Author: Tata Ann Bradley
Title: Ring the Alarm (Clique of Misfits #1)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Happye Naughton had a safe life. She had a sister she loves, a job she was good at, but she wasn't truly living. She wasn't happy but she was content. Comfortable. That is until a tragedy rocks her world and turns her into the most hated person in the city.
When she is assaulted by a beloved local hero, people are quick to take sides. The press paints her as a golddigging liar. She receives death threats and loses her job. Just when she wants to give up, billionaire Drake Powell swoops in to pick up the pieces, refusing to let her go down without a fight. With his love, his stubborn commands that she rejoin the land of the living and the sensual, amazing things he does to her body daily, she finds the will to stop being a victim and become a survivor.
Soon, Happye is caught up in a much bigger conspiracy than she thought. With the help of five other women whose lives were also touched by the same corrupted hand, she learns she is much more of a fighter than she thought she was. The women risk their lives to find justice not only for themselves but other women in the same situations.
Drake Powell has wanted Happye since the first time he laid eyes on her. He has loved her from the moment she first smiled at him. When she becomes broken, he knows he has it in him to fix her. But does he have the strength to keep her alive when she, and her new crazy friends, go up against a killer?
The Clique of Misfits is a new series about six women who forge an unbreakable friendship out of tragedy. Their new bond gives them the strength to find justice for themselves and the courage to fight for others. Maybe, just maybe, they can also open their hearts to love and embrace the comforting arms of the men that want to protect them.
When she is assaulted by a beloved local hero, people are quick to take sides. The press paints her as a golddigging liar. She receives death threats and loses her job. Just when she wants to give up, billionaire Drake Powell swoops in to pick up the pieces, refusing to let her go down without a fight. With his love, his stubborn commands that she rejoin the land of the living and the sensual, amazing things he does to her body daily, she finds the will to stop being a victim and become a survivor.
Soon, Happye is caught up in a much bigger conspiracy than she thought. With the help of five other women whose lives were also touched by the same corrupted hand, she learns she is much more of a fighter than she thought she was. The women risk their lives to find justice not only for themselves but other women in the same situations.
Drake Powell has wanted Happye since the first time he laid eyes on her. He has loved her from the moment she first smiled at him. When she becomes broken, he knows he has it in him to fix her. But does he have the strength to keep her alive when she, and her new crazy friends, go up against a killer?
The Clique of Misfits is a new series about six women who forge an unbreakable friendship out of tragedy. Their new bond gives them the strength to find justice for themselves and the courage to fight for others. Maybe, just maybe, they can also open their hearts to love and embrace the comforting arms of the men that want to protect them.
Excerpt:
I got myself under control, pushed down on the handle and rushed out of the door before I had a chance to talk myself out of it. In my haste, I ran right into a bare-chested Drake.
"Oh." I bounced off him and started falling backwards. Flailing my arms about, I tried to catch my balance when two large hands wrapped around my waist and steadied me back on my feet. I felt the blood rushing up my neck, my skin turning the color of my peach pajamas, as I braved a look up at him. "Sorry."
"Not your fault. I was clearly in the way." He eyes sparkled and smiled, his lips twitching with amusement.
My eyes lowered again, this time to roam over his body. I'd never seen him without a shirt before, and the smooth chocolate skin over hard muscles made my mouth water. His pajamas hung low on his hips, the V in his torso peeked out of the top, making his sex appeal go almost nuclear.
Damn. This was going to be harder than I thought.
He removed the towel he had hanging around his neck and threw it with perfect aim to one of the armchairs in the corner. He turned around, moving towards the bed, and I saw the slight moisture on his back. Apparently he'd taken a shower in another bathroom while I was in the tub.
"Time for bed."
"Um," I mumbled, wringing my hands together. I looked around, biting my bottom lip, but peeked back at him when I noticed he'd stop moving and had turned back towards me.
"We're just going to sleep," he said cautiously. "I promised that I wasn't going to push you on that, and I meant it."
I took a hasty step forward, my hand held out in front of me. "I know. It's just...."
"It's just what?"
"I never slept in a bed with a man before."
His body locked, his entire face turned to stone. His eyes darkened with something I couldn't explain, but I knew it was dangerous. "Please tell me you weren't a virgin that night."
What?
I shook my head. "No, no. I had a boyfriend in college that I gave my virginity to. We just stayed in our own rooms when we were done...you know...doing it."
His face softened, and his lips twitched again. "Doing it?"
I dropped my head again. "You know what I mean."
He moved until he was standing in front of me again and gripped my shoulders. "Sweetheart, it's just sleep."
