It's Finally Here! THE LIST by Kate L. Mary

       

The List

College of Charleston series, Book #1

Kate L. Mary

NA Contemporary Romance

             

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╣Synopsis╠

The List. Twenty things every girl must do before she turns twenty. . .

Body piercing Get drunk First kiss

But thanks to her crazy, over-protective father, Annie Roth is way behind schedule. Good thing it’s her first semester of college, because Annie is more than ready to start checking off items. . .

Fake ID Skinny dipping Road trip!!!

Where it gets complicated? Ryan and Chris. Best friends. Both sweet, funny, totally hot, and totally into Annie.

But there are some things on The List that Annie only wants to do with Ryan. . .

Lose it Get Heart Broken Fall in love

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╣Excerpt╠

  “I don’t want to go crazy, Cami. I just want to experience the normal things teenagers experience. While I’m still a teenager. I’ll be nineteen next month, and I haven’t done anything! I have one year.” Cami nodded as a slow smile spread across her face. “Kind of like a bucket list for your teen years.” I grinned and my wet hair bounced around when I nodded emphatically. “Exactly!” Cami jumped to her feet and started pacing the room. “That I can help with! But we should start a list right now. Write it all down, so we can mark it off as we go.” My insides jumped and fired to life, and I got to my feet too. “That’s a great idea.” Cami grabbed a notebook and flipped it open, then grabbed a pink Sharpie. At the top of the paper she scribbled Annie’s Bucket List. “Okay, what’s first?” I chewed on my bottom lip and ran my hand through my damp hair. “Let’s start small. Buy makeup.” Cami nodded and jotted it down, then said, “And some new clothes and shoes. Girly stuff.” She wrote down, buy a dress and heels and I inwardly cringed. Wearing heels seemed a bit unrealistic, but I was determined to do this. Even if I fell out of my shoes and broke my arm in the process. “Get highlights,” I said. Cami giggled while she wrote. “With your hair, I’d get lowlights.” I nodded even though I had no idea what she was talking about. She’d know better than me. Cami looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Get your ears pierced?” “And something else too! Like my nose or my belly button!” I was getting really excited. Bouncing around like Cami. I’d always been intrigued by the way most girls these days glinted under the lights. It was rare, especially in California, to see girls in their teens without multiple piercings. I wanted to be one of those girls. Cami wrote it down before looking back at me. “A tattoo?” I hadn’t even considered that one. Something inside me jumped, but with the painful way it twisted I wasn’t sure if it was fear or excitement. “I don’t know…” “We’ll put that one on the shelf for now. What else? Just fire them off and I’ll write as fast as I can.” I took a deep breath and went for it. She was willing to help, so I shouldn’t be scared about revealing how little I’d done. “Go on a date, go to a formal, go skinny-dipping, get drunk, have a first kiss, stay up all night, take a road trip with a group of friends.” I took a deep breath and peered at her out of the corner of my eye, but she hadn’t even blinked and she was still scribbling away. “Have sex….”

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╣Teasers╠

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╣About the Author╠

Kate L. Mary is a stay-at-home mother of four and an Air Force wife. She grew up in a small town just north of Dayton, Ohio where she and her husband met at the age of twelve. Since their marriage in 2002, they have lived in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and California. Kate enjoys any post-apocalyptic story - especially if zombies are involved - as long as there is a romantic twist to give the story hope. Kate prefers nerdy, non-traditional heroes who can make you laugh to hunky pieces of man-meat, and her love of wine and chocolate is legendary among her friends and family. She currently resides in Oklahoma with her husband and children. Be sure to check out her bestselling BROKEN WORLD series, which is a top 100 book in dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction on Amazon.  

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╣Social Media╠

   

Website │ Facebook │ Twitter

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Excerpt of ADAM'S LIST

Man have I been bad about blogging or what?? Incase you missed the news, Adam's List is now available on Kindle Unlimited and Chloe's Dream (NYC LOVE Book 3) was released April 3rd! In lieu of booze, streamers, and party hats, I'm going to share an excerpt from Adam's List. This is one of my favorite scenes in which Adam and Jewels are still trying to define their complicated relationship despite their undeniable attraction to each other. They're in the back of the pickup truck in a grassy field outside of Toledo, a couple of days into their road trip.

