“...one of the most engaging and well-written romance books I have read...It's like nothing you've read before. It touches the issues no one talks about in our community. And it's a MUST-READ."  

--LJ Shen, Amazon Bestselling Author

GRIP, Kennedy Ryan’s sexy, emotional Amazon Bestseller,

is available now for only 99¢!

Scroll all the way down for an excerpt and to enter the

$25 Gift Card Giveaway!

Resisting an irresistible force wears you down and turns you out. I know. I've been doing it for years.

I may not have a musical gift of my own, but I've got a nose for talent and an eye for the extraordinary. And Marlon James - Grip to his fans - is nothing short of extraordinary.

Years ago, we strung together a few magical nights, but I keep those memories in a locked drawer and I've thrown away the key. All that's left is friendship and work.

He's on the verge of unimaginable fame, all his dreams poised to come true. I manage his career, but I can't seem to manage my heart.

It's wild, reckless, disobedient. And it remembers all the things I want to forget.

Read GRIP today for only 99¢ or FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US ➜ http://amzn.to/2gsx1mB

Amazon UK ➜ http://amzn.to/2gz387W

Amazon CA ➜ http://amzn.to/2vADPJn

Amazon AU ➜ http://amzn.to/2gsH3Em

Add to GoodReads ➜  http://bit.ly/2k1T1rL

FLOW, the FREE prequel, MUST BE READ before GRIP!

Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2lAhSSC

Amazon UK➜ http://amzn.to/2xSpMMS

WATTPAD ➜  http://w.tt/2kUo8Yk

STILL, the sexy and emotional final installment of The Grip Series,

releases September 24th!

Preorder STILL Today!

Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2jAkJNT

Amazon UK ➜ http://amzn.to/2f4kxSa

Amazon CA ➜ http://amzn.to/2wmWoRR

Amazon AU ➜ http://amzn.to/2xcBEuD

Add STILL to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2vBiUWN

Click here to enter the $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway  

Excerpt:

“Neither of us has been in a serious relationship in years.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.” I stand and slide my feet into the Jimmy Choos. “You haven’t exactly been waiting around, have you?”

“Damn right I haven’t been waiting around.” He doesn’t get up, but his firm hold on my wrist stops me from walking away. “I’m not Rhyson.”

I look down at him, frowning my confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“Remember when Kai put Rhyson in the friend zone?”

Of course I do. For a long time, my sister-in-law Kai denied the attraction between her and Rhyson.

“Yeah, so?”

“When Kai wasn’t checking for Rhys, I assumed he had to be sleeping with other girls.” Grip shrugs. “I mean, he and Kai were just friends. But, nope. He said he only wanted Kai and didn’t sleep with anyone else.”

“Then you’re right.” I tug at my wrist, but he holds on tight. “You’re definitely not Rhyson.”

“It was months, Bristol. She shut him out for months. Not years.”

“I’m not shutting you out.” I release a tired breath. “I’m living my life, and you’re living yours.”

“Right.” He nods and turns his mouth down at the corners. “So, if you won’t be with me, then I’ll fuck whoever the hell I want. If you have a problem with that, you know what to do about it.”

For a moment, our eyes tangle in the dimness. His words sink into my flesh like briars. Every word out of his mouth only proves that I’m right to get out of here. That I’m right not to give in. If I ever gave him a chance and he fucked around on me . . . I’ve seen what that looks like. It looks like a woman as strong as my mother reduced to pathetic, teary drunkenness.

“It’s none of my business.” I shift my eyes away from him and to the glittering city skyline just beyond the rooftop.

“It’s none of your business until you say it is.”

I force myself to look back.

“Don’t hold your breath, Grip.” I say my next words with deliberation. “I mean, it’s not like I’m sitting around saving it, either.”

He pulls me forward, and I press my hand to the hardness of his chest so I don’t fall into him. My knee supports me, pressed against his on the couch.

“Are you poking me?” One strong hand wraps around the back of my thigh, anger marking his expression. “Do you want to know if it bothers me when you fuck other guys?”

I just stare at him unblinkingly. He presses my leg, urging me forward until I’m fully on the couch, fully on him, one knee on either side of his legs, facing him. Straddling him.

“It makes me want to set the world on fire.” His words come softly, but the truth roars in his eyes. “To think of you with them.”

Find the GRIP Series On Audio!

FLOW ➜ http://bit.ly/FLOWAudiobook

GRIP ➜ http://bit.ly/GRIPAudiobook

Join the GRIP Discussion Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1891983067712410/

Visit the Spotify Playlist for GRIP: 

http://bit.ly/2lWrHdS

If you prefer, the iTunes Playlist for GRIP:

http://apple.co/2lWI9ur

Click here to enter the $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Grip by Kennedy Ryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bristol and Marlon AKA Grip's story continues in this amazingly touching and yet intense story. Grip has been chasing her since that very special moment back in college. The best Spring Break of their lives.