I nodded, allowing him to lead me to the bed. I watched, wide-eyed, as he turned down the covers, settled me into the bed, tucked me in (he actually tucked me in), walked around to the other side and got in. He turned me on my side, my back to his front, pushed one knee between mine, and wrapped me up in his arms.
If I thought the sofa was bliss, lying in Drake's bed, in Drake's arms, was pure heaven.
I started to drift off when he started talking. "I have a confession to make."
"What's that?"
"I did come to your apartment in order to talk you into testifying." I stilled and started to pull away to face him. He tightened his arms and held me where I was. "But, as soon as I saw you, I knew that I wasn't going to leave that apartment without you. I was telling the truth, even if that was the reason I sought you out, you are here because of this right here—you, in my arms, sleeping in my bed right next to me."
I relaxed and settled back into the bed. It felt good lying in his bed, in his arms, and I wanted to drift off. But, before I did, I needed to know one thing. "Why was it so important to you?"
"Because he destroyed something vital in you, something that was mine, and I want it back."
"Oh." I bounced off him and started falling backwards. Flailing my arms about, I tried to catch my balance when two large hands wrapped around my waist and steadied me back on my feet. I felt the blood rushing up my neck, my skin turning the color of my peach pajamas, as I braved a look up at him. "Sorry."
"Not your fault. I was clearly in the way." He eyes sparkled and smiled, his lips twitching with amusement.
My eyes lowered again, this time to roam over his body. I'd never seen him without a shirt before, and the smooth chocolate skin over hard muscles made my mouth water. His pajamas hung low on his hips, the V in his torso peeked out of the top, making his sex appeal go almost nuclear.
Damn. This was going to be harder than I thought.
He removed the towel he had hanging around his neck and threw it with perfect aim to one of the armchairs in the corner. He turned around, moving towards the bed, and I saw the slight moisture on his back. Apparently he'd taken a shower in another bathroom while I was in the tub.
"Time for bed."
"Um," I mumbled, wringing my hands together. I looked around, biting my bottom lip, but peeked back at him when I noticed he'd stop moving and had turned back towards me.
"We're just going to sleep," he said cautiously. "I promised that I wasn't going to push you on that, and I meant it."
I took a hasty step forward, my hand held out in front of me. "I know. It's just...."
"It's just what?"
"I never slept in a bed with a man before."
His body locked, his entire face turned to stone. His eyes darkened with something I couldn't explain, but I knew it was dangerous. "Please tell me you weren't a virgin that night."
What?
I shook my head. "No, no. I had a boyfriend in college that I gave my virginity to. We just stayed in our own rooms when we were done...you know...doing it."
His face softened, and his lips twitched again. "Doing it?"
I dropped my head again. "You know what I mean."
He moved until he was standing in front of me again and gripped my shoulders. "Sweetheart, it's just sleep."
I nodded, allowing him to lead me to the bed. I watched, wide-eyed, as he turned down the covers, settled me into the bed, tucked me in (he actually tucked me in), walked around to the other side and got in. He turned me on my side, my back to his front, pushed one knee between mine, and wrapped me up in his arms.
If I thought the sofa was bliss, lying in Drake's bed, in Drake's arms, was pure heaven.
I started to drift off when he started talking. "I have a confession to make."
"What's that?"
"I did come to your apartment in order to talk you into testifying." I stilled and started to pull away to face him. He tightened his arms and held me where I was. "But, as soon as I saw you, I knew that I wasn't going to leave that apartment without you. I was telling the truth, even if that was the reason I sought you out, you are here because of this right here—you, in my arms, sleeping in my bed right next to me."
I relaxed and settled back into the bed. It felt good lying in his bed, in his arms, and I wanted to drift off. But, before I did, I needed to know one thing. "Why was it so important to you?"
"Because he destroyed something vital in you, something that was mine, and I want it back."
Buy It Here:
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About the Author:
Tara Ann Bradley has been reading romance books before she could walk. Not really, but it feels that long. Her love affair with alpha males and happy ever afters started really early. She's been writing stories since middle school but didn't dare let anyone read them. She now writes the type of stories that she'd loved all of her life, and finally built the courage to share them with others. When she isn’t writing, she’s either reading, at her sewing machine or baking something.
She grew up in Chicago, and that city still holds a special place in her heart. She now resides in Alabama with her three sons, waiting for the day where she will return to her beloved city.
She grew up in Chicago, and that city still holds a special place in her heart. She now resides in Alabama with her three sons, waiting for the day where she will return to her beloved city.
Connect with Tara:
Giveaway:
Tara is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card!
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Yep, that cover is causing some alarm with my heartbeat lol.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on that one!
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