OVERDOSE is LIVE!

Grab your copy of my latest release, “OVERDOSE: A British Bad Boy Romance” while it’s available for only 99 pennies!! One-Click it today!!!

❤ Blurb ❤

**Special Notice: This romance is of the darker variety, contains adult themes, and sexually explicit content. The hero is flawed and dirty. Consider yourself warned**

Insomniac. Narcissist. Sex addict.

…the only description sex therapist, Vanessa Ferris, was given of her newest patient, a fellow psychologist, Dr. Zander Hale.

From the moment he entered her office, she knew he’d be trouble—possibly the good kind. What she wasn’t prepared for was how he’d blindside her; how he would challenge everything she thought she knew about her profession, about herself.

There are certain lines a doctor is warned never to cross with their patients, but she didn’t listen.

Now, they’re both addicted.

One hit was all it took.

***AUTHOR NOTE: “OVERDOSE” is a full-length standalone, bursting at the seams with sexual heat, thanks to one smoking hot bad-boy and his feisty, no nonsense therapist. Expect a dark tale of erotic romance with no cliffhanger. This story is not for the faint of heart and is definitely intended for readers 18 and older.
(130,000+ words)
***TRIGGER WARNING: Be advised, this book contains a brief, nondescript reference to sexual abuse and other violent acts that some readers may find offensive.

❤ The Official Trailer ❤

New Release, “Matt & Brooklyn”, Now Available!

Whew! It feels like this has been a long time coming, but I’m so glad today is finally here! Release day was technically supposed to be Thursday, August 6th, but I couldn’t wait that long LOL. Anyway, I hope you grab a copy of this contemporary, summer romance and enjoy! When you finish, reviews are always appreciated ❤

I Hope You Join Me!

I love, love, LOVE what I do… but I absolutely can’t do it alone.

I have a TON of new projects I’m working on (some secret, some that are already public knowledge) and that’s why I need you ❤

I’m looking for readers who genuinely enjoy my work to become a part of my street team. We can come up with a nifty name together once we get going, but for now I just need to know who’s with me. There will be a certain level of commitment involved–time and effort–but I am a firm believer in giving back to those who do for me.

What I’m looking for:

1. True fans 🙂 This doesn’t mean you have to have loved everything I’ve ever written, but I need people who “get me”. I’m looking for readers who are willing to stand behind me and help me share my work and be proud to be on this team.
2. Readers who I can connect with as more than… well… readers lol. We’ll be working together quite closely as a group, so I only want positive, well-meaning people on this team. Respect for one another is a requirement. Friendship is imminent 😀
3. People who are willing to dedicate a little of their time. This will absolutely not be anything like a full-time job, but there will be a little more effort required when I’m releasing or promoting a project. It’s like I said before, though; I always try to do for those who do for me. There will be incentives for this labor of love. Whether it be a first look at something I’m working on, first dibs on ARCs (Advance Review Copies), membership referral incentives, or small tokens of my appreciation, this will definitely not be a one-sided relationship.
4. People willing to share my work on their social media sites (in Facebook groups where potential readers may be, Twitter, Goodreads, and other forums). This is the meat of what I’m looking for. I need your help extending my reach.
5. Confidentiality. I’ll be sharing more than just release dates and promotional material with my team; I’ll be sharing tons of  exclusive content, first looks at trailers and covers, and I’m sure I’ll be getting your opinions on various things of that nature. This will be a true, behind the scenes experience. For this reason, I’m looking for individuals who I can trust won’t share or “leak” anything before it’s time.

This list is not exhaustive and will probably grow and change over time, but this gives a pretty good overview of my street teams’ DNA. These are the things I need those who apply to be made of and I hope that’s you! If you think you’re interested and you honestly WANT to be a part of this group, please fill out this questionnaire and I’ll be in touch! 😀

*Note: I will be setting a membership limit because I plan to moderate this group myself for now. So once I reach that number, anyone else who applies will be kept on the list and contacted at a later date when I’m able to take on more members.*

A Snippet from “Matt & Brooklyn”

Hey! So, I already shared the first two chapters of “Matt & Brooklyn” with my newsletter subscribers, but I wanted to share a sneak peek here as well; something different. Just a reminder: “Matt & Brooklyn” will be released August 6th! Follow me on Amazon to be notified via email when it goes live!

❤ This one’s from Matt’s point of view. Enjoy ❤

*****

“Brook… what the hell are you so afraid of? It’s always some crap about messing up our friendship, but there’s more to it than that,” I accused, daring her to be straight with me for once.

