Cover reveal: PROTECTOR + giveaway

Gritty and mysterious and hot, just like the story inside ;o) Ready for the cover reveal?

Protector

Author: Michelle Horst

Genre: A Standalone Suspense Romance

 Release Date: November 2, 2016

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I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of person. I wanted to save the world, or at least leave my stamp behind. In my own naïve way I thought I could bribe karma but life has a way of teaching us lessons.

I never knew how selfish I was until my life was ripped away from me.

Taken.

I’m forced to watch as they torture and kill my family … and I know I’m next.

I hear their screams.

I watch them die.

It’s the worst kind of torture

Then he comes. He made a promise to my brother. It’s the only thing keeping him bound to me.

A promise to protect me.

I should set him free of the promise … but I don’t. He’s my shield against karma. He’s my protector.

- Excerpt -

Riley~

I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of person. I wanted to save the world, or at least leave my stamp behind.

I’ve spent the last three years leaving my footprints wherever I felt my help was needed.

In my own naïve way I thought I could bribe karma. You know … if I do good then good will come my way. It’s worked so far, so why would I have any reason to doubt it.

At the age of twenty six I’m happy, that contented kind of happiness not many people ever find in their lives.

I have parents who love me. I have two brothers who I idolize, especially my oldest brother, Josh. No one can hold a candle to him.

I’m returning from Australia, after taking part in the annual Gouldian finch count. It was an amazing experience, counting all those colorful birds. Before that I traveled Africa for three years, lending a helping hand wherever I could. It made me feel good.

That’s the problem though, isn’t it?

I did it because it made me feel good. I didn’t do any of it for those people I was helping. I didn’t do it for the animals. No, I did it all for me - so karma would have to pay me back in kind.

That’s how it works. Right?

I always keep my slate clean. I’m always polite and hardworking. I always smile. I’m the funny one, the shoulder everyone can lean on.

That has to count for something, right?

Josh started this thing where he calls me his shooting star. Riley-Star. It caught on in the family. They always joke around and pretend to make wishes on me. I shine so bright. I’m the heart of the family … their little girl.

But every star has to burn out some time.

Life has a way of teaching us lessons. Karma, now there’s a peculiar thing. I never knew how selfish I was until my life was ripped away from me.

Me. Me. Me.

It was all about me.

About the mastermind

International bestselling author of Predator, The Monster Series and many others. She loves writing anything from Young Adult to Suspense Romance.

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Don't forget about this intense Predator + giveaway

I was utterly convinced by the intense narrative in PREDATOR, by Michelle Horst, so I recommend it if you like dark romance.

Predator

Author: Michelle Horst

Genre: Romantic Suspense

 Release Date: April 29, 2016

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All my life I’ve been hiding, until there is no corner on this god-forsaken earth left for me to hide. I have to pay for the sins of my father. No one with Ellison blood in their veins is allowed to live, and I am the last of my bloodline.

I am kept in a container waiting for my death sentence to be carried out, when he comes. He is only known as ‘Predator’. No one knows who he works for, only that he leaves no one alive.

His every breath is filled with the last gasp of his dying prey.

But for some reason he doesn’t kill me.

I don’t know which is worse, the death sentence hanging over my head, or being at his mercy.

Excerpt

“Look at me, Cara,” and he waits until I do, “love is such a flawed thing. You can love someone but still leave them. What I feel for you goes way beyond that one word. I’m addicted to you. I feel protective of you. I breathe for you.” His eyes caress my face and follow the tears into my hair. “Love is really such a flawed word for what I feel. I live for you.”

About the mastermind

Michelle Horst is from a small town in South Africa.

She's been in love with reading from an early age. She has a passion for books, quotes and animals.

She first tried her hand at writing in early 2009 and as the first words started to form into a book, she knew she was hooked. 

Dreams spilled onto pages, and that was the beginning of a wonderful journey. A journey filled with joy, passion and heart stopping moments. Most of all, it's filled with such pride and peace as a story comes to life, and characters fill your life, living in the very walls of your mind, living in the minds of your readers.

Thank you to each and every reader and for choosing to escape in one of my books.