Chris Martin launches into his old line about stars shining “just for you.” I grab my phone, desperate for him to stop. This thing can’t be about romance. Doesn’t he understand by now he can destroy me with just one of his sexy looks?

I flip through my playlist until I come across Nine Inch Nails’s “Closer.”

“Hey. Go back.” Adam eyes me with suspicion. “New favorite band, remember?”

“Trust me, this song is more fitting.” I flip over to lay above him with one hand holding me up and the other trailing down his stomach, headed for his pants. I dance around on top of him, mouthing the words to the song. Adam’s eyes grow wider when the song breaks into the chorus.

“Whoa!” he yells, nearly shoving me over. “I thought we agreed to take this slow.” He springs for my phone, eagerly stopping the song like it’s making his ears bleed. After a few clicks, the members of Typhoon are crooning into the night, discussing the perils of love of all goddamned things.

I brush off the relevant fact that he chose to play the mix I named “romance,” and frown. “I thought we agreed we were coming back to drink champagne and get it on. You’re becoming the reversed version of a cock block.”

“Come here.” He pulls on my hips, his expression suddenly serious.

And, holy shit, now they’re singing about strangers in the dark...and stars...I should stop this right now. The music, the relationship, whatever game we’re playing. But one look into Adam’s eyes, and I’m a total goner.

I dip my head down, reluctant and cautious. He kisses me with a fire unmatched by anything, hints of champagne and the cheese balls we broke out for our makeshift dinner on his tongue. I breathe deeply through my nose, catching his musky scent mixed in with the outdoors. His lips, both benevolent and eager, stroke and brush around mine, giving room for his tongue to press its way in. When I reach down to tug at his shirt, wanting to finally feel the muscles of his stomach without fabric getting in the way, his hand wraps around my fingers. 

He looks up, his eyes filled with so much emotion, it’s as if he’s about to cry. “Just kiss me, Jewels,” he whispers. “Nothing else.”
I fall back into him, wrapping my lips with his, not dwelling on reasons why he’d be upset, not caring that I promised myself I wouldn’t get emotionally attached. I take his probing tongue between my lips and suck hard, rubbing my body against his in sync with our kisses. Adam backs down, pulling away just enough to reclaim his tongue and lightly suck on my bottom lip. Every time I try to kick it up a notch, he’s quick to slow it back down.

I finally give in to his sweet gestures and marginal PG rated intentions. We continue kissing forever and ever under the bright stars, burning through the playlist I created with high hopes for such an occasion. The only stroking and touching of any kind involves heads and faces, and it’s filled with compassion, tenderness. Although I’m still burning for him from head to toe, there’s an intense need to match his pace and prove to him I want this. I want him.

Every time we stop to catch our breaths, Adam studies me closely, as if waiting for me to profess my love for him. As if wanting to tell me he’s in love and doesn’t ever want to let me go.

We’ve entered dangerous territory. You can’t kiss someone with so much emotion if you’re preparing to walk away. Alarms ring through my head, too loud and too obvious to be ignored. There are way too many complex emotions being passed between us.

I already know he’s going to shatter my heart.

GET IT NOW: 

Adam's List (NYC LOVE Book 1)

THE LIST by Kate L. Mary

The List. Twenty things every girl must do before she turns twenty. . .

Body piercing
Get drunk
First kiss

But thanks to her crazy, over-protective father, Annie Roth is way behind schedule. Good thing it’s her first semester of college, because Annie is more than ready to start checking off items. . .

Fake ID
Skinny dipping
Road trip!!!

Where it gets complicated? Ryan and Chris. Best friends. Both sweet, funny, totally hot, and totally into Annie.

But there are some things on The List that Annie only wants to do with Ryan. . .

Lose it
Get Heart Broken
Fall in love 

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an ARC of this sweet/steamy/fun novel and couldn't put it down. If you haven't heard me gush about Kate L. Mary's writing before, check out either this excerpt from her adult zombie series or this one. The List is a contemporary romance, proving Ms. Mary can write an amazing story no matter the genre. Now for my review.

