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Showing posts with label Roxie Rivera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roxie Rivera. Show all posts
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Her Russian Protector Tour YURI & NIKOLAI (Guest Post/Giveaway)
I'm a huge fan of
dark TV dramas with tons of suspense and action and anti-heroes like Sons of
Anarchy. When it was time to start plotting NIKOLAI's
book, I knew that this story would have a
darker, more intense feel than the
first three in the series.
As the Russian
mob boss of city, Nikolai has his fingers on the pulse of Houston's underworld.
He feels something new coming and knows that things are about to change. There
are big power plays on the horizon—and Vivian, the budding artist he considers
his ward, is right at the center of it.
Her notorious
criminal father has just been popped from pen by the Feds and rumors of his plans
to flip on a cartel and outlaw motorcycle gang are whirling around Houston. The
men he threatens will stop at nothing to draw her father out of hiding—even
going so far as to take on Nikolai himself.
NIKOLAI Excerpt
At the last
possible second, he noticed the bright headlights rushing toward them as they
crossed the intersection. Thinking only of Vivian, he thrust out his arm to
hold her back against the seat. The crushing impact of the SUV that slammed
into the front edge of the car spun them around violently. Amid the splintering
metal and bursting glass, he heard Vivian's terrified scream. The sound chilled
him to the very bone.
When the car
finally lurched to a stop, he blinked and tried to clear his dazed mind. He put
a hand to his aching temple and felt the blood trickling along his skin.
Vivian's low moan of pain drew his attention. He'd locked his elbow trying to
hold her in place. Now it throbbed terribly. Bending his arm proved nearly
impossible.
Vaguely, he was
aware of other cars rushing onto the scene, their tires squealing as they
stopped, but he was focused solely on Vivian. She grimaced with discomfort but
looked wholly uninjured. His bleary gaze raked her body for any hint of blood
but he found none.
"Angel moy." He reached for her
hand. "Are you all right?"
"I think
so," she answered in a whisper. She blinked a few times and turned her
gaze toward his faze. Her eyes widened with sudden panic. Her hand flew out and
snatched the front of his shirt. As she jerked him toward her, she screamed,
"Nikolai!"
A second later,
something very hard hit the window behind his head. A hammer? A crow bar? He wasn’t
sure.
Someone tried to
open her car door but the impact of the SUV had crunched and crimped the metal.
Heavy footfalls sounded on the roof and hood of the car. A sledge hammer
wielded by a man in black slammed against the windshield. Glass shards exploded
all around them as the sledgehammer broke through the safety glass.
He reached for
Vivian and dragged her into his protective embrace. He wrapped his battered
arms around her in a desperate attempt to keep the flying glass from cutting
her face and neck. She flicked off her seatbelt and burrowed into the safety of
his embrace, burying her face against chest and whimpering with fear.
As a crowd of men
descended on the car, Nikolai heard gunshots in the distance. Kostya and
Sergei? He hoped they would reach the car in time to help them fend off this
blitz attack.
As the men
outside the car started to rip the windshield free, he reached under his jacket
and retrieved his loaded gun. "Cover your ears."
Vivian hurried to
comply with his order, placing her small hands against her ears. The moment the
windshield was ripped free he fired at the first man who came into view.
Staggering backward and clutching at his chest, the man fell onto the hood and
tumbled onto the pavement. Another man took his place, and Nikolai fired again,
carefully conserving his rounds until help arrived.
But it wasn't
enough.
The window behind
him was ripped free. A series of blows to the back of his head stunned him.
Four hands grasped his shoulders and arms. In the melee, the gun was knocked
from his grasp. Vivian's scream echoed in the night as he was torn through the
window. Jagged edges of glass ripped through his clothing and into his skin.
He watched in
horror as three men tried to grab Vivian. Somehow she'd managed to grab the pepper
spray from her purse. Judging by the screams of pain and the sounds of coughing
that erupted, he figured she'd gotten at least two of them.
Refusing to be
taken down so easily, Nikolai twisted and kicked until he managed to free
himself from the clutches of the men who had dragged him through the door. With
one swift movement, he yanked out the knife he kept holstered in his boot and
wielded it menacingly.
He'd been in
enough prison brawls, armed only with hastily crafted shivs, to know how this
fight against five men would end. He'd be lucky to survive it but he'd do
whatever it took to buy enough time for Kostya and Sergei to reach Vivian and
get her to safety.