Michelle ;) 

WEBSITE - FACEBOOK

TWITTER  - GOODREADS
AMAZON

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Intense and emotional Predator + giveaway

This is what I call a romantic, intense, deep and sensual drama. 

Predator

Author: Michelle Horst

Genre: Romantic Suspense

 Release Date: April 29, 2016

ADD TO GOODREADS

AMAZON US / UK

All my life I’ve been hiding, until there is no corner on this god-forsaken earth left for me to hide. I have to pay for the sins of my father. No one with Ellison blood in their veins is allowed to live, and I am the last of my bloodline.

I am kept in a container waiting for my death sentence to be carried out, when he comes. He is only known as ‘Predator’. No one knows who he works for, only that he leaves no one alive.

His every breath is filled with the last gasp of his dying prey.

But for some reason he doesn’t kill me.

I don’t know which is worse, the death sentence hanging over my head, or being at his mercy.

MY OPINION

A brutal story. And totally engaging due to its heartfelt writing style and a plot that really sucks the reader in.

It's riddled with tension and emotional depth. Despite the harsh honesty of all the horrid things Cara has to endure in the hands of monsters, the flow of the scenes was unstoppable. I felt every raw emotion, every injustice done to this innocent woman on the run. I admired her resilience in the face of unbeatable odds, and understood her overwhelming need to trust someone with her happiness.

From total despair, she goes to the professional care of another kind of criminal. Predator is a man to be reckoned with. I absolutely loved their interaction. The cold protector who cannot help melting for his protegée, and the strong but traumatized young woman who's been rescued only to feel still lost.

It's a truly sad, brutal story but I enjoyed every word of it because it echoes with honesty and care. Cara deals with breaking situations, and she struggles to survive, to feel human and hopeful. I loved her relationship with her saviour, another survivor. They share a race for their lives amidst evil men who seek their destruction.

There is action, fear, but also deeply moving moments of true connection. The intimacy they shared went beyond the physical, which is there but never takes precedence over the healing and the surviving that's at the foundation of the story.

Sometimes it's painful to read. After all, it deals with violence and delicate issues, but it's also a beautiful romance that's worthwhile.

Excerpt

“Look at me, Cara,” and he waits until I do, “love is such a flawed thing. You can love someone but still leave them. What I feel for you goes way beyond that one word. I’m addicted to you. I feel protective of you. I breathe for you.” His eyes caress my face and follow the tears into my hair. “Love is really such a flawed word for what I feel. I live for you.”

Author Bio

Michelle Horst is from a small town in South Africa.

She's been in love with reading from an early age. She has a passion for books, quotes and animals.

She first tried her hand at writing in early 2009 and as the first words started to form into a book, she knew she was hooked. 

Dreams spilled onto pages, and that was the beginning of a wonderful journey. A journey filled with joy, passion and heart stopping moments. Most of all, it's filled with such pride and peace as a story comes to life, and characters fill your life, living in the very walls of your mind, living in the minds of your readers.

Thank you to each and every reader and for choosing to escape in one of my books.

Michelle ;) 

WEBSITE - FACEBOOK

TWITTER  - GOODREADS
AMAZON

Giveaway Time

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And don't forget to read this book.

Beautifuly scary cover reveal of Predator + giveaway

Sometimes you find yourself in front of a difficult cover: it's not exactly pretty though it has an evident beauty, a harsh beauty. It feels dangerous too. And that's good ;o)

 

THIS IS PREDATOR!

 

Predator

Author: Michelle Horst

Genre: Romantic Suspense

 Release Date: April 29, 2016

ADD TO GOODREADS 

All my life I’ve been hiding, until there is no corner on this god-forsaken earth left for me to hide. I have to pay for the sins of my father. No one with Ellison blood in their veins is allowed to live, and I am the last of my bloodline.

I am kept in a container waiting for my death sentence to be carried out, when he comes. He is only known as ‘Predator’. No one knows who he works for, only that he leaves no one alive.

His every breath is filled with the last gasp of his dying prey.

But for some reason he doesn’t kill me.

I don’t know which is worse, the death sentence hanging over my head, or being at his mercy.

Ready for an Excerpt?

