New Kindle Release: Eye of the Beholder by Elissa Gabrielle

The true measure of our existence begins with the way we view the world.

Jerusalem "Jay" Jones has experienced the uglier side of life. As an Iraq war Veteran, he is a hero for bravely putting his life on the line to serve his country. But that unselfish act resulted in him lying in a Veteran’s hospital with injuries he sustained from the war. His present circumstance should be a cakewalk for Jerusalem considering what he has witnessed both as a child and while in the heat of battle. The pleasantries of love, laughter and life have always seemed to elude him. From his early days as a child growing up abused and terrorized on the tough streets of Newark, to being all that he could be in the military, Jerusalem’s life has been anything but pleasant and attractive when viewed from the surface. Now, vulnerable and reclusive, he must face the world he joined the military to escape, armed with only dark secrets from his past, a bruised and burdened psyche and limits to him physically.

Jill Lopes longs to fix the wounded and broken, but before she can heal the sick, she must first mend her own battle scars of unhappiness and resistance, and find a way to push past the experiences that haunt her. When fate boldly steps in and introduces itself into Jerusalem's and Jill's lives, they realize that the challenges we meet in life hold the power to open us to a higher, more meaningful existence. Will they both be able to view the world for what it really is under the clear truth of who they are and what they are capable of becoming together? Does beauty really lie in the eye of the beholder? Experience the power of love on this redemptive journey where the purpose of the tribulations in one's life, will be empowered to reveal the gifts they bring.

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Don't sleep on Elissa Gabrielle's literary skills. Head to AMAZON now to purchase your copy of Eye of the Beholder today. 

You won't be disappointed.

HOT RELEASE: Your Love Is King by Adrienne Thompson

Divorced nurse and single mom, Marli Meadows, finds herself stuck in a rut. She’s tired of her life and decides to leave it behind and embark on a search for change. What she finds instead is love.

Purchase your copy of Your Love Is King today for Kindle (and paperback), Nook, Kobo, and Amazon UK!

EXCERPT

From Chapter One: “You’re Not the Man”

I rolled over in the bed after a short nap, opened my eyes, and nearly jumped out of my skin. For a brief moment, I’d forgotten that Darius was lying next to me. The sight of him lying there asleep with his mouth wide open startled me.

I eyed him with disgust as I tried to ease out of bed undetected. I slid and slid until my feet finally reached the floor, then I tiptoed through the cluttered efficiency apartment into the bathroom. I peered into the smudged mirror and wondered to myself, What are you doing, Marli Meadows? Why are you here with him? I shook my head as if the mere action could erase my relationship with Darius Cotton right out of my life.

I squatted over the toilet and relieved myself, afraid to sit on the seat. Knowing Darius, there was no telling how many other butts had been on that seat. I turned the water in the faucet on to a slow trickle, still not wanting to awaken Darius, and washed my hands. I dried them with some toilet paper and then quickly pulled my underwear and work uniform back on and slowly opened the creaky bathroom door.

I exited the bathroom and found Darius sitting on the side of the bed, lighting up a blunt. Dang! I thought, if I don’t get out of here quick, I’ll be smelling just like that stuff and probably get a contact high. It’d be my luck for them to pop up with a random drug test at work and that crap’ll show up.

“You leaving, baby?” he grunted between drags. He rubbed his hand across his bare chest and stretched. I eyed his nakedness as I walked back into the room.

“Yeah, it’s already eleven. I gotta go home and get some rest for work tonight,” I answered as I gathered up my purse and slipped on my shoes.

With a lopsided grin on his face, he revealed two rows of shiny gold teeth and said,
“Yeah, cause you know if you stay here you gon’ have to put in some more work, huh?”

Ugh, I thought. “Yeah, well, I’ll talk to you later, Darius.”

“A’ight, come give me a kiss, boo.”

I swallowed hard. I know this sounds strange considering the fact that I’d just had sex with him, but the thought of kissing him really didn’t appeal to me. It took all I had in me to walk over to him, bend over, and plant a kiss on his dark lips.

He swatted my butt. “A’ight girl, I’ll holla at you later. Don’t work too hard tonight.”

I nodded. “I won’t. Bye, Darius.”

“Bye, Mar-lay.”

I shook my head as I closed the door behind me. We’d been “seeing” each other for nearly two years, and he still mispronounced my name. Well, it was either that or he was just so country that it sounded like he was mispronouncing it.  Whichever was the case, it was irritating.

I walked down the steep stairs from Darius’s apartment out onto the parking lot.  I unlocked and then climbed into my Toyota Camry which was parked right next to Darius’s souped-up Chevy Caprice. I rolled my eyes at the repeated Louis Vuitton logos covering his car. I backed out of my space and glanced at his license plate which read, SMOKONE. I sighed as I pulled off the lot.