My question shocked her into silence and I took advantage of those precious seconds before she spoke again.

“Listen to what you’re saying! We’re not children! God forbid that we, two adults who’ve known each other for two—almost three—years, realize that they want more than—”

“Speak for yourself,” she cut in hastily. “I don’t want more. I don’t want anything other than what we have now,” she lied. Even if she couldn’t say it, I saw it all over her—when I showed up at her graduation ceremony, when she first arrived here, when she almost kissed me last night, even now. No matter what she said, she wanted me, wanted us, just as badly as I did.

The power this woman had to infuriate me was unreal. I stared at her as she basically scowled at me. She rested her hands on her hips to drive home the fact that she’d already made this decision… for the both of us. However, unlike usual, I wasn’t in the mood to let her call the shots, which I typically allowed so she didn’t have to venture outside of her comfort zone. I tiptoed around her feelings and demands long enough, though.

“Why can’t you just accept th—”

I don’t know what happened… honest to God I don’t.

One minute I was standing there, listening to Brook getting ready to make yet another declaration and then the next, I had the taste of her lip gloss on my tongue. I breathed her in deep, hearing the air rush into my lungs as one hand gripped the back of her hair. The other clutched her waist. I couldn’t pinpoint the moment I leaned in and chose to own her, but I had. I pulled her body closer to mine until the deep intakes of breath she inhaled made her breasts press into my chest.

She parted her lips and surrendered to me more willingly than I ever imagined she was capable of. A woman like her didn’t give in to anything or anyone easily, yet her body seemed to be following my lead. With every tug I gave, she let me bring her closer, and with one wordless commanded I now had possession of her tongue. I’d never seen her like this—defenseless. She had to know she could trust me, though; had to know I wouldn’t make her regret admitting what she felt. I’d spent our entire friendship proving that.

A soft moan filled her throat, vibrating through her chest and mine. She tasted so good, so sweet. The feel of her full lips against mine, between mine, against my tongue, had me gripping her tighter. When her hands came to rest at either side of my face, the kiss slowed and deepened. Her touch was restrained at first, but then her fingertips wandered toward my hairline, and eventually, she got up the nerve to fill her hands with it, my hair, pulling just a little.

The tension that’d been pinned up inside her, the anger, the frustration, seemed to melt away. She relaxed against me and in that moment, I realized this could’ve gone very differently. Brook could’ve easily snatched away when I initiated the kiss, but she hadn’t. Instead, she was mirroring the same emotion, the same intensity that I was.

“We can’t do this, Matt. We have to stop,” she said in a breathless whisper, but then contradicted herself the very next second when warm moisture from her mouth coated my bottom lip. She slowly pulled it between her own, sucking and tugging at the flesh, sending every drop of blood in my body rushing in one direction—south, making me want more from her, much more; I wanted everything.

*****

The song I had on repeat while writing this scene–and whatever went down right after 🙂 : “Body Party”_by Ciara

Cover Reveal and Rafflecopter Winner Announcement!!

EX-CIT-ED!!!

Good morning! Today is Friday and OH SNAP it’s COVER REVEAL DAY! Big shout out to everyone who has already pre-ordered the novella to The Free Falling Series, titled “Today. Tomorrow. Always.”, and for those who have not, but would like to, you can do so here for only $0.99. It was great revisiting Sam and AJ one last time and I really, really hope you enjoy it, too. I’ve stated before that this story was written SOLELY for the fans of the series. My plan was to be done after “Exposed”, but I couldn’t ignore those who requested to see more of them as adults–HAPPY adults 😀

In this novella, roughly two years have passed since the end of Exposed. I made sure to show you where AJ’s relationship with his father ended up; there’s plenty of Terrell of course 😉 ; there are updates on Kira and Antonio; and you will also get a glimpse of Angel (Sam’s cousin) meeting Kai for the first time. Be on the lookout for their story as well. The title is “Delivered” (Free Falling Book 4), and it will be another AMBW romance. You can add this one on Goodreads, here.

Note: for anyone who still has not started the series, there’s still time to get the first three books read before the novella is released on the 26th. And to help you kick things off, book one, “Gravity”, is absolutely FREE with another special, limited-time offer right inside 😀

❤ “Today. Tomorrow. Always.” Blurb: ❤

Events and decisions of the past almost cost her everything, but she was given a second chance.
He marvels at the beautiful life that almost slipped through his fingers, vowing never to let anything come between them again.
The memory of being apart lingers with both Sam and AJ, but those days are long gone. Now that the dust has settled, all that remains is their unwavering love and an impenetrable bond many have tried and failed to break.
“Today. Tomorrow. Always.” is a glimpse into the life this couple has managed to build together and a chance to catch up with old friends you’ve grown to love throughout the Free Falling series.