“Look at me, Cara,” and he waits until I do, “love is such a flawed thing. You can love someone but still leave them. What I feel for you goes way beyond that one word. I’m addicted to you. I feel protective of you. I breathe for you.” His eyes caress my face and follow the tears into my hair. “Love is really such a flawed word for what I feel. I live for you.”

About the mastermind

Michelle Horst is from a small town in South Africa.

She's been in love with reading from an early age. She has a passion for books, quotes and animals.

She first tried her hand at writing in early 2009 and as the first words started to form into a book, she knew she was hooked. 

Dreams spilled onto pages, and that was the beginning of a wonderful journey. A journey filled with joy, passion and heart stopping moments. Most of all, it's filled with such pride and peace as a story comes to life, and characters fill your life, living in the very walls of your mind, living in the minds of your readers.

Thank you to each and every reader and for choosing to escape in one of my books.

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK
TWITTER 
GOODREADS
AMAZON

Giveaway Time

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, book buddies :o)

My opinion of Saved by Her + giveaway

Finally, I had the chance to read something by Michelle Horst. And it was an intense experience.

SAVED BY HER, 

A Monster Novel

Author: Michelle Horst

Genre: Dark Romance

Release Date: November 2, 2015

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Jack

I F**K.

That’s all I do, all I’m good for.

People pay thousands just to have a taste of me.

It’s the only life I’ve ever known.

…until her.

 

River

I work.

That’s all I do, it’s my safe zone.

I get paid well because I’m good at my job.

It’s the only place I feel in control.

…until him.

  Authors Note and WARNING: Monster is a work of fiction intended for adult readers above 18. It contains dark and sensitive subject matter that may make readers uncomfortable. Contains explicit language and descriptions of sexual situations.  

MY OPINION

It's a rare treat when a story can be violently dark and sweetly innocent at the same time. I found myself cringing from the harsh, crude actions committed against the characters, but also I smiled like a child when so much tenderness was showered on those same people.

With a fluid narrative and a double POV, the author tells about Jack and Sophia, who since children have been subjected to demeaning slavery by all kinds of monsters. After some very aggressive scenes comes salvation in the form of River, a woman who knows darkness too but tries to dispel it with her own brand of light.

I really liked that duality and the impressive Sanctuary and what it represents. A couple of times, I thought that a certain piece of information could have worked better if it hadn't been divulged by means of a character's inner dialogue and the presented again in a different scene. For example, who River is and what her intentions are, or what happened to her to have that kind of attitude towards intimacy. Better keep the surprise and tension to spill at the right moment, not before and then again.

The story itself is intense. Lots of raging emotions, character evolution as they go through pain and liberation often interwoven, lots of violence and love. Nevertheless, I expected it to be a bit longer, so when I reached the end, I was taken aback.

I don't know why but I expected the revenge part to backfire and grow into a battle of sorts. In general, it was a good, gritty read, with steamy scenes and dark subject matters. I enjoyed it but I'd have preferred it had been a little more developed at the end.

   

READ AN EXCERPT

Jack~ Every part of my body throbs with an aching pain. It hurts so much that I can’t sleep. I don’t dare put on any of the clothes Master and Mistress Ryland brought earlier in the evening, it will hurt my raw skin too much. Sophia managed to put on a light dress. She’s currently sitting on the side of the bed, staring at me. She tilts her head, thinking hard on something. Growing up with Sophia, I know everything about her. I know she’s lost much more of herself over the years than I have, and that’s saying a lot, seeing as there’s nothing left of me.

I wait, knowing she’s about to speak her mind. She brings her feet up onto the mattress and folds her arms around her shins, resting her chin on her knees. She keeps her eyes on something outside the window, when she says, “It feels different here. Master and Mistress Ryland seem nice.” She looks at me and smiles. I don’t know how she manages to smile. I just want to die! “I think we’ll be happy here.” I turn my back to her and grumble, “In order to be happy I actually have to care about life.” I’m done caring. I cared about David and those feeling were used to control me. Caring for someone only makes you vulnerable. I’ll never place myself in such a position again. I hear someone come into the room and I don’t even bother to see who it is. Something is placed on the table between the two beds and then a soft voice says, “What’s this I hear of you wasting my soup, Son.” 

