Showing posts with label Sybil Bartel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sybil Bartel. Show all posts

Thursday, December 10, 2015

"Impossible End" by Sybil Bartel

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Impossible End
(Unchecked Book 3)
by Sybil Bartel


Impossible End is the third and final book in the Unchecked series by Sybil Bartel. Also available: Impossible Promise (read my blog post) and Impossible Choice (read my blog post).



This book blitz and giveaway is brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours.


For another book by this author, please check out my blog post on No Apologies.

Description
Blaze.
I stood by my brothers in the Marines and fought for my country. I gave my blood, sweat and flesh so that others could have a taste of freedom.
But my wife wasn’t free.
She’d been hunted, stalked, and forced to keep a secret no one should have to live with. I’d made her a promise. Her freedom, my rules, no questions asked. I thought I’d kept my promise but I made a mistake - a rookie mistake.
Now I was going to finish what I started. I was done playing games with the killer who’d murdered my wife’s parents and tracked her for sport. If he thought he was safe in a jail cell, he was wrong. No one puts out a hit on my wife and survives.
This ends now. I protect what’s mine ... at whatever cost.
Impossible End is the conclusion to the Unchecked Series. This novella is from Blaze’s point of view and is not a stand alone. To get the full story, please read the first two books in the series, Impossible Promise and Impossible Choice.


Excerpt
She picked her head up and her voice became a strained whisper. “How many men have you killed?”
I knew it was coming. I knew that’s what this was all about. I knew she would focus on the act—not the situation, the cause, or the reasons—just the act. I knew it, but the words coming out of her mouth still hit hard. “You think I’m a killer?”
Her throat moved with a swallow. “I think given the right circumstances, anyone is.”
“Not what I asked.”
“You have no remorse.”
I stared her down. “You’re right.”
“That scares me.”
“What do you think happens when you join the military?”
She picked up the bleach, opened it and spilled some where I’d been sitting. “Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid.” She spread the shit around with her foot then poured more bleach on a rag and started wiping down everywhere I’d touched.
I snatched the bottle and rag from her and set them down. “I’m asking you what you think happens when the U.S. military puts armed rifles in the hands of thousands of young men and women?”
“I don’t know.” She threw her hands up. “I’m not asking about them.”
“Do you think they’re trained to hesitate?”
She crossed her arms. “No,” she answered, quick and sharp.
“Do you think they’re trained to worry about ethics or trained to protect the soldier standing next to them in the same damn uniform?”
“Protect.”
“Do you think that protection comes with remorse or honor?”
“Honor,” she ground out.
“Ask me again,” I demanded.
She closed her eyes.
“Ask me.”
Her chest rose and her eyes opened. Focusing on me, her voice barely audible, she asked me again, “How many men have you killed?”
“I don’t know and I don’t give a f**k. I was protecting my country.” I stepped closer to her. “I was protecting you.”


Praise for the Book
"Impossible End is exciting and captivating. It will pull you in with it’s sexy and action-packed story-line. It will feel as though no time has passed from this book to the previous one. It will be so easy to get lost in Blaze and Layna. Even though Impossible End is a short novella, I will tell you, it really packs a punch. There is not a single dull moment and I enjoyed every second of it." ~ Amy Bosica
"Sybil wrote a beautiful ending for this wonderful duo. Blaze and Layna were just wow! I knew I loved them when I finished Impossible Choice, but she took my love further. And I love that." ~ Nikki - Bookmark My Heart
"A quick, action packed, panty melting adventure. [...] Action ensues from the first pages. I can say much but this is a must read if you have loved this series. Great conclusion!" ~ Witchy Richey's Booktastic Reviews


About the Author
Sybil Bartel grew up in Northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She dreamt of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew her into the world of storytelling. She loves the New Adult genre, but any story about a love so desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful makes her swoon.
Sybil now resides in Southern Florida and while she doesn’t get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she isn’t writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her handsomely tattooed husband, her brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer …
But Seriously?
Here are ten things you probably really want to know about Sybil. She grew up a faculty brat. She can swear like a sailor. She loves men in uniform. She hates being told what to do. She can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaks her out. Her favorite word is desperate … or dirty, or both he can’t decide. She has a thing for muscle cars. But never reply on her for driving directions, ever. And she has a new book boyfriend every week - don’t tell her husband.
To find out more about Sybil Bartel, be sure to follow her on Twitter (she loves to hear about your favorite book boyfriend!), visit her website, like her on Facebook or join her Facebook group Book Boyfriend Heroes for exclusive excerpts and giveaways.


Giveaway
Enter the blitz-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.


Links

Monday, August 31, 2015

"Impossible Choice" by Sybil Bartel

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Impossible Choice
(Unchecked Book 2)
by Sybil Bartel


Impossible Choice, the second book in the Unchecked series by Sybil Bartel, has just been released. Also available: Impossible Promise (read my blog post).