Two of the men
rushed him. Relying on instinct and adrenaline, Nikolai stabbed and ducked to
evade them. He caught one in the hand, driving his blade through the man's
palm, and wrenching a guttural cry from the attacker's throat. Ripping the
blade free, he turned his attention to the other man. The injured one fell away
but another quickly took his place, this one carrying a length of pipe.
Bracing for the
painful impact, Nikolai refused to back down. In the background, he heard
Vivian shouting and fighting off the men trying to pull her from the car. The
pipe connected with his arm and shoulder just as he witnessed Vivian being
hauled out through the gaping hole where the windshield had been. Her panicked
shriek broke his concentration, giving his assailants the opening they needed.
The man
brandishing the pipe cracked Nikolai along the side of his head. The blinding
pain sent him to his knees. A boot caught him in the jaw and flipped him onto
his stomach. Clawing at the pavement, he tried to force his battered body to
move but the jarring impact of the pipe and boot rendered him worthless.
As blood dripped
into his eyes and clouded his vision, he watched helplessly as two men dragged
Vivian toward an idling SUV. She kicked and bit and shrieked but she couldn't
get free. Their gazes met across the impossible distance now between them.
Rolling onto his side, he lifted his hand in a final desperate but futile
attempt to reach her.
"NIKOLAI!"
Her terrified
scream was suddenly muffled as her kidnappers managed to get her into the SUV.
The vehicle raced away from the scene, taking the woman he loved more than
anything in the world.
An angry kick to
his gut tore a pained groan from his throat. Another blow to his shoulder
knocked him onto his back again. One of the assailants bent down and slammed
the full-length of Nikolai's own knife into his shoulder. He gasped, but the
pain of the blade slicing through muscle was nothing compared to the
soul-crushing agony he experienced at the knowledge he'd failed Vivian.
"Jesus, we
weren't supposed to kill him." One of the masked men dragged away the man
who had stabbed Nikolai. "Let's go."
The attackers and
his people started to trade gunfire. The assailants piled into the remaining
SUV, leaving behind the crashed vehicle but taking their injured comrades with
them. Kostya and Sergei finally made it to his side.
Dropping to his
knees, Kostya grabbed Nikolai around the waist and dragged him out of the
roadway. Men were shouting all around him but he couldn't understand anything
they said. His battered brain couldn't compute a single word after the nasty
blows he'd taken.
Gripping Kostya's
hand, he growled, "They took her. They took my Vivian."
"We'll get
her back."
As Kostya shouted
at Sergei to get a fucking ambulance, Nikolai fought to remain conscious. Blood
seeped out of his body and soaked into his jacket and pooled around Kostya's
legs. Nikolai relished the excruciating pain accompanying each and every
breath. It reminded him that he was still alive—and if he was alive, he could
get her back. He had to get her back.
And the men who
had taken his beautiful, precious Vivian would know true agony.
IVAN
Her
Russian Protector, #1
Desperate to find her sister, Erin goes to
the only man in Houston who can help her: Ivan Markovic. The intimidating,
tattooed Russian operates one of the most elite mixed-martial arts training
centers in the world but it’s his shadowy past and reputed connections with
Houston’s underworld that interest her most.
To find her sister, she’ll need the help of
her big, scary Russian protector—but asking for help from a man like Ivan
carries a steep price, one that might just include her heart.
DIMITRI
Her
Russian Protector, #2
Refusing to lose her brother to the violent
Hermanos street gang, Benny turns to Dimitri, the dead sexy Russian who lives
in the apartment above her family’s bakery. He’s the only man tough enough to
get through to Johnny and save him from a life in prison—or worse.There’s
nothing Dimitri won’t do for Benny, even if it means dealing with her troublemaking
brother. He quickly realizes that it’s not just Johnny and his thug friends
that pose a threat to Benny. A shady real estate developer needs to buy her
bakery to secure a multi-million dollar deal and he’ll stop at nothing to make
her sell.
Threatened from all sides, Benny finds
safety in Dimitri’s strong arms — and in his bed. Her big, sexy Russian has no
intention of ever letting her go—and he’ll brave the fires of hell before he
lets anyone harm her.
Reader’s Note: Dimitri is an incredibly
passionate man with a dominant streak—and Benny is only too happy to indulge
his need for a little…restraint.
Read Anna's 4 Star Review HERE
YURI
Her
Russian Protector, Book 3
While
clawing her way out of Houston’s worst neighborhood, Lena vowed to never let
any man have power over her. After a lifetime of broken promises from her
criminal father and a mother who abandoned her, Lena believes that love makes
you vulnerable. She’s never been tempted to test that belief…until Yuri.