❤

And now, without further ado, the cover…

Thanks for stopping by to check it out! And I also want to thank everyone who participated in my Rafflecopter giveaway! The winner of the full paperback set of the series is:

❤ FELICIA REEVERS ❤

Special thanks to The Reed Files for the lovely photo, and Najla Qamber Designs for the beautiful cover!

There are three bloggers sharing in this effort to spread the word about the novella today, so I cannot close this out without thanking Musings of an IR Romance Junkie, Monlatable Book Reviews, and Nerd Alert Book Love. You ladies are truly wonderful and I appreciate the labor of love that goes into helping us authors share our work ❤

That’s it for now! Hope you love the cover ❤ Share your thoughts below!

XOXO

~Raven

An “Again for the First Time” Teaser and ARC signup

Hey! I decided to do things a little differently with my upcoming release, “Again for the First Time”. I’ve got ARCS! Never done them before, but I’ll try anything once LOL. The sign up sheet for ARCs (Advance Reader/Review Copies) is right here and it’s pretty simple, just a few painless questions to answer 😀 These copies will be distributed by January 12th in exchange for an honest review to be posted on Amazon by no later than February 11th.

In the meantime, here’s a teaser and a few other sneak peeks into Luke and Lissette’s world ❤ Enjoy!

The trailer

My muses

For more info about the new release, check out this blog post or this snippet ❤

XOXO – Raven

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Twenty Questions: An Excerpt from “Again for the First Time”

First, for those who don’t already know, “Again for the First Time” is my upcoming interracial romance novel (bw/wm), being released January 23rd, 2015! Can’t wait! Until then, feel free to check out the blurb and other info about the book here, or check out the trailer if you haven’t done so already 😀

Now… this excerpt was pulled from a scene where the couple decides to play a game during a power outage. Lissette, my heroine, has a fear of thunderstorms; however, Luke, the leading man, has come up with an interesting way to keep her mind off the thunder and lightnig. His plan? Get her to focus her attention… elsewhere 🙂

Enjoy and feel free to comment below!!

Excerpt from Lissette’s point of view: Twenty Questions

*****

“Eleven: biggest turn off during sex.”

I smiled and looked down. “Mmmm…  I guess I’d have to say being spanked. I always think the guy has some sort of sick incest fantasy that he’s trying to fulfill or something.”

The sound of Luke laughing made me look up. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

I frowned. “Ew. You don’t do that, do you?” The question came out quiet, like I was nervous of what his response might be, which made him crack up even harder.

“No, but if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Not after that rationale you just gave.”

I shrugged. “Just makes sense to me. Kids get spanked, not grown women you’re having sex with.”

“Since we’re on the subject,” Luke said, a devilish grin taking over his expression.  “Twelve: favorite position?”

I sighed and stared at the ceiling while I thought about it. “I honestly don’t think I have one. If a guy really knows what he’s doing, he can make any position my favorite.”

Luke raised an eyebrow and gave a half-smile. Clearly, he liked my answer.  “Thirteen: Are you for or against oral sex?”

“Giving it or getting it?”

He shrugged. “Both.”

“For it… and for it.”

That slick smile came back, but he moved on. “Fourteen: When’s the last time you had sex?”

I shifted in my seat as I thought back. “Six months.”

He didn’t say anything right away and I imagined he assumed I was speaking about Gerard. Unfortunately, I was.

“Fifteen: How long do you intend to make me wait?”

I grinned up at him. “It fluctuates,” I admitted. “My original intention? A month at least, but when I’m around you… I find myself rethinking that.”

He chuckled a little and rubbed the stubble on his chin slowly when he looked away. That was the truth. Usually, I make a guy wait until we’ve been at it a good four weeks before giving up the goods. But the man before me was so incredibly sexy, so irresistible, that I was finding it difficult to hold to that rule. It wasn’t even anything in particular that he did—well not intentionally. It was in the way his eyes seemed to dim when he’d think about making love to me, which was fairly often. It was his physique, his mannerisms. Hell, even his teeth were sexy to me. I’d had more than one fantasy about him placing soft bites all over my body. The sound of him clearing his throat snatched me from my inner thoughts.

“Sixteen: What were you thinking when we were lying in bed last night and I touched you?” He looked me up and down, wetting his lips.

