan from Foolproof.

Shae Ross (author of Rush & Fearless): The heroine athletes in RUSH were partially inspired by my nieces, Samantha and Sydney. Sam played soccer for Florida Gulf Coast and Syd plays for the University of Toledo, Rockets. Some of the scenes in RUSH parallel their experiences as female athletes on and off the soccer field.

Megan Westfield (author of Lessons in Gravity): I was watching a short rock climbing film when I initially had the idea for Lessons in Gravity. The climber in that film was Dean Potter who was one of the greatest rock climbers of this generation. Like Dean Potter, the pro rock climber in Lessons in Gravity, sometimes climbs without a rope—also called free soloing. (Sadly, Dean Potter died two years ago B.A.S.E. jumping in Yosemite National Park.) The most well-known free-solo rock climber is Alex Honnold who is practically a household name after appearing on 60 Minutes, in nationwide TV commercials, and on the cover of National Geographic, to name a few.

Jessica Lee (author of Falling for the Player): No!

Besides athletes, about what kind of heroes do you like to read?

Tessa: Blue collar men have always been my favorite. I love men who get dirty and work with their hands. Mechanics, law enforcement, construction workers. They can’t solve problems with money, so they have to be more creative and that’s what I love most.

Cindi: Really I’m a fan of all heroes. I just want to see a guy fall head over heels over the heroine. If they’re funny, bonus points.

Jennifer: Men who like to work with their hands, who don’t mind getting dirty. Maybe a mechanic? Or a cowboy?

Shae: I like to read about heroes in the working world. There’s something oh so appealing about a successful man in a business suit. Don’t you think?

Megan: Aside from heroes that are athletes, I’m currently smitten with rock star heroes like Berkeley from In Bloom by Katie Delahanty and Jack from Mean Girl Apologizes by Stephanie Monahan.

Jessica: I also adore a hero with a tortured soul. A man whose been to hell and back. And the heroine is the only person who can see who he really is behind the pain. She’s the person who can finally help him heal.

What sport do you think has the hottest athletes? Why?

Tessa: I have to go with hockey players. It’s not just the fact that they’re massive, muscular, sweaty gods—they fist fight. Normally, I would eye roll two men in a physical fight, but I’ll allow it in the name of sports glory.

Cindi: Well, I have to go with hockey, because I don’t want my hockey players mad at me. LOL. But football would be a close second.

Jennifer: Soccer. The abs. Need I explain more?

Shae: MMA–Mixed Martial Arts.

Megan: Outdoor adventure athletes are the very hottest! I define adventure sports as non-motorized sports out in the wild somewhere. Backcountry skiing, rock climbing, surfing, mountaineering, rafting, mountain biking, etc. These sports are the sexiest because they take athletic ability far beyond what you see in a city-sport, plus the stakes are way higher because chances of rescue are very slim if the athlete gets hurt.

Jessica: Soccer or football. Why? Have you seen those shorts and those tight pants? lol

Playlist:

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Foolproof by Jennifer Blackwood
Drexler University
It’s been a rough semester and Jules Carmichael needs to get her life together. Pronto. Unfortunately, the only available work is at Office Jax, home of horrid 90s music and the biggest jerk on this side of the galaxy. Then Ryan DeShane discovers the “6 Ultimate Steps to the Perfect Summer Fling”—and Jules is his target. But the “steps” work a little too well, because he and Jules are definitely, uh, flinging. And it’s only a matter of time before Ryan’s foolproof plan starts to seriously unravel…

The Rule Maker by Jennifer Blackwood
Rule Breakers #2
Ten Steps to Surviving a New Job: 1. Don’t sleep with the client. It’ll get you fired. (Sounds easy enough.) 2. Don’t blink when new client turns out to be former one-night stand. 3. Don’t call same client a jerk for never texting you back. 6. Ignore accelerated heartbeat every time sexy client walks into room. 8. Don’t let client’s charm wear you down. Be strong. 9. Whatever you do, don’t fall for the client. You’ll lose more than your job—maybe even your heart.

Wilder by Rebecca Yarros
The Renegades #1

He’s Paxton Wilder, five-time X Games medalist and smoking-hot leader of the Renegades. The world is his playground, and for the next nine months Leah Baxter is stuck as his tutor on the Study at Sea program. If she can’t get him to take his academics seriously, she’ll lose her scholarship…if she doesn’t lose her heart first.

Nova by Rebecca Yarros
The Renegades #2
He’s Landon Rhodes, four-time X Games medalist and full-time heartbreaker. This tatted-up adrenaline junkie has earned his nickname Casanova, going through girls in an attempt to forget the one who got away. But now she’s back and determined not to let him destroy her again. The problem is, he will stop at nothing to prove to her that they are meant to be together.