This book blitz and giveaway is brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours.


For another book by this author, please check out my blog post on No Apologies.

Description
After her parents were murdered, Layna Blair spent three years on the run - until Marine Sergeant Blaze Johnson stepped in and saved her. With him, Layna knew safety for the first time … but two weeks after shipping out for another tour in Afghanistan, Blaze comes home early.
When Layna sees the jagged wounds covering his body, every truth she thought she knew is destroyed. Blaze is distant and angry and though her heart is shattered, Layna desperately tries to keep their relationship together in the face of another tragedy. When the tenuous bonds holding them together are ripped apart by a revenge-hungry maniac, Layna must trust her survival instinct and bury her past for good.
But the enemy is two steps ahead, and before she can take action, Layna’s hand is forced by his deadly demands - save herself or save the man who risked his life for her freedom. Blaze saved her once. This time it’s her turn to protect him.


Excerpt
His intense gaze fixed on mine, he held out his hand but he didn’t say anything.
I slipped my fingers into his and the heat that shot up my arm and spread through me settled in like a low, constant pulse of awareness that made everything inside me tingle. I looked up and was startled to see him frowning. “What’s wrong?”
The crease in his brow went deeper and the seriousness in his eyes twisted like hesitation. “Not one thing.”
His words not matching his expression, he looked distracted, bordering on nervous. But that was impossible. Blaze Johnson didn’t get nervous, ever. “Blaze?”
He brought my hand to his lips and gently kissed me. “My Layna,” he whispered.
My heart melted. “I love you.”
The soft smile that barely touched the corners of his mouth was his only response. A few months ago, the gesture and lack of words would have eaten at me. Tonight? I understood the intimacy. I knew I was seeing a smile that no one else in the world ever saw. I knew the twist of those lips and quiet reverence was a promise of what would come later when we were behind closed doors. I knew his silence meant he was comfortable enough to let his body language speak for him. I knew this because he’d taught me how to pay attention.
Blaze led us to the elevator and we silently waited. When we stepped into the small space, the atmosphere swelled with his presence and the butterflies came swarming back, swirling with a heady tension I’d become addicted to. The memory of his body earlier today over me, in me, it made desire coil hot and urgent in my blood.
Breathless, I cleared my throat. “Where are we going for dinner?”
His thumb slowly dragged across the back of my hand like he knew my every desire-laced thought but when his eyes traveled from my face to my dress. His features became hauntingly stern. “Not far,” the gentle cadence of his voice at odds with his expression.
“Is everything alright?”
The elevator doors slid open but instead of walking out, Blaze turned and cupped my face. His eyebrows drew tight. “I want tonight to be perfect for you. If it’s not what you want, you tell me. Understand?” His expression, his voice, they were so fierce, he looked angry.
The butterflies in my stomach became sharp angles and something close to panic seeped in. “What do you mean?”
“This is your choice, Layna. Remember that.”


Praise for the Book
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book! way more than the first. [...] The truth is this book was hit after hit after hit for these two, and it kept me on my toes, and I really liked it. I think that this a well written glimpse into a few months of their lives, and relationships that make them who they are. I loved having Talon back, I think he is just the sweetest, and we finally learnt his story as well and there was so much to take in with that story, it was unbelievable, but Talon needs a girl, and I hope he gets one soon. Meeting some more of Blaze's friends was also a fun treat, they are all so Marine but so different. I hope that we will get to know what happens with these two in a few months, cause I don't think I'm ready to shelve them just yet." ~ Shanna on Goodreads


From the Author
I grew up in Northern California with my head in a book and my feet in the sand. I dreamt of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew me into the world of storytelling. I love the New Adult genre, but any story about a love so desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful makes me swoon.
I now live in Southern Florida and while I don’t get to read as much as I like, I still bury my toes in the sand. If I’m not writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in my backyard, you can find me spending time with my handsomely tattooed husband, my brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer …
But Seriously?
Here are ten things you probably really want to know about me.
I grew up a faculty brat. I can swear like a sailor. I love men in uniform. I hate being told what to do. I can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaks me out. My favorite word is desperate … or dirty, or both - I can’t decide. I have a thing for muscle cars. But never reply on me for driving directions, ever. And I have a new book boyfriend every week - don’t tell my husband.


Giveaway
Enter the blitz-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Links

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

"Impossible Promise" by Sybil Bartel

NEW RELEASE and GIVEAWAY
Impossible Promise
by Sybil Bartel


Impossible Promise is the first of a two-part series by Sybil Bartel. This book blitz and giveaway is brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours.


For another book by this author, please check out my blog post on No Apologies.