Holy sexual frustration, Batman! I can't remember the last time I read a romance in which I so badly wanted the characters to get past their issues and get it on already! This was a great, entertaining read about a girl trying to find her way in college after leading a sheltered life. I love that the characters are flawed and have so many real life issues keeping them apart. I hope the small loose ends are covered when we hear Cami's story in the next book. Literally sat down and read it in one day. This was one of my favorite reads, which is no surprise considering the author. Kate L. Mary has written another emotional masterpiece that will stay with me for a long time!

Preorder The List on Amazon

 Kate L. Mary is a stay-at-home mother of four and an Air Force wife. She spent most of her life in a small town just north of Dayton, Ohio where she and her husband met at the age of twelve. Since their marriage in 2002, they have lived in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and California. Kate enjoys any post-apocalyptic story – especially if zombies are involved – as long as there is a romantic twist to give the story hope. Kate prefers nerdy, non-traditional heroes that can make you laugh to hunky pieces of man-meat, and her love of wine and chocolate is legendary among her friends and family. She currently resides in Oklahoma with her husband and children.

Website │ Facebook │ Twitter

Cover Reveals by Danielle Sibarium

For Always

“There’s nothing you can’t do if you want it bad enough.”

I entered the world with a massive defect. I attracted death. Like a magnet. I could feel it all around me. It wrapped its icy fingers tight around my chest, leaving me no room for escape.  That was my life before I met Jordan Brewer, the boy I became infatuated with. Obsessed with. The boy that became my everything.

I knew he wanted me, too. I saw it. I felt it. But he was older, and wouldn’t act on his feelings. I knew in time I’d make him mine. Just as he promised me a future together, his life was torn apart. He turned away from me and shut me out of his life. Could I convince him to let go of his past and hold on to me? Or would he continue to punish us both for something he couldn’t control?

For Always purchase links:

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And Forever

“Sometimes being with the one you love hurts more than being without them.”

“There’s nothing you can’t do if you want it bad enough.” This is the mantra Jordan Brewer drilled

into my head since the day I met him. He convinced me nothing is out of my reach, not even him.

I love Jordan, and Jordan loves me, but something always gets in the way. I had to fight tooth and nail to convince him we belong together. Now he’s mine, but I’m not sure our love is strong enough to survive.

I’m away at school and Jordan’s playing drums for a local band. We hardly see each other, and when we do, he’s haunted by demons from his past. I’m struggling to fit in and he’s struggling with his ever-growing mountain of guilt. Will we be able to hold on to each other through the tough times, or will it all come tumbling down around us? 

AND FOREVER on Goodreads

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tsu

Snipers: The Definition of Brave

In the wake of the colossal Hollywood hit American Sniper, filmmaker Michael Moore sent out a tweet yesterday saying, "Snipers aren't heroes" and that he was taught they're cowards.

Something tells me Mr. Moore isn't brave enough to say that to a sniper's face.

What gives random bloggers and political activists the right to sit behind their computer and judge the level of bravery obtained by someone who has actually served in the military? Has Mr. Moore ever met a sniper or is he going off the facts he's gathered while stuffing his face with popcorn and watching Hollywood movies?

In my NA romance Kelly's Quest, I made one of the characters a Marine. I didn't throw Theo in as some kind of token character or simply because Marines tend to be incredibly attractive (because let's face it, any guy in a military uniform is hard to resist). I wanted Kelly to fall in love with a man who was strong, brave, kind, and ready to jump in front of a bus for anything he believes in.

In the past twenty years, I've friended many real-life Marines as my big brother served back in the 90s, even doing a tour for Desert Storm. He was also a sniper.

I'm not going to lie, they tend to be a wild bunch. But what else would you expect from the type willing to face mentally deranged terrorists in order to protect the country they love? Collectively, they're a brave, kind-hearted, and loyal bunch. If I were to call up any of my brother's old buddies with a serious problem, they'd come to my aid in a heartbeat. They're the type who open doors for little old ladies and stick up for someone being bullied at the bar. And they never do these acts for attention or to solicit a "thank you." They do them because they believe in sticking up for what's right. They do it because they spent many years putting their lives on the line for their fellow Americans and that's something you can't just turn off. These are the type of men who don't back down for anything. By very definition, these men are

brave

brāv/

adjective

1. 1.

   ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.

