Literaria: All In: sexy couple + guest post+ giveaway

As I had the opportunity to read BREAK ME, by Autum Stark, I couldn't say no to the next story, ALL IN. I assure you it won't disappoint you if you're looking for a sexy read that shines with originality.

MY OPINION OF ALL IN

I really liked how this couple meets. They're opposites. She's close to a reclusive and he's an actor pursued by paparazzi. When he breaks into her home looking for shelter from fans and flashes, she's not overly opposed to his proximity. Not only is he famous, but she's heard lots of things about him through their common friends, Tony and Abby, something she hides from him. That's how they end up spending a night talking, watching a movie on TV, and then it all leads to a pact of wild and unrelenting sex.

It was a lot of fun to see Parker and Jay play this game of cat and mouse. No strings is not going well with them, so pent-up frustration often explodes into red-hot encounters.

Even though they crave to have a relationship, their lives are so different that it poses a really tough challenge.

The author manages really well to infuse the intense lovemaking with emotional need. There's a couple of intimate things that may seem a bit unrealistic, but that's what makes the story all the way hotter and more intense.

Favourite quote:

Jay had worked himself into the fabric of her life. She was starting to hoipe a little that maybe she could keep him there.

Favourite moment:

the sweet and funny phone conversation they have while Jay is in L.A.

Things get really complicated for Parker, her quiet life goes to hell in the most unexpected way. It's all Jay's fault, of course, because he has issues with anger and control that are spilling into his relationship with her. That part of the story got me glued to my e-reader with my eyes wide open and my knuckles white-tight.

As I'd read Break Me, I was happy to get back in touch with Tony and Abby and her brothers. All those great guys are really alpha males but a close-knit bunch of good guys that are keen on family. It was pretty touching how they all stand up for Parker in the protective, big brother style

The ending was quite hectic and romantic. I'm definitely invested in this family now so I'd like to read whatever the author creates in the future.

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Topic: Top Ten Things to Fight Boredom in Good Company

As writers, we spend a lot of time alone. It’s the perfect career for an introvert. But even introverts and writers have times they venture out into the great, wide world with friends. So what to do?

1. Tacos and Tarot: You can never go wrong with food, and whether you believe in it or not, perusing the future and the unknown can be great for group speculation. Beyond the obvious “T” pairing, Tacos somehow end up always being fun (at least at my house) and rarely a miss.

2. Kokology: This is a Japanese psychology game that is all kinds of giggles and epiphanies. The cool thing about this game is that it’s an instant boredom killer and helps everyone involved explore a pretty popular topic: what the hell is going on in our brains? Some are sillier and some more serious, but it’s actually pretty amazing and accurate.

3. Coffee or Tea + Awkward Questions: When you’re with a group of people and there’s a distinct possibility that it will degenerate into conversations about the weather, my first instinct is usually to latch onto anything that will get people talking. First, liberally apply caffeinated beverages (or alcoholic ones at that). Second, ask an awkward question to get the conversation rolling. For example: Who would you eat first at this table if we were stuck on a desert island? It seems juvenile, but I guarantee it will make things more interesting and stave off boredom.

4. Cards Against Humanity: This is a great game to play to get to know your friends or new people better. It’s sort of like throwing everyone into an X-ray machine and getting to really see what they’re made of--they can’t help but reveal their dirtier, un-PC side. It’s a highly entertaining and unusual way to spend a couple of hours.

5. GIF Wars: Sometimes the “good company” is nowhere near you except virtually and/or near you but unable to do or say much (think commuting on the bus). Welcome to GIF Wars. There’s variations on this (Pic Wars, Quote Wars, etc), but I love GIF Wars. Text back and forth progressively funnier, wittier, or hotter commentary on the topic of your choice. Recently I engaged in a week long Pic War with a friend involving “Fantasy Husbands.” We’d send each other pictures proving our celebrity fantasy husbands were hotter and/or better than the other.

And now for a switch...What does “Good Company” equal? Let’s get specific.