Fearless by Shae Ross
Pretty Smart Girls #2
Devi Dalton won’t let anyone hold her back. With a shiny new job in Manhattan, she’s finally taking control of her life. Her only obstacle? Ben Winslow, the sexy cage fighter she’s desperately trying to resist, who isn’t about to let her push him away again. They’re more than friends—always have been. But every fighter has a weakness. Ben’s is Devi. And this time, not even Devi’s favorite “ Fearless Red” lipstick will be able to protect her heart..

Rush by Shae Ross
Priscilla Winslow has a mouth that spits fiery sarcasm faster than I can throw a touchdown. But I’ve wanted her ever since I saw her in that Bo Peep outfit on Halloween. Yep, I’m a sheep who will follow that little hottie anywhere. There’s one problem…she hates me. Just because we ended up in jail and quite possibly ruined both our futures…

Getting Lucky Number Seven by Cindi Madsen
Taking Shots #1
Lyla Wilder is done being the shy, chemistry nerd extraordinaire. So she creates a “College Bucket List”―with item #7 being a night of uninhibited, mind-blowing sex…But she needs some help from her man-whore best friend. With every item she ticks off, Hockey player Beck Davenport finds himself growing seriously hot for his sweet, brainiac best friend. And if he’s not careful, he’ll end up risking their friendship in order to convince Lyla that he might just be her lucky #7…

Anatomy of a Player by Cindi Madsen
Taking Shots #2
Whitney Porter is done with men. She’s focusing on her first assignment at the college newspaper: Posing as a sports writer for an exposé on the extra perks jocks receive. But Hudson Decker, the bad boy of the hockey team, is about to test her no-sex rule. With his life spiraling out of control, Hudson is looking for a distraction. When his teammates bet him that he can’t land the gorgeous but prickly new reporter, he accepts, boasting he’ll have her in bed by the end of the semester. But Whitney is so much more than Hudson expected, and soon enough, he’s in too deep.

Crazy Pucking Love by Cindi Madsen
Taking Shots #3
I just met the girl of my dreams. Megan Davenport is funny and smart, and she’s as much of an insomniac as I am. She’s also my team captain’s little sister, which I only found out after our passionate kiss. Megan is completely off-limits—her brother makes that very clear—and I know better than to think I can keep a relationship going during hockey season anyway. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be late-night friends, right?

Lessons in Gravity by Megan Westfield
Falling for the star of a rock climbing documentary is not a good idea, especially if you’re the filmmaking intern who will be dangling from the side of a three thousand foot cliff with a camera while he climbs Yosemite’s most treacherous spire without a rope.

Falling for the Player by Jessica Lee
Bad boy and former NFL running back Patrick Guinness is tired of meaningless sex. Ever since his scorching hot one-night stand three years ago, no one has interested him. So when Max Segreti wanders into his mechanic shop—and his life again—Patrick can’t stop thinking about the totally-out-of-his-league law grad and the possibility of getting him out of his system once and for all…

Unfixable by Tessa Bailey
Willa Peet isn’t interested in love. She’s been there, done that, and has the shattered heart to prove it. Ready to shake the breakup, she heads to Dublin, Ireland. But there’s a problem. A dark-haired, blue-eyed problem with a bad attitude that rivals her own. And he’s not doling out friendly Irish welcomes. Shane Claymore is only in Dublin long enough to sell the Claymore Inn and get things in order for his mother and younger sister. Meeting a sarcastic American girl makes him question everything, but will their pasts destroy any hope of a future together?

 

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Forever by Monica Murphy

Release Date: April 4th, 2017

Series: Friends

Genre: Young Adult

Forever, an all new Friends story from Monica Murphy, is now live!!

She’s all I could ever want…

I have a reputation around school. Cold. Untouchable. Unfeeling. Only one girl could ever make me want to change and that’s Amanda Winters. Too bad I broke her heart and drove her away.

So to get through the rest of my days in high school, I tell myself I need to focus on more important things. Like taking our football team to championships. Get accepted to the college of my choice. And finish my senior year without wanting to run away from my problems.

But your problems chase after you no matter where you go. And it’s a lot harder when you fight them alone. The longer I go without Amanda, the more I miss her. Her smile. Her laughter. The things she said. How she looked at me like I was the only person who mattered. The way she made me feel…

Why can’t I have everything, including the girl? I’m determined to make things right. And make Amanda mine…

Forever.

Read Today!

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About the Author:

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Connect with Monica:

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This week, I’m helping Entangled Publishing celebrate the heroes of Embrace & New Adult Romance!

Today we’re shining the spotlight on musicians and rockstars! Entangled has all of the Embrace Musician’s stories on sale today for just 99¢.

Here’s what Embrace authors have to say about their rockstars.

Are any of your rockstar characters inspired by real life people? If so, who?

A.S. Green (author of Summer Girl): Well… there may have a been a gorgeous guitar-playing camp counselor in my early teen years who left an impression and inspired Bennet from “Summer Girl.”