   "a brave soldier"

   synonyms:

   courageous, valiant, valorous, intrepid, heroic, lionhearted, bold,fearless, gallant, daring, plucky, audacious; More

I'm ashamed to call people like Michael Moore a fellow American. While I agree we're all entitled to our opinions, giving unjustified labels to members of our military doesn't make you liberal, it just makes you a bonafide asshole. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Sarah Palin may have said it best:

“Hollywood leftists: while caressing shiny plastic trophies you exchange among one another while spitting on the graves of freedom fighters who allow you to do what you do, just realize the rest of America knows you’re not fit to shine Chris Kyle’s combat boots... May the epic American Sniper bring nothing but blessings to Taya and the children of this true American hero.”

I say we launch a Kickstarter campaign sending Michael Moore to live with ISIS. Let him see first hand what a real coward looks like.

New Release: MAD WORLD by Kate L. Mary

       

Mad World (#3, Broken World series)

by Kate L. Mary

Post-Apocalyptic/Zombie Series

       

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╣Synopsis╠

 

Mad World is the third book in the Broken World series, which follows a group of survivors after a super-virus has destroyed the world and the dead have come back to claim it as their own…

Vivian didn’t think things could get any worse than losing Emily, and getting to the shelter should have been their salvation. But once again their hopes where shattered when they found out things weren’t as safe as promised, forcing them to head into Vegas in search of supplies.

Vivian

But now Vivian and Hadley find themselves in a situation more threatening than even the dead walking the Earth. Kidnapped by armed men and taken deep into Vegas, they’re cut-off from anyone who cares about them and thrust into a world so sick and twisted it can only be described as madness. Knowing that Axl has no idea where they are and little hope of finding them, Vivian and Hadley must team up with one of the very men who abducted them if they have any hope of escaping their new nightmare.

Axl

Watching Vivian get thrown into the back of a van almost tears Axl apart, and he’s determined to find her no matter what it takes. With the growing tension between him and Angus, Axl finds himself wondering if the price will be his relationship with his brother. Putting both old and new wounds aside, Axl and Angus must infiltrate the group holding Vivian and Hadley, and make their escape through a zombie-ridden Vegas. But the men in charge of Vegas aren’t the type to easily forget, and the group soon discovers that getting the girls out alive very well could mean the end for them all…

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╣Excerpts╠

 

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Axl

I push my way through the group of people gathered ‘round ‘til I find a face I don’t recognize. He’s a preppy-lookin’ bastard. Older than me, but probably not more than thirty. He’s clean. Obviously he ain’t been sleepin’ in no abandoned buildings, which means he’s with the bastards that took Vivian and Hadley. I slam him against the wall and push the barrel of my gun right between his eyes, pressin’ it into his skull. “Where the hell is she?” The guy swallows. His eyes are so big they look like they’re gonna pop outta his head. “You shoot me and you’ll never know,” he says in a surprisingly calm voice. My entire body shakes, and my finger’s just itchn’ to pull the trigger. But he’s right. I can’t shoot him. Not if I wanna find Vivian. But I could shoot his balls off. I jam my arm against his throat and press as hard as I can before movin’ my gun to his crotch. “I ain’t gonna kill you, but if you don’t tell me where she is, I guarantee that by the time I’m done with you, you’ll wish you had.” "The Monte Carlo! The Monte Carlo!” His voice ain’t calm no more. “I told ya!” Darla’s shrill voice screams out behind me. “Shut the fuck up,” I say, not takin’ my eyes off the tremblin’ guy in front of me. “She better be okay.” He nods as hard as he can with my arm pressed against his throat. “She’s fine. So is Hadley.” I wince. Damn. I shoulda asked ‘bout Hadley. Winston steps forward and puts his hand on my back. “Let him go, Axl. We need to let him talk if we’re going to figure out what’s going on." The muscles in my neck are stretched tight, and my arm twitches as I press it against the guy’s neck. I don’t wanna let him go. I wanna bash his damn face in.

