10 Author Scavenger Hunt! Win Ebooks and a $100 Amazon Gift Card! #Giveaway

Welcome to the J. Taylor Publishing Christmas Cracker Scavenger Hunt!

Today, TEN J. Taylor authors are taking part in the Scavenger Hunt, which means there will be multiple chances to enter for a shot at an AWESOME GRAND PRIZE!

PLUS, there are more goodies up for grabs at EVERY stop along the way, too!

And now for MY giveaway!

All you have to do is fill in my rafflecopter below (NO following necessary!), and you will be entered to win an EBOOK OF THE P.U.R.E. by Claire Gillian.

Spring Fling #Giveaway Hop! The P.U.R.E. by Claire Gillian #ContemporaryRomance #Thriller

Thanks to I Am A Reader Not A Writer & Eve's Fan Garden for hosting yet another hop to give away some goodies! This time I have an ecopy of The P.U.R.E. up for grabs!

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The P.U.R.E. 

by Claire Gillian

Release Date: April 16, 2012

Target Reader: Adult

Keywords: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Thriller/Suspense

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No one ever said Gayle Lindley's first job would be a killer.

Fresh out of college, Gayle’s career path should follow the yellow brick road straight to the top. Thanks to a menial errand gone wrong, a wayward tongue, and a randy supervisor who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, Gayle’s stuck in corporate hell.

Discovering a company secret only turns up the heat.

The one part of her life not going down in flames is her friendship with the gorgeous, but intensely private, Jon Cripps. Jon would make the perfect consolation prize for Gayle’s pity party if dating a co-worker wasn’t career suicide. Then again, with all Gayle has been through, maybe falling in love is the lucky break she needs.

Hitting the cool sheets with Jon soothes her mind