6. Your Best Friend: We all like to think we know our best friends as well as possible, but the truth is that there’s always something to find out. In moments of dire dullness, break out the “What If” game. It’s creative critical thinking at its best. For example: What if the man you were in love with wanted you to be the mother of his child, but only the mother of his child? Instant boredom killer and an interesting way to get insight into yourself and your nearest and dearest.

7. A New Romantic Interest: The thing about dates with a new love interest is that they are always awkward and uncomfortable. They also tend to be pretty predictable. Not that that’s bad, but if you want to speed things along and see if he/she is worth your time, make a date to do something you love or enjoy that’s out of the ordinary. Go to a children’s museum and unleash your inner child. If they play along, hello date number two.

8. A Committed Romantic Partner: There’s always room for depth and fun at the same time...something that’s more unusual maybe. Start a conversation that begins with “If you could do X over, what would you do?” Or, maybe, ask them to tell you about your very own love story. Hell, maybe tell them your version of your very own love story. Get interested in the details of your shared lives.It’s kind of amazing what you’ll find out sometimes.

9. Family Time: Most of the time most of us love our families (born or made), but they can also create awkward vacuums of time for us. Try taking your family to do something “normal” for you, but not for them. I recently got my mother into making green smoothies with me. She was absolutely fascinated...and I got to prep for my normal life in the process.

10. Yourself: Let’s face it. Most of us leave ourselves out of the equation, but you’re probably some of the best company around. So take some time out for yourself and do something you love, but don’t get nearly enough time to do (or feel guilty for doing). Play Candy Crush. You know you want to.

That was incredible! Thank you so much, dear Autumn :o)

All In

by Autumn Stark

Amazon - B&N

Jay Markham, a wildly popular actor and a chronic womanizer, has become bored with his life. Jay decides to take a break and goes to visit his life-long best friend and famous romance novelist, Anthony Tate. But just because Jay decides to take a break doesn’t mean his fans will let him. The fans and the paparazzi follow him to the small Washington town and, in an effort to escape a particularly dogged fan, Jay ducks into the first open door he can find.

Parker Hardisson is a fairly normal, if self-contained, woman in her, ahem, early thirties. Relatively happy with her life as a freelance translator, she gets to work out of her own home and enjoy her life as quiet and drama-free as possible. So what if she’s a teensy bit lonely? So what if there’s some part of her that wants to explore the world? Things are working out just fine. So, when a mega-movie star comes slamming into her house, she wonders if she’s finally cracked.

Parker seizes the opportunity to make the deal of a lifetime. No strings, no questions. The problem is, Jay is playing this game by his own rules.

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EXCERPT

It was possibly nine in the morning the next day before Abby barged into Parker’s house. To be fair, Abby had used her key which Jay must have given back to her, but it was as close to barging as one might get, all things considered. Parker was barely awake.

“Parker? Are you home?”

“Where else would I be?” Parker tried to sound pleasant, but at best she knew she sounded grouchy as she called out to Abby.

“I don’t know, having wild sex with Jay in Los Angeles?” Abby walked into the kitchen as Parker was focusing on pouring coffee grinds into her espresso machine. Parker graced her with a snort as an answer. “Well, you could be.”

“I don’t know what that overgrown pretty boy told you, but I am not going to Los Angeles.”

“I’ll wait till you’ve had your coffee.” Abby grabbed her own cup and patiently sat on one of the bar stools under her kitchen island. Parker tried not to remember exactly what had been done on that particular counter while also trying to remember if she’d sanitized the thing since the sex marathon had started.

“Coffee won’t change my answer.”

“Might make you more talkative though.”

“Or more able to kill without getting caught.”

“I’ll take the chance.” Abby grinned at her and Parker sighed.

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Autumn Stark writes Romance with a sense of humor and a whole lotta steamy fun. Doesn’t mean there aren’t a few whips every now and then, but she’s a sucker for a happy ending. Autumn has been writing in one capacity or another her entire life, but Break Me is her debut novel.

Autumn Stark is the pen name for author and publisher, April Oglesbee. (http://apriloglesbee.com/)

All In is the second book in the All In series. Book 1 is already available on Amazon, B&N, and iBooks. Book 3 will be released in June 2014.