I released a slow breath and tried to focus on my response instead of my body’s memory of how he’d made me feel, of the effect his touch had on me. “Well… mostly I was self-conscious because you wouldn’t let me freshen up.” He chuckled a little at that and then his eyes dimmed in that way they do. “But once I got over that… I was thinking about how badly I didn’t want you to stop.”

The smile slowly faded and his teeth clamped the side of his lip while he thought.  I could feel my pulse throbbing behind my ears while I watched him watch me.

“Seventeen: Do you touch yourself?”

As uncomfortable as the question made me, I had to answer because he didn’t shy away when I asked him the same thing. “Sometimes.”

“Eighteen: Fingers or toys?” He asked. “Please say fingers,” he added with a whisper and a smile.

I inhaled sharply and tried desperately not to look away from him. Nervous, I scratched the side of my neck. “I don’t have toys.”

His teeth sank into his lip again as he stared at me without even a hint of a smile.  The dimness returned to his eyes, leaving me to feel naked under his gaze. “Nineteen: What do you fantasize about when you do it?”

I exhaled and started feeling dizzy. “Lately? Just you.”

He nodded slowly as if he already knew that would be my answer. “When you asked me about pleasuring myself, you had a look on your face.”

“A look?”  I asked, half-dazed.

He nodded, still keeping his eyes trained on me. “Like you were curious.” He paused, but only for a second before asking his final question – a question that stole the breath I’d just inhaled.

“Twenty: Would you like to watch?”

A chill ran down my spine and again I shifted in my seat. He stared back at me with a dead-serious look on his face, waiting for me to respond. His eyes carved away at me, digging to the root of my subconscious, drawing out the answer he wanted to hear… the answer I wanted to give.

“Yes.”

*****

Thanks for checking it out and I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek 🙂 Just a reminder, the book will be available January 23rd on Amazon as well as other major retailers. Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

-Raven

FUN! TEASERS! PRIZES! AND MORE!!! Victoria and Raven’s Smexy Release Bash – TONIGHT!!!!!

Good morning! Today’s the day! If you haven’t already, head on over to the “Victoria and Raven’s Smexy Release Bash” event page on Facebook and RSVP!! In celebration of Victoria H. Smith’s “Found by You” and my latest release “Exposed – Free Falling Book 3″, we’ve got teasers, prizes, and fun galore! With guest authors including LaVerne Thompson (Ursula Sinclair), Lena Hampton, Linden Hughes, Neveah Lee, and Patrice Michelle (Michelle Hardin), you’re sure to have a blast! Join us tonight from 8 – 10 pm EST.  Visit the event page here to confirm that you’ll be in attendance and feel free to share!! All are welcome!  See you tonight!!!

 

NEW RELEASE!!! Exposed (Free Falling Book Three)

EXPOSED, the third and final installment of FREE FALLING, a new adult, AM/BW, interracial romance series, is finally here!

Free Falling features an African-American female lead (Samantha Kelley) and a Japanese-American hero (Anthony “AJ” Hahn).  The saga follows the pair from their senior year of high school, to college, and into adulthood.  Fall in love with AJ from the very beginning with GRAVITY (book 1) and SECRETS (book 2) while both are on sale for $0.99 for a limited time only!!

Exposed synopsis:

They’re back.  They’re grown.  It’s on…

In the third and final installment of the Free Falling series, five years have passed since the tragedy that changed Samantha Kelley’s life forever.  She made the difficult decision to walk away from the man she once thought to be her soul mate.  Looking back, there were a few regrets, but she still believes in her heart that fleeing to New York was the right move….or does she?   For the most part, she’s settled and content, but there’s a question still brewing in the back of her mind –  Will her current relationship ever measure up to the passion that she experienced with AJ?

When Sam walked away, AJ found himself spiraling uncontrollably through every emotion possible – grief, anger, and depression, to name a few.  It took almost two years for him to fully get over the idea of her leaving him behind without so much as an address where she could be reached.  But he didn’t get through the darkest time of his life without a little help from someone who seemed to just appear out of nowhere – a woman who now has dibs on his heart.

It was simple for the pair to pretend like old feelings had faded into the abyss while they were hundreds of miles apart, but what will happen when Sam and AJ meet up again for the first time in years?  Will resentment forever keep ‘what could’ve been’ just at arm’s length?  Will it be love at first sight like they experienced in the past?  Or will they fight against the insatiable pull that they have always had toward one another, choosing to keep their current relationships intact instead?

CLICK HERE to get your copy now!!!!!!