Katie Delahanty (author of The Brightside series): Many of the experiences, especially in In Bloom, are inspired by real-life events/run-ins with real-life celebrities (sometimes actors, not exclusively musicians) so my characters are sort of inspired by real people… I’d say they are a mishmash of the many artists, both famous and up and coming, that I’ve had the privilege of knowing over the years as part of the Los Angeles music scene. When we were dating, my husband (then boyfriend) was in a band that used to open for Kara’s Flowers–who went on to become Maroon 5. My husband is good friends with Adam Levine so I was along for the ride (and was often the shy girl hiding in the corner at celebrity parties) as they rose to success. People often ask if Berkeley is based on Adam and the short answer is he’s not character-wise, but in some ways Adam taught Berkeley everything he knows experience-wise. Other bands/celebs that have “cameos” in my books include The Killers and Jake Gyllenhaal, and all of the music/lyrics are borrowed from my husband’s band, The Remainers.

Lisa Burstein (author of The Possibility of Us): In my Young Adult book, Mia and The Bad Boy. Ryder Brooks a reluctant member of a boy band is based on River Phoenix.

Tara Kelly (author of Encore): Yes – Sean in Encore – was actually inspired by my husband. They are differences, for sure, but their personalities are similar.

Besides rockstars & musicians, what kind of heroes do you like to read about?

A.S. Green: I love any hero with a troubled past and something to prove, even if he’s the only one who needs convincing.

Katie Delahanty: Entrepreneurs–anybody who is chasing a dream and is driven to succeed.

Lisa Burstein: Artists of any kind. I find creativity and angst super sexy.

Tara Kelly: I’ve got a soft spot for computer/science geeks (particularly of the hacker variety), any type of artist, mechanics, heroes who, underneath their corporate suit/image, are tattooed and have a chaotic, wild side.

How would you describe your own musical talent?

A.S. Green: I can do a mean karaoke version of “I Will Survive.”

Katie Delahanty: Ugh. Non-existent!

Lisa Burstein: Not great talent-wise but better story-wise. I took keyboard lessons in middle school from one of them members of Kool and the Gang. He told us he used to be a member, but he also worked at Sears in the keyboard department, so looking back I’m not so sure. He’d bring his bass over and play in my dining room while trying to teach me the keys.

Tara Kelly: I’m a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. I play guitar, bass, piano, and sing.

Encore by Tara Kelly
Amplified
I lied my way into a band, humiliated them on stage, and got my heart broken by the bassist. Now…we’re on tour together. This is the best opportunity we may ever have –and it’s already a disaster. We’re broke. We can’t stop fighting. And being in such close quarters to Sean isn’t exactly helping me get over him. Even though we’re just friends now, every time our fingers brush or our eyes catch, my heart betrays me. He’s the kind of distraction I can’t afford to have right now…no matter how much I wish things were different.

In Bloom by Katie Delahanty
The Brightside Series
How does someone like me, an ordinary girl from Pittsburgh, wind up in the arms of the world’s sexiest rock star—surrounded by celebrities, fashion, and music—and not be eaten alive? Berkeley Dalton is everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, but the paparazzi, the tabloids, the rumors, it’s all getting a bit too crazy. My life has become every girl’s dream come true, if only I don’t blink and lose it all…

Blushing by Katie Delahanty
The Brightside Series
When Berkeley proposed, I thought we’d live happily ever after. Instead he dropped a bombshell: he’s starring in a movie with his gorgeous ex, Christina Carlton. And what’s more? I’ve been erased from the public eye. To be together, Berkeley asked me to work on set as a costume designer—a dream come true—but there’s a catch: we have to keep our relationship secret. I’m okay with not being photographed, but the sneaking around, the lies, his love scenes; it’s not how I imagined our engagement. Am I ready to drop everything to become Olivia Dalton?

Believe by Katie Delahanty
The Brightside Series
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to fall for the adorable bass player of my favorite band. I’m a doctor beginning a five-year residency, and there’s no room in my life for fairy tales—only patients and perfection. But I can’t stop thinking about him. Could he be the One? Am I ready to risk everything I’ve worked for? All for a chance at a happily ever after I never believed possible.

Summer Girl by A.S. Green
A songwriter is nothing without his muse. Sucks that mine turns out to be Katherine D’Arcy—hot as hell, but the very definition of country-club living and everything I came to this quiet little island to escape. I thought I’d find inspiration here, but I’ve been unable to write crap. That is until the uptight summer girl arrived to tend the lighthouse and the music began to flow. If only there wasn’t that one inconvenient truth I’ve been keeping from her…

The Possibility of Us by Lisa Burstein
Cassie doesn’t want to go to the funeral. She had enough to handle with her own hollow existence. But she knew she should pay her respects to her old camp counselor…as long as her ex, Ben, wouldn’t be there. Except Ben is there. Still gorgeous, still angry, and still able to penetrate her defenses with one intense stare. All the reasons they left each other in a flurry of heartache start to fall away over one long, snowy weekend. But tough Cassie can’t truly open up to Ben when she knows confessing her secrets will leave her raw, defenseless. And the possibility of forever might not be enough to gamble on all the impossibilities of now.

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