Sexy as sin
and with a dark reputation, Russian billionaire Yuri Novakovsky survived a
miserable childhood of poverty and neglect to ascend the pinnacle of success.
He enjoys the perks of his massive wealth without much thought to the
consequences…until Lena.
When Lena’s
father and cousin blunder into an international art theft operation, Yuri
seizes his chance to be her protector. But when past misdeeds catch up with him
and threaten Lena’s safety, Yuri puts her love and trust in him to the test.
He’ll prove
he’s the man she needs—a man she can trust and depend upon—one sensual, wicked
kiss at a time.
***YURI
is a full-length novel, clocking in at 90,000 words and 300+ pages.***
NIKOLAI
Her
Russian Protector, Book 4
Now Available!
After a
brush with death as a juvenile delinquent, Vivian swore she'd never stray
across that line again—but there's just one problem with her plan to stay on
the right side of the law. She's completely, irrevocably and unabashedly in
love with Nikolai, the Russian mob boss who saved her life.
From the
moment Vivian appeared in his life on that tragic April night, Nikolai felt
himself inextricably bonded to her. She's the bright light in his dark world
and the only thing that keeps him from sliding deeper into a life of crime and
violence—a mobbed-up life he can't escape no matter how hard he tries.
After Vivian
is ripped from his arms in a brazen blitz attack, Nikolai will stop at nothing
to get her back—but rescuing her and keeping her safe in his arms isn't enough.
Suddenly, Nikolai's only chance to keep her safe is to do the one thing he
vowed never to do—he'll drag her deeper into his shadowy world and bind her to
him forever.
Because
their tangled pasts are about to collide and the shockwave threatens to bring
Houston's criminal underbelly to its knees…
Reader
Advisory: This story contains scenes of violence against women and
frank descriptions of trafficking.
Available at:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords.
Read Anna's 5 Star Review HERE
When I’m not
chasing after my wild preschooler, I like to write super sexy romances and
scorching hot erotica. I live in Texas with a husband who could easily snag a
job as an extra on History Channel’s new Viking series, a sweet but rowdy
three-year-old with Tetralogy of Fallot, and Bosley, our Great Dane with major
mommy issues.
I also have
another dirty-book writing alter ego, Lolita
Lopez, who writes deliciously steamy tales for Ellora’s Cave,
Forever Yours/Grand Central, Mischief/Harper Collins UK, Siren Publishing and
Cleis Press.
YURI & NIKOLAI Tour Schedule
June 17 - June 30
6/17- Books, Books & More Books (series
spotlight & review)
6/17- Reading Between The Wines (guest
post)
6/18- Nina's Literary Escape (series
spotlight)
6/18 Flirting with Romance (interview)
6/20- The Reading Café (series spotlight
& review)
6/20- United by Books (interview)
6/21- Book Monster Reviews (guest post)
6/22- Night Owl Reviews (guest post &
review)
6/23- Romance Junkies (series spotlight
& review)
6/24- My Reading Obsession (series
spotlight & review)
6/25- Offbeat Vagabond (series spotlight
& review)
6/26- Cocktails and Books (series
spotlight)
6/27- Salacious Reads (series spotlight)
6/27- Riverina Romantics (guest post)
6/29- Book Lovin Mamas (guest post)
Roxie is giving away the following prizes on her tour:
GRAND PRIZE: US/CANADA ONLY
Signed set of all four HER RUSSIAN
PROTECTOR print books in a tote with swag
RUNNERS UP: US/CANADA ONLY
TWO (2) runners-up will receive a
signed copy of IVAN and swag..
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Review - "Nikolai" by Roxie Rivera
Nikolai
(Her Russian Protector #4)
Author: Roxie Rivera
Publisher: Night
Works Books
Release Date: 6/23/13
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Bought
Description
After a brush with death as a juvenile delinquent, Vivian
swore she'd never stray across that line again—but there's just one problem
with her plan to stay on the right side of the law. She's completely,
irrevocably and unabashedly in love with Nikolai, the Russian mob boss who
saved her life.
From the moment Vivian appeared in his life on that tragic
April night, Nikolai felt himself inextricably bonded to her. She's the bright
light in his dark world and the only thing that keeps him from sliding deeper
into a life of crime and violence—a mobbed-up life he can't escape no matter
how hard he tries.