 

An Excerpt from Exposed (Free Falling Book Three)

Free Falling is a New Adult, Interracial (AM/BW) Romance series that follows Samantha Kelley and Anthony “AJ” Hahn from their senior year of high school, to college, and finally into adulthood.  Haven’t read it?  No problem! There’re still two days before the new release hits Amazon!  You can check out GRAVITY for only $0.99 and then continue on with SECRETS!  Check out these and my other works on Amazon and Goodreads!

Also, if you haven’t seen the trailer for EXPOSED, just click HERE 🙂

And now, an excerpt from Exposed (Free Falling Book Three), available on Amazon 6 – 1 – 14.

*****

AJ

I zipped my bag and took a moment to think, making sure I wasn’t forgetting anything else.  When I did, I spotted my phone charger plugged in beneath the window, deciding to grab that too.  In D.C., I was used to utilizing the one in my car on my way to work, but now that I was taking cabs back and forth, I often found myself with less than ten percent battery life – like now.  On cue the call failed and the phone shut off.  I cursed loudly to myself and let out a deep breath.  This day was already off to a terrible start.  I bent to snatch the charger from the wall and glanced out the window when I stood upright to rush toward the door…but when I did, I froze in place.  I could’ve sworn I saw a familiar face amidst the crowd, grabbing a smoothie from the kiosk down at the sidewalk.  My mouth hung open as I watched Giuseppe take her cash and then flash her a smile.

Without thinking, I dropped my things on the air mattress and tore through the entrance of my loft, taking the stairs in twos.

What am I doing?

Why am I even chasing her?

What am I gonna say to her when I get down there?

None of these questions got answered, or even mattered, to be quite honest.  Clearly, I had a one-track mind.

“Strawberry banana smoothie for you this morning?” Giuseppe asked with a grin, remembering my order from last time.

I ignored his question and pointed down the street in the direction that I thought Sam had just walked off in.  Out of breath, I asked, “The woman who was just here – brown-skinned, longish brown hair, tight black dress….did she walk that way?” I asked, noting the air of desperation in my tone.

Giuseppe seemed confused and I tried not to let the dumbfounded look on his face frustrate me.  When the expression turned into a smile, I knew he now understood who I was talking about.

“Ohhhh……yes, she went that way.” Relief washed over me and I was only able to take one step when he added,  “…but you’ll never catch her.  She’s fast, that one.”

I placed my hands on the metal counter of his booth and braced myself.  “She comes here often?” I asked, out of breath from letting myself get all worked up.

He smiled bright again.  “Yes!  Every Wednesday.  Same time.  Like clockwork.”

When he said this, I remembered this being something that he’d shared with me my first day here.  There was no way in hell I would’ve known then that he was talking about Sam, though.

“Every Wednesday?” I asked.

Giuseppe nodded to confirm.

“Same time?”

Another nod.

Now my heart rate slowed as I continued to stare off into the sea of pedestrians, hoping to get another glimpse of her.  But he was right, she was already gone.  I turned to Giuseppe again.  “Could you do me a favor?”

He nodded and watched curiously as I dug inside my pocket for a $5 bill.  “The next time she comes by here, let her know that her drink was already paid for, and hand her this.”

I scribbled my phone number on a napkin.  Giuseppe didn’t have to wonder why.  The smile on his face grew as he accepted the cash, and the napkin, sticking it beneath the counter.  I don’t know why, but I trusted that he’d carry out my plan just like I’d asked him to.

“Of course,” he promised, as I turned to head back inside to retrieve the things I’d abandoned on my bed.

Climbing the steps, I shook my head at myself, realizing that I was doing this the hard way.  If I really wanted to talk to her so bad, which I clearly couldn’t deny any longer, I could’ve just asked Terrell for her number.  After all, if I did it that way, I’d be able to contact her tonight rather than waiting a week and leaving the ball in Sam’s court instead of my own.  However, I know her.  She’d always appreciated the subtle ways that the universe used to go about making us aware of the others’ existence.  To me, this – forgetting my laptop that morning, my phone dying, seeing her pass right beneath my window in one of the largest cities in the world – seemed like another one of those moments.

Did I take this as some cosmic sign that we were supposed to be together?  No, of course not.  But I do believe that us not having contact at all isn’t in the stars for us either.  If I knew Sam, she’d felt the same pull that I had since I got into town Saturday.  Playing with fire or not, I’d already made up my mind that I’d be talking to her at some point….even though I’d just promised Kira this wouldn’t happen.

Still, for whatever reason, I couldn’t seem to convince myself that I was making a mistake.

*****