Description
Three years ago, Layna Blair listened in horror over a telephone line as her parents were murdered. When the killer said she was next, Layna panicked and made a deadly deal - his secret in exchange for her life. She’s paid the price every day since, becoming a prisoner in plain sight.
Marine Sergeant Blaze Johnson offers Layna a way out - her freedom, his rules, no questions asked - and she takes it, despite knowing what her keepers do to people who get too close. She doesn’t know Blaze is fighting his own demons or that beneath his warrior façade is a man on the verge of breaking.
Embarking on a wild revenge mission with Blaze and his smooth-talking best friend, Talon, is not what Layna signed on for. But attempting to run when Blaze has made no secret he intends to make her his is a reckless mistake. With the killer closing in, it’s up to Blaze to save them all - and to Layna to realize that she’s risked the one thing she can’t afford to lose.
Note: Heat level - steamy; not for under 17, it has open door sex scenes.


Excerpt
Buck cut the engine and turned to face me. “Talon’s flirtatious to the point of being obnoxious but he’s a good guy. Don’t take his inappropriate comments to heart. We’re here because I trust him and because when I’m with my mom, he’ll keep you safe.”
He’s leaving me here? To keep me safe? I looked down at my lap, unable to process why I suddenly wanted to cry.
“Hey.” Buck’s fingers gently tipped my chin. “Look at me.”
The glow of the floodlights made his eyes look almost colorless.
“I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I had no one. And in one single sentence, I’d become someone to somebody. I couldn’t breathe with the emotions threatening to drown me in hope. “Why?” I choked on the single word, tears slipping down my cheeks.
Gentle thumbs wiped my hot tears. “Because you’re mouthy and sexy and I want to kiss you more than I’ve ever wanted to kiss a woman.”
His deep voice stole my breath before his lips landed on mine and stole my reason. I didn’t think about my arms going around his neck. I didn’t think about him pulling me to his chest. I didn’t think about the incredible scent of his skin or the feel of his hard muscles and simmering body heat. I didn’t think about what I was doing or where I was. I didn’t think at all. But when his tongue touched mine? I thought I’d die.
A shiver racked my body and the sound of need coming from my chest terrified me. Gripping a handful of my hair, Buck crushed his lips against mine as his hand splayed across my lower back, pressing me deeper into his embrace.
This wasn’t a kiss. I’d been kissed before and this wasn’t even close. This was me being ruined. Touched, marked and taken, it felt like my heart had just been branded. Buck branded. Panic seeped into my veins and spread. But his lips moved to my neck, and desire shot through me like freedom. Free to be me, free to be a woman, free to touch a man. I threw my head back and moaned at the exquisite feel of his hands and lips on me.
“Layna.” His hoarse voice saying my name was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.
My fingers ran through his soft hair and I pulled him closer.
Buck groaned and dragged his teeth along my ear. “We have company.”


Praise for the Book
"Have you ever come across a book that you read and it sticks with you , the storyline and the characters. For me, that was Impossible Promise and trust me readers, I wasn't expecting it to and to be completely honest I am not sure why it is still sticking in my head as it's not like the storyline was completely original or anything. I think it was the way that the story was written as the writing captivated me and made me not want to put the book down and the characters , I fell in love with Talon ... " ~ Paula Phillips
"This is a fast paced action packed story. I had to let go of a little belief that a complete stranger would do everything Blaze does for Layna but once you do that the rest all falls into place. I love Blaze and Talon and Layna. I can see where Layna would get conflicted between Talon and Blaze because she spends so much time with Talon and he really becomes such a close friend to her. However, she never questions what her true feelings for each man are, just the circumstances that surround them. [...] I cannot wait to read the next book to see what is going on with these characters." ~ Shelley
I read this book in an afternoon/evening. In fact I only stopped reading to get the kids bathed and get some pjs on, it was read while making dinner and eating it too - yes I was that hooked. [...] I loved the action, the adventure, the romance and the sexual chemistry. The characters were spot on and it made me crave a marine (namely Talon). If you like a hot New Adult romance with adventure and a sarcastic leading lady with other great characters, then I highly recommend Impossible Promise!" ~ Melanie
"The book was a huge roller coaster ride of emotions and feelings that Layna handled pretty well. It was a quick read and I can't wait for the next to come out so I can see how everything turned out." ~ Amber
"Impossible Promise is full of action, savory characters and characters that you just know when/if their story gets told, it will be unbelievable. I have no idea when I will get my next fix from Sybil but I'm sure she will deliver. She has the ability to write heroes that readers love to hate and then somehow redeem them in a way that makes you really pump your fist when they get their happily ever after." ~ Diaries of 2 Thick Chicks


About the Author
Sybil grew up in Northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She used to dream of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books about wistful summer days and first loves drew her into the world of storytelling. Her true literary love is the New Adult genre but really, any story about a love so desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful, makes her swoon.
Sybil now resides in Southern Florida and while she doesn't get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she's not writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her handsomely tattooed husband, her brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer who stole her heart.


Giveaway
Enter the blitz-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

Links