After Vivian is ripped from his arms in a brazen blitz
attack, Nikolai will stop at nothing to get her back—but rescuing her and
keeping her safe in his arms isn't enough. Suddenly, Nikolai's only chance to
keep her safe is to do the one thing he vowed never to do—he'll drag her deeper
into his shadowy world and bind her to him forever.
Because their tangled pasts are about to collide and the
shockwave threatens to bring Houston's criminal underbelly to its knees…
Review
I am SO in love with this series and these characters! They’re
sexy and intense and completely captivating. After reading the first three
books I was dying to finally get my hands on Nikolai’s book. It was all working
up to this. We get some answers about a few things and there are also a couple
of surprises. And my oh my is that man HOT!!! I definitely favor the more
dangerous men in this series!!!
So as we’ve seen in the last three books, Vivian and Nikolai
have known each other quite a long time and have some not so good history. In
this book we finally learn more about Nikolai and what happened to Vivian all
those years ago. It was quite the surprise for me actually but it made him all
the more appealing to me. Nikolai is a very intense man. He makes his own rules
and answers to very few! And Vivian is a sweet virgin artist waiting for
marriage and her happily ever after. They don’t seem like a good fit but they
work really well together. Nikolai is so sweet to Vivian. I definitely had a
few Awwww! moments. He melted my heart!
Vivian is a great match for Nikolai because she gives him a little bit of soft
in that rough dark world he lives in daily.
I do want to point out that this book is a little less
erotic than the others. It is still very sexy but it’s more sweet than
anything. Still my favorite though and definitely worth the read. J
All in all I can say without a doubt that everyone who
enjoys romantic suspense should read this series, from start to finish. These
men are the sweetest, sexiest and most intriguing men I’ve read in a while and
I am hooked! And their women aren’t too bad either! ;) I am very much looking
forward to more books in this series and please please please Roxie, don’t make
us wait too long!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Review - "Ivan" by Roxie Rivera
Ivan
(Her Russian Protector #1)
Author: Roxie Rivera
Publisher: Night
Works Books
Release Date: 2/24/13
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Provided by author
Description
Desperate to find her sister, Erin goes to the only man in
Houston who can help her--Ivan Markovic. The intimidating, tattooed Russian
operates one of the most elite mixed-martial arts training centers in the world
but it’s his shadowy past and reputed connections with Houston’s underworld
that interest her most.
To find her sister, she’ll need the help of her big, scary
Russian protector—but asking for help from a man like Ivan carries a steep
price, one that might just include her heart.
Review
These Russian hotties are well...HOTT! Oh I am so in love!!!
This first book in the series completely won me! I hadn’t ever read anything
from this author before but now I know, she’s a keeper! This sexy suspenseful story
captured my attention from the very first page and I just could not put it
down! It’s well written and oh so sexy and I love the idea of this series as a
whole! I am SO looking forward to more of the sexy Russians!
Ivan, from the very first moment he entered the story, I
knew I was going to love him! Ex criminal, formerly in prison, many times
apparently, covered in tattoos, big and bad and so very manly! Yeah, I’m
hooked! :D And Erin, she’s such a great
female lead character! I also fell in love with her from the very first moment.
She’s sweet and sassy and really the perfect match for big bad Ivan. I loved
them together! Very hot and he is such a sweetheart! (Enough gushing…)
I’m very excited about the future of this series! The other
3 Russian hotties, Dimitri, Yuri and Nikolia, are sure to make us all swoon
just as much as Ivan did and oh I can’t wait! And Erin’s friends, I’m hoping to
see more of them too! They are hilarious together!
I’m sure you can already guess, but this book is fantastic!
A definite keeper! If you enjoy sexy suspenseful romance, check out this book
and the rest of the series too!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Roxie Rivera's Her Russian Protector: IVAN & DIMITRI Blog Tour (Interview/Giveaway)
Welcome to Book Lovin’ Mamas! We are so excited to have you
here today!
1. Can you
tell us three things about yourself that we might not already know?
Um…let's see. I inherited a collection of antique books from
my grandparents and have continued to build the collection with my bibliophile
husband. Even though I'm a dirty-book writer by night, I'm a straight-up Suzy
Homemaker—I garden, can produce, bake bread and sew—during the day. I
embarrassed the hell out of myself in front of THE Stephen Hawking as a
freshman in college. Definitely not of one my finest moments!
2. What is
your favorite type of character to write? Least favorite?