Grip has all but given up, since the better part of a decade has past and still she will not give him an inch. He has tried to move on - but at what expense? Can the heart really forget what his head tells him he must?

This book was everything I was looking for, and more. In typical fashion, this author gives us an intense relationship filled with twists and turns. With a little suspense thrown in. I loved it. Even though I cried and laughed my way through it. This was made better with some of our favorite characters and surprises thrown in.


***This early copy was given in exchange for an honest review.



This story is continued from the FREE prequel, FLOW. You can get yourself a copy and see more information, including my review at http://bit.ly/2lc5qXh!

View all my reviews

About the Author:

Kennedy Ryan is a Southern girl gone Southern California. A Top 100 Amazon Bestseller, Kennedy writes romance about remarkable women who find a way to thrive even in tough times, the love they find, and the men who cherish them. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Georgia families living with Autism, Kennedy has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other outlets as a voice for families living with autism.

Connect with Kennedy:

Order Signed GRIP Series Paperbacks:

http://kennedyryanwrites.com/signed-paperbacks/

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

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/681604768593989/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennedyryan1/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kennedy-ryan

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2x0qCtC

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kennedyrwrites

YouTube: http://bit.ly/2gsAGkp

Website: http://kennedyryanwrites.com

[Nominated by BLoggers]

Let's welcome Midu in Follow Friday talks!

Have a look what Midu Reads on BookLikes: http://miduhadi.booklikes.com/

On your About me page you write that it was Lorna Doone that made you passionate about books. Tell us more.

  There was this book fair at my school and I wanted to buy all the flashy books at exorbitant costs. Back then, my mom used to teach there as well. We have never been rich but our financial situation was even tougher then. I asked my mom if I could buy some books and she said, she would pick out a few for me. The next day, she returned with this boring book with the least glamorous subject matter and the most unattractive cover. Lets just say, I didn't receive the gift with much grace. She sat me down and told me to give the book a try anyway. I did and as I read, I fell in love with the story. I have never stopped reading after that.  

What made you start book blogging?

I wanted to be able to say more than "I've read this book", "This book is world-rocking/meh", or "Read this one or I'm writing you out of my will".

Does blogging have an impact on your reading life?

I would say, it has. My reviews have gotten more reader-centric. They used to be about me, now I try to write reviews that will also help others decide if a book is right for them. Consequently while reading, I also focus on things that would clinch (or be a deal breaker) to others.

What are you favorite genres? Why are they special?

I think I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Epic Fantasy. Yet now I find myself gravitating towards Sci-Fi. What makes it special is that I am able to relate with what I have read. It has given me a way to include science in my writing!

You’re an editor and a copywriter. You’re co-working with authors and other personalities from the publishing branch. How did that influence your reading life?

I think it has affected my writing life more. Before I ghost-wrote whole books, I didn't believe I would ever be able to write one for myself. Now, I have started thinking that might be...probably...is mostly possible lol

What are your three favorite book covers?

I love all the covers in the series, House of Comarré and The Dinosaur Lords.

You’ve published over 300 reviews here on BookLikes. How does you review process look like?

I have? Wow! I keep two things in mind while writing a review: a) the characters or their actions do not make the author b) I should be able to justify any claims that I make in it. I hope I have done well in those regards :-)

Any tips for the beginner reviewers and bloggers?

Keep reading!

You’re an author! Tell us more!

I have written several short stories. One of them was published by the Antarctica Journal while others can be found on Smashwords and Medium.

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers this fall?

I don't know how to do the seasonal thing or read the latest books. I read what I know I'd like reading at a particular time. The best I can do is name some good books that I have read recently include Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card, and Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson. I am also loving my current read, The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd.

What’s your reading spot? We’d love to see the photos :)

I usually read when I am in the van and on my way to work. So, no photos!

A paper book or an e-book?

Both. It just needs to be legible lol

Three titles for a dessert island?

I am going to mention my favorite authors, instead. So, anything by Mary Shelley, Georgette Heyer, and Steven Erikson.

Favorite quote?

They keep changing. I think this would be a good one to mention here:

That's the funny thing about old hurts- they just wait for new heartache to come along and then show up, just as sharp and horrible as the first day you woke up with the world changed all around you.

― Lilith Saintcrow, Strange Angels

If you could meet one literary character, who would it be?

I would be most interested in meeting Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights. She is all kinds of evil!

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)

Thank you!