I glance over my shoulder, but the movement only causes me pain. I watch as an elderly lady pulls a chair closer to the bed I’m on. “My mama always said; waste not, want not,” she goes on talking. Her eyes are a vibrant blue and her hair grey with a purple tinge to it. “Now I’ve brought you another bowl of soup and you’ll eat every last drop. I’ve also brought you some pills for the pain.” The painkillers get my attention. I struggle into a sitting position, my eyes never leaving the woman. Trust no one and expect anything. “I’m Miss Ella and that’s what you’ll call me. Don’t even try to call me Miss E, I’m nobody’s missy. My mama gave me the name Ella and I expect you to use it.” She scoops a bit of soup up and then blows on the broth before she brings it to my lips. The action reminds me of Momma. She used to do that too, so I wouldn’t burn my mouth. I take a few bites before Miss Ella asks, “What’s your name, Son?”

I don’t answer her. I don’t want to be here and I don’t want to get friendly with anyone. Sophia clears her throat, “His name is Jack.” Miss Ella smiles at Sophia. “Thank you, dear, and you are?” “I’m Sophia.” Miss Ella feeds me until the bowl is empty and my stomach full. I want to cry with relief when she places the painkillers in my mouth. I quickly swallow them down with some water. “My room is the one right by the stairs. If the pain gets to be too much come wake me.” She gathers the dishes and then gives me and Sophia each a pointed look. “You need to eat all your food so your bodies can heal. There’s a lot of work to be done. Everyone works here to earn their keep.” An icy ripple spreads down my spine. Miss Ella looks at Sophia. “As soon as you’re up to it you can help me in the kitchen.” And then she looks at me. “River says you’ve been born with a green thumb. That’s a good thing because no one around here likes to garden, and I’m too old to be playing with flowers. We can do with some color around here, so as soon as you’re better you can fix the gardens up nicely.” 

She looks pleased with herself. “Now get a good night’s rest and I’ll see you in the morning.” I can go on gardening here? Miss Ella said nothing about sex. Come to think of it neither did Mistress and Master Ryland. That doesn’t mean anything! As soon as we’re better they’ll put us to work. After all, Miss Ella said we have to earn our keep. 

      

ABOUT THE MASTERMIND

Michelle Horst is thirty seven years old and is from South Africa. She's been in love with reading from an early age. She has a passion for all things books, but she has an ultimate soft spot for nature and animals. She first tried her hand at writing in early 2009 and as the first words started to form into a book, she knew she was hooked. Dreams spilled onto pages, and that was the beginning of a wonderful journey. One filled with joy. One filled with passion and heart stopping moments. But most of all, it's filled with such pride and peace as a story comes to life, and characters fill your life, living in the very walls of your mind, living in the minds of your readers. There is nothing as satisfying as that. Thank you for each and every story you share with me.  

Connect with Michelle

Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website

 

GIVEAWAY TIME

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Cover reveal: Saved by her Monster

Honestly, this cover is amazing. I love how the light plays with the rain, and also the posture of the man. Stunning.

SAVED BY HER, 

A Monster Novel

Author: Michelle Horst

Genre: Standalone Dark Romance

Release Date: November 2, 2015

 

Jack
  I F**K. That’s all I do, all I’m good for. People pay thousands just to have a taste of me. It’s the only life I’ve ever known. …until her.
  River
  I work. That’s all I do, it’s my safe zone. I get paid well because I’m good at my job. It’s the only place I feel in control. …until him. 

  Authors Note and WARNING: 

Monster is a work of fiction intended for adult readers above 18. It contains dark and sensitive subject matter that may make readers uncomfortable. Contains explicit language and descriptions of sexual situations.

   

ABOUT THE MASTERMIND

Michelle Horst is thirty seven years old and is from South Africa. She's been in love with reading from an early age. She has a passion for all things books, but she has an ultimate soft spot for nature and animals. She first tried her hand at writing in early 2009 and as the first words started to form into a book, she knew she was hooked. Dreams spilled onto pages, and that was the beginning of a wonderful journey. One filled with joy. One filled with passion and heart stopping moments. But most of all, it's filled with such pride and peace as a story comes to life, and characters fill your life, living in the very walls of your mind, living in the minds of your readers. There is nothing as satisfying as that. Thank you for each and every story you share with me.  

Connect with Michelle

Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website

 

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