Oh, I love writing big, sexy alpha males and smart, feisty
heroines. I don't really enjoy writing villains. There's something icky about
getting into that headspace but it's
part of the process, you know?
3. When you
are deep into writing what is your biggest pet peeve?
A ringing doorbell! In this house, it usually means a grumpy
preschooler yanked out of her nap and a horse-sized Great Dane flying
downstairs and throwing himself at the door. It's quite a ruckus!
4. Does
music ever play a part in your writing process?
Yes! Music plays a huge part in my writing process. I share
my office space with a Cheerio-throwing 3-year-old and Bosley, our beast of a
dog who likes to sit under my desk and lick his feet. Music and headphones are
a must! J
I usually put together a playlist for each book. I choose music
for the action and love scenes and especially for the Black Moment. I listened
to a lot of M83, Local Natives and even the Red Army Choir writing the Her Russian Protector series.
5. Now for
the most important question…What can we expect for the future of this series?
Yuri and Nikolai's books are up next, releasing on May 14,
2013 and June 11, 2013. The mystery of the event that tied Nikolai and Vivian
together is hinted at in Dimitri's book. More details are revealed in Yuri's
story where we learn even more about the men and the childhood secrets that
bind them together.
You can also expect some free reads featuring Ivan and Erin,
the original couple in the series, that fit in with the subsequent books. At
some point (early next year?) I plan to write a book about Eric Santos, the
Houston PD Detective who works the gang unit and makes appearances in every
installment of the series, and possibly a novella for Kostya, Nikolai's
"cleaner."
Thank you so much for being here today and we hope you will
come back again very soon!
Thanks for having me! Can't wait to stop by again!
Her
Russian Protector, #1
Desperate to find her sister, Erin goes to
the only man in Houston who can help her: Ivan Markovic. The
intimidating, tattooed Russian operates one of the most elite mixed-martial
arts training centers in the world but it’s his shadowy past and reputed
connections with Houston’s underworld that interest her most.
To find her sister, she’ll need the help of
her big, scary Russian protector—but asking for help from a man like Ivan
carries a steep price, one that might just include her heart.
Available at:
Her
Russian Protector, #2
Refusing to lose her brother to the violent
Hermanos street gang, Benny turns to Dimitri, the dead sexy Russian who lives
in the apartment above her family’s bakery. He’s the only man tough enough to
get through to Johnny and save him from a life in prison—or worse.There’s
nothing Dimitri won’t do for Benny, even if it means dealing with her
troublemaking brother. He quickly realizes that it’s not just Johnny and his
thug friends that pose a threat to Benny. A shady real estate developer needs
to buy her bakery to secure a multi-million dollar deal and he’ll stop at
nothing to make her sell.
Threatened from all sides, Benny finds
safety in Dimitri’s strong arms — and in his bed. Her big, sexy Russian has no
intention of ever letting her go—and he’ll brave the fires of hell before he
lets anyone harm her.
Reader’s Note: Dimitri is an incredibly
passionate man with a dominant streak—and Benny is only too happy to indulge
his need for a little…restraint.
Available
at:
When I’m not
chasing after my wild preschooler, I like to write super sexy romances and
scorching hot erotica. I live in Texas with a husband who could easily snag a
job as an extra on History Channel’s new Viking series, a sweet but rowdy
three-year-old with Tetralogy of Fallot, and Bosley, our Great Dane with major
mommy issues.
I also have
another dirty-book writing alter ego, Lolita
Lopez, who writes deliciously steamy tales for Ellora’s Cave,
Forever Yours/Grand Central, Mischief/Harper Collins UK, Siren Publishing and
Cleis Press.
HER RUSSIAN PROTECTOR: IVAN and DIMITRI - Blog Tour Schedule
4/29 - Nina's Literary Escape
4/30 - Riverina Romantics
5/01 - Flirting with Romance
5/02 - Book Monster Reviews
5/02 - Literal Addiction
5/04 - Froggarita's Bookcase
5/05 - Mad Hatter Reads
5/06 - United by Books
5/08 - Book Lovin' Mamas
5/09 - My Reading Obsession
5/10 - Books, Books and More Books
5/11 -
Offbeat Vagabond
5/12 - Romance Junkies
Roxie is giving away the following prizes on her tour:
Grand Prize: $25.00 Amazon Gift
Card
Runners-up:
FOUR (4)
runners-up will receive BOTH eBooks of IVAN and DIMITRI
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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