Adrienne Thompson has worn many titles in her lifetime–from teenage mother to teenage wife to divorcee to registered nurse to author. This mother of two young adults and one teenager currently resides in Arkansas with her daughter where she writes and publishes her stories full time.

You can connect with her on the following online outlets: [Her website]  [Facebook] [Twitter] [Pinterest] [YouTube]

A Nicely Done Coming-of-Life Story: Review of Danielle Allen's Back to Life

[Click cover to order Back to Life today!]

Sahara Lee has spent the last ten years living with the guilt of a tragic accident and its aftermath. That night irrevocably changed the outgoing, fun-loving college freshman into an introverted, workaholic with no social life. Sahara isolates herself from everyone and everything that reminds her of home in an effort to forget what happened. Using art as a substitute for love, Sahara throws herself into music and art as a way to feel something other than the guilt that haunts her. She accepts her lonely existence as penance for the role she played in the accident. That is, until she meets Tyree Barker, the good looking entrepreneur with baggage of his own.

Blindsided by a legal loophole, Sahara is suddenly forced to confront the past she’s been running from. Juggling the guilty feelings of her past and the unexpected feelings of her present, Sahara’s future becomes complicated as she heads down a path of forgiveness, love, and heartbreak…and not in that particular order.

Back to Life reminds you that living and existing are two completely different ways to go through life. Grief will break you but guilt, guilt will destroy you. And once that happens, what can bring you back to life?

CLG Review of  Back to Life

4 (out of 5) lattes

A Nicely Done Coming-of-Life Story

After reading the book description of Danielle Allen's BACK TO LIFE, particularly the last three sentences, I was moved to read this book: "Back to Life reminds you that living and existing are two completely different ways to go through life. Grief will break you but guilt, guilt will destroy you. And once that happens, what can bring you back to life?" This alone made the story sound real to me, so I jumped in, hoping the book was as good as its hook.

It is.

Allen presents us with Sahara Lee, a character that is real, that is flawed, that is hurting and searching. I connected with her quickly. And I think other readers will, too, and because of that, they will follow her through her journey of dealing with and recovering from a past tragic accident and its effects so that she can have a future worth walking toward. In a lot of ways, BACK TO LIFE feels like a coming-of-life story about Sahara, but it's also a story about love of self and of others: finding it, accepting it, and embracing it. Allen does a good job with layering conflict in Sahara's story, and while reading it, though you'll think you know where the story is going, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the twists Allen plants. My only quibble is the abundance of description in the book. I like just enough description to paint a character and atmosphere and let me interact with it all while reading. Too much, and I tend to gloss over or skim to get back to the meat of the story. Despite that, this is a book I would recommend.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box by Valerie J. Lewis Coleman: A Book Review & Feature

THE BOOK

[Buy your copy of The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box at The Goody Box Website!]
THE FORBIDDEN SECRETS OF THE GOODY BOX – What your father didn’t tell you and your mother didn’t know...

Successful. Beautiful. Intelligent. Yet a satisfying relationship eludes Debra Hampton. At thirty-five years old, she can’t figure out why her philosophy on men—and what they want from women—isn’t working. She’s trapped in a cycle of shattered relationships, until a friend refers her to a relationship guru. After some resistance, Debra finds refuge in his counsel as he helps her navigate through the storms of rejection and failed love. Once he reveals the error of her ways, will Debra master the forbidden secrets to attract her soul mate or continue to keep love at bay?

CLG Review of The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box

4 (out of 5) lattes

Entertain and Inform All in One Novel

There is definitely enough drama and wisdom in The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box to entertain, engage, and perhaps even teach those who read the novel. Author Valerie J. Lewis Coleman wastes no time in getting readers into the heart of the story as by the first couple of pages, we're thrust into the relationship woes (and some great fighting skills!) of one of the main characters, Debra Hampton. It's hard to put down the book when an author snags you that quickly. What I enjoyed the most about Goody Box is Coleman's ability to paint true-to-life circumstances and well-developed characters. Development like this on both levels works in two ways for the book: 1) the development keeps readers close to the characters and makes readers care about what the characters go through (great for a novel!) and 2) the realistic portraits will leave readers thinking about the situations these characters go through and pulling the wisdom found in the book into their real-life situations and conversations. As much as I enjoyed Goody Box, I wasn't thrilled with the ending. It had the ability to two things simultaneously: disappointment and leave me unfulfilled, yet leave me anxiously awaiting the sequel. Just have to wait until 2014 for it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Taste of The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box

Chapter 1
For the Love of Vincent

Sunday-morning service stirred Debra Hampton’s heart. The poignant message convinced her to resolve a matter that had her torn for almost a year. She had been undecided about whether to marry her live-in boyfriend, Vincent. He didn’t share her religious beliefs and refused to go with her to church, but she knew that he was the best man for her. He laughed at her silly antics, talked with her about her ambitions and encouraged her to greatness. He made her the focal point of his life and involved her in every decision no matter how minute. But it was his touch that held her hostage, kept her toying with God’s love by giving herself to a man who was not her husband.