*

Missed previous Follow Friday talks? Use ffwithbookbloggers tag or click the catch up links:

• #8 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Momma Says to Read ->
• #7 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Sailing in a Sea of Words ->
• #6 Follow Friday with book bloggers: That's What I'm Talking About ->
• #5 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Silence in the library ->
• #4 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Nicole Reads ->
• #3 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Tigus ->
• #2 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Punya Reviews ->
• #1 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Jennifer's Books ->

You can nominate your blogger friends to the Follow Friday interview! Click here and leave the URL address in the comment section.

See you next Friday!

AMAZON * AMAZON UK * AMAZON AU

B&N * KOBO * iBOOKS

Today’s stop is for Dawn K. Henderson’s Heel Lead. We will have info about the book and author, and a great excerpt from the book, plus a great giveaway. Make sure to check everything out and enter the giveaway.

Happy Reading :) 

Because life is one big ballroom – and all we can do is dance… Former UK dance champion Caroline Elliott has two burning passions in her life: her sexy, young Spanish lover Antonio, and the weekly Ballroom dance class she teaches to a diverse group of enthusiastic locals in the small English town of Castleham where she lives. But Caroline has a problem. The numbers attending her class have dwindled, and unless she can somehow breathe new life into it, she will have no choice but to close it down. A dance display at the local Arts Festival might just be the perfect opportunity to showcase her students and pull in those much-needed new members. How difficult could it be? With the date of the display approaching, however, illness, affairs and relationship break-ups threaten to crush Caroline’s hopes. As she battles to keep rehearsals on track and soothe her students’ rampant nerves, she must also conquer the demons of a long-ago tragedy in her own life. Will she be able to let go of her fears and step into the spotlight once again? Heel Lead is an emotional, passionate and poignant story that entertains while it tugs at your heartstrings. In this short yet compelling novel, author Dawn K. Henderson presents a captivating tale of the power of love, dance and the ties that bind us.

Buy Link 

Amazon 

Chapter 1

The Dance Class

Two, three, cha-cha-cha. The music chirruped gaily, pumping out the familiar notes of an old pop song. ‘Ouch! For God’s sake, you clumsy idiot.’ Stuart had trodden on his wife’s toe again – the third time that evening already – and she was laying into him big time. Caroline winced in sympathy. Poor Stuart, she felt sorry for him. Angela could be a right harpy at times and was no elegant swan on the dance floor herself. And while it painfully true that her feet were often subjected to Stuart’s abuse, to be fair it wasn’t always his fault. Angela needed to move more quickly. Caroline shook her head. Angela and Stuart loved their dance classes, they had told her so often; it just never seemed like it with all the conflict it created between them. If only Angela would replace those open-toed sandals with a closed-in shoe, her feet wouldn’t suffer half as much from Stuart’s mis-steps. But she had pointedly ignored Caroline’s frequent suggestions that she do so, claiming she didn’t like the full shoe, and eventually Caroline had given up trying. Angela! Caroline had tried hard to like her, really she had. But, to be blunt, the woman really wasn’t very likeable. She was sharp-tongued, critical, and quick to take offence, with a physical appearance to match her character. Although she wasn’t old, only in her late thirties, her severe hairstyle – always pulled back into a tight bun – and permanently cheerless expression made her look considerably older. Caroline did her best not to judge; she had heard rumours of a tragedy in Angela’s past that the woman had been unable to move on from, and in an unguarded moment, Stuart had hinted at it too, a haunted look momentarily darkening his features. What the tragedy had been remained a mystery. Stuart bore the brunt of his wife’s constant ill-humour with endless tolerance, letting the verbal blows fall, rarely retaliating, and then only with the gentlest of reproaches. He was popular with the rest of the class, friendly and approachable with a smile for everyone in his warm eyes, and yet… In their depths drifted the unmistakeable shadow of an enduring sadness. Who knows what really lies beneath the faces and façades of anyone, even those we think we know well, Caroline pondered, watching them across the room. Angela’s complaining had fallen into a grumpy silence, though she was still looking daggers at her husband and limping exaggeratedly. The other couples were still cha-cha-ing around the room – four tonight, even less than usual. While at first sight, they seemed an unlikely bunch to be Ballroom dancing, after years of teaching, Caroline had learned not to judge by appearances. Take Trash and his wife Donna for instance. Of course, Trash wasn’t his real name but Reginald, the one given on his birth certificate, really didn’t suit the huge bulk of a man and he had been known as Trash for as long as he could remember. When he had first registered for her class, he had sworn Caroline to secrecy to never reveal his true identity. Of all the couples that came along to her class, Trash and Donna were perhaps the most incongruous and unlikely. Built like – to put it politely – the proverbial brick outhouse, Trash was a biker to his bones. Unruly sandy hair, now fading to the colour of washed-out nicotine and decidedly thin on top, reached below his shoulders, and had been pulled back into a rough ponytail for class. His face sported a beard of the same colour and length. He invariably wore tatty, faded blue jeans and an equally well-worn black T-shirt with the slogan ‘Ride or Die’ emblazoned across the front, the blood-dripping words entwined around a garish image of a scarlet skull from whose eye sockets heavily-fanged snakes stretched to breaking point over his impressive belly. His wife, Donna, barely reached his shoulder. Her dyed raven-black hair was chopped short, revealing heavily studded earlobes, and matching studs graced her eyebrows, nose and top lip. Caroline had never seen her in anything other than unrelieved black, usually jeans, T-shirt and a hefty leather belt. She was pretty, a little plump with curves that any woman would envy, in all the right places. The last bars of the Cha-cha faded. Next came a Waltz. Caroline revised the latest steps she had been teaching and started the music, returning to her study of Trash and Donna. She smiled as she watched them. They were probably the best dancers in the class. Despite his size, Trash was unexpectedly light-footed, and he floated across the floor, his huge bulk seemingly weightless as he guided Donna with a gentle but firm touch. Both of them felt, rather than heard, the music and its rhythm, and lost themselves in its magic; it was the secret ingredient essential to becoming a really good dancer that they both naturally possessed. Caroline had lost count of the times that technically able pupils of hers had failed to progress simply because they had been unable to get out of their heads and dance with their hearts. And of course, she thought with a touch of unwelcome envy, as she watched the couple glide around the room’s perimeter into a graceful Whisk, Wing and Telemark, Trash and Donna adored each other. The connection between them created a spark that was wonderful to watch, and forged an almost telepathic bond as they danced.

Dawn K. Henderson: Storyteller, poet & author   Goddess in training and ballroom diva (at least in her imagination)   12 years ago, Dawn walked into her first Ballroom dance class and the love affair began. Since then she has tango’d and quickstepped, waltzed and rumba’d through life. Although at the time of writing Heel Lead, she is without a permanent dance partner, she is fortunate enough to have good friends who lend her their men occasionally – she usually hands them back undamaged.   As D. K. Henderson, she is the author of The Skull Chronicles series of metaphysical adventure novels .   She lives and writes in the mystical, magical county of Wiltshire, England surrounded by crop circles, the ancient & mysterious stone monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury, and her own family of crystal skulls. When she isn't wandering the ancient downlands that inspire her novels and poetry, you'll probably find her pottering in the garden, foraging in the hedgerows or attempting a nifty Cha cha or elegant Waltz on the dance floor.  

Links

Website *** Facebook *** Twitter *** LinkedIn *** Goodreads

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Steven Spatz is an author, marketer, and the President of BookBaby. He writes the bookbaby Blog at http://blog.bookbaby.com/

It's a thinly veiled promotional blog that encourages self-published authors to use the services of BookBaby to prepare and publish their manuscripts. I compare it to the weekly newsletter I get from a local realtor where despite rising interest rates, falling house prices and any other economic calamity that might be happening "it's always a good time to buy or sell property".

Here's my response to his most recent blog entitle "Book Reviews: The Ultimate Word Of Mouth Promotion".

Hi Steven,
Let's crunch some numbers shall we. You shouldn't mind because they're ones you provided.

You write in your recent BookBaby blog that book reviews are critical to promoting my book. I agree. You write " "There are literally thousands of book reviewers and bloggers online, and most of them review books even though they aren’t paid."

I'd be doing a little more research before making a statement like that if I were you. I'll bet you'll find the majority of these bloggers and reviewers though online aren't active.

After making this unqualified claim about thousands of bloggers and reviewers who want to review my work at no charge you then "recommend the following sites:

Midwest Book Review that charges $50 a review;
The Indie Reader at $255 a review: and,
The Self-Publishing Review at $119 a review.

If I was to "purchase" one review from each site it would cost a total of $394.

What happened to the thousands of unpaid book reviewers and bloggers? Why didn't you list a few of them?

You can purchase an e-book of mine from Amazon for $3.99 of which I get 35% royalty or $1.35. I'd need to sell about 291 books to pay for these three reviews.

And what if they're bad reviews?

According to your 2017 Self-Publishing Survey

https://www.bookbaby.com/…/official-self-publishing-survey-…

of the 4300 authors who took part only 5%, or about 215 authors, made $5000 a year from their writing. The other category you draw comparisons from which is obviously significantly larger, is the one you call lower earning authors who earn less than $100 a year from their writing.

The inherent conflict of interest of "paid for reviews" aside, how in good conscience can you recommend to the majority of indie authors, making less than $100 a year from their writing as indicated by your own research, that they spend that kind of money on reviews?

So which is it, Steven? Are either totally out of touch with your own research and our plight, or part of the pack who prey on naive and delusional new indie authors who are prepared to throw money away chasing that elusive dream?