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Vivian

I look back and forth between Axl and the fence. Between the zombies and my reason for life. “What about you?” The helicopter’s engine dies, and the moans of the dead break through the night sky. They’re louder than the roar of a hurricane. More menacing than a tornado. I can’t leave Axl. “I’ll cover you,” he yells. He spins to face the zombies. They round the corner. Fifteen feet away at the most. I grab his arm and pull him to the fence. “Come with me!” He shakes me off and looks down at my bare feet and legs. “You ain’t protected. Go!” There’s no way to convince him, plus he’s right. I’m much too exposed. I turn to the fence and climb. The metal digs into my hands and feet. The moans grow louder, and my legs shake, threatening to give out. I keep my head up so I won’t look back. Axl will be more focused if I’m safe. He can take care of himself. He will be okay. My heart races even faster. The fence is high. Maybe ten feet. My arms ache as they slowly pull my body up. I’m not even halfway there and already I’m shaky. A shot rings out behind me, and I scream. Keep moving. Don’t look down. The wind blows, showering me with bits of sand. My eyes sting and tear up. I blink, but it doesn’t help. A few tears slide down my cheeks. I hang onto the fence with one hand and use my free one to rub my eyes. They burn, but there’s no time to worry about that. I squint as more tears fall and pull myself up a little more. Halfway there. Axl grunts and Jon curses. Something slams against the fence, and the whole thing shakes. I grip the metal tighter. Fingers claw at my foot, and I scream. Kicking at them. They wrap around my ankle. I kick harder, and the fence sways. I can’t get away! My fingers curl around the metal links, and I glance down. What was once a man—his face now half-rotten—grips my ankle. His foul teeth chomp, and he moans like he’s in pain. Jon is on the ground, struggling with a zombie. Another one has Axl pinned against the fence. His knife is on the ground.  

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╣About the Author╠

Kate L. Mary is a stay-at-home mother of four and an Air Force wife. She spent most of her life in a small town just north of Dayton, Ohio where she and her husband met at the age of twelve. Since their marriage in 2002, they have lived in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and California. Kate enjoys any post-apocalyptic story – especially if zombies are involved – as long as there is a romantic twist to give the story hope. Kate prefers nerdy, non-traditional heroes that can make you laugh to hunky pieces of man-meat, and her love of wine and chocolate is legendary among her friends and family. She currently resides in Oklahoma with her husband and children.

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╣Social Media╠

 

Facebook│Twitter│Google+│Tsū│Goodreads│Amazon

 

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╣Other Books╠

Broken World (Broken World #1) When a deadly virus sweeps the country, Vivian Thomas sets out for California in hopes of seeing the daughter she gave up for adoption. Then her car breaks down and she’s faced with a choice. Give up, or accept a ride from redneck brothers, Angus and Axl. Vivian knows the offer has more to do with her double D’s than kindness, but she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to reach her daughter. The virus is spreading, and by the time the group makes it to California, most of the population has been wiped out. When the dead start coming back, Vivian and the others realize that no electricity or running water are the least of their concerns. Now Vivian has to figure out how to be a mother under the most frightening circumstances, cope with Angus’s aggressive mood swings, and sort out her growing attraction to his brooding younger brother, Axl. While searching for a safe place to go, they pick up a pompous billionaire who may be the answer to all their problems. Trusting him means going into the middle of the Mojave Desert and possibly risking their lives, but with the streets overrun and nowhere else to turn, it seems he might be their only chance for survival.

Buy on Amazon

 

Shattered World (Broken World #2)

***Warning: Contains Spoilers for Broken World***

Stranded in the middle of the Mojave Desert, surrounded by zombies, Vivian and Axl are sure they’re facing the end. The dead are closing in and the shelter they were promised is sealed tight. Just when they think they’ve run out of time, the doors are thrown open. Five years underground with all the provisions there for the taking. It’s almost too good to be true. With the promise of security, Vivian hopes she’ll finally able to deal with the loss of Emily, her growing feelings for Axl, and the terrifying new world they’re facing. But their sense of security is soon shattered when they discover the shelter isn’t the utopia they thought it would be. It seems the company that built the shelter decided to solve their financial problems by selling off provisions, which means the group has to find a way to get supplies. Or face starvation. And Vegas is the closest city. With her feelings for Axl stronger than ever, Vivian volunteers to accompany him and a few others on a trip into one of the biggest tourist cities in the world. Vegas is overrun with the dead, but there are other survivors as well. Only not everyone they meet is a welcome sight. As the emotional baggage piles up, Vivian and Axl’s bond grows stronger, but it doesn’t take long to realize that zombies aren’t the only thing they have to fear.

Buy on Amazon