With her head bowed to hide the free-flowing tears, she exited the church without speaking to anyone. She sat in her Mercedes S550, took a moment to freshen her makeup, expelled a sigh of relief. She looked to Heaven through the panorama sunroof, smiled, closed her eyes, gave thanks. The decision to accept Vincent’s proposal resonated; filled her with peace as she trusted the Lord with her soul mate.

The thirty-minute drive from the inner-city church to her suburban home gave her ample time to reflect upon the life they would build together: three children, business partnership and unlimited mind-blowing sex. The rush of blood to her southern bell—the name her mother called her vagina when she was a child—gave her pause. Fortunately, she was stopped at a red light. She clicked through the Sirius Satellite stations and then opted to enjoy tunes Vincent had downloaded to her iPod a few nights prior.

As she turned into Creekwood Estates—a lavish community north of Dayton—she admired the mansion-sized homes set hundreds of feet from the street. Manicured lawns featured rows of exotic trees, shrubbery and blooming flowers. Cobblestone driveways boasted luxury cars and backyards had customized gym sets or in-ground pools.

Her stucco and brick palatial home was small in comparison to those of her neighbors, but it was big enough for her family-to-be. She loved the side-entry, three-car garage because it camouflaged the unpacked moving boxes from passersby. She parked in the usual spot—closest to the mudroom door—and then she smiled wide. "He's home."

Debra grabbed her purse and Bible and then jaunted into the house. She placed her belongings on the granite countertop, careful not to make noise. Since the television wasn’t locked on a sporting event, Vincent had to be resting in the master suite. A 3,500-square-foot home and he preferred the family room and bedroom.
She slipped off her stilettos, tiptoed up the stairs. Her heart beat faster with each step. She wiped her palms together to dry the sweaty moisture, pressed her ear to the door. His subtle snores seeped through. She giggled and then covered her mouth to halt the escape of more laughter.

She opened the door, peeked in, swung it wide. “Vincent! What the devil?”

“Debra, what are you doing here?” After a quick dismount, he rummaged the floor for his Fruit of the Looms. "When'd you get home?"

“Who is this woman and why is she in my bed?” She ran to the side of the bed, towered over her betrayer. Breath stalled in her throat, eyes widened. “Catherine!”

Catherine—the first person to welcome Debra to the neighborhood—reached for her clothes, scurried to dress.

Debra lunged at her, snatched her by the ponytail, drew back her fist. Just as she connected with Catherine’s right jaw, Vincent grabbed Debra around the waist, pulled her away. She flailed her arms, kicked at his shins, head-butted him in the mouth. When he released her, she pursued Catherine who was halfway down the stairs, underwear in tow.

Debra leapt from the top stair, using Catherine as a landing pad. Spewing expletives, she pummeled her in the back of the head, until Vincent pulled her off.

He tightened his grip on Debra’s arms, spun her around to look him in the eyes. “Stop it!” A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.

“I cannot believe you had that female up in my house.” The same channels that had released tears of joy now flooded her face in sadness. “Vincent, how could you?” She watched Catherine sprint through the backyard; battered, bruised and butt-naked.

“I tried to tell you, but—”

“You tried to tell me what? The last thing I knew, you were looking for an engagement ring.”

“I was…for Catherine.”

Debra’s head danced like a bobble-head doll, her vision blurred. Her body quivered and then went slack as she collapsed in Vincent’s arms.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A few minutes later, Debra awoke on the family-room couch. She picked up the note that set on the table.

Debra,

I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I’ll be back to get my things. I love you, but not enough to make you my wife.

Vincent

As she let the note float to the floor, the back door opened and then closed. The man whom she was willing to love forever had tiptoed out of the house and driven out of her life.

The agony of unreciprocated love left Debra in despair. Virtual restrainers confined her to the bedroom—the viaduct of deceit. She cried until her body heaved and the reservoir of tears was empty.


Chapter 2
Wallow

Depression infiltrated Debra and she withdrew into an abyss of desolation. She called off from work using a flare-up of Crohn’s disease as the reason. Given that her body responded with similar symptoms—loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, fatigue and diarrhea—she resolved that it was a legitimate excuse for at least a week of sick days.

The Author

Valerie J. Lewis Coleman has helped thousands of women across the nation find relational fulfillment. With over twenty years of experience in family and relationships, this expert has given advice on various issues including identifying the four types of male hunters, avoiding seventy percent of men who only want the goody box and winning the heart of Mr. Right-For-You. As she assists others with building strong relationships, she shares how she overcame personal struggles and offers proven techniques to help you get off the crazy cycle of relational demise in her bestselling novel THE FORBIDDEN SECRETS OF THE GOODY BOX! To learn more about Valerie, her books and overcoming relational matters, visit TheGoodyBoxBook.com. You can also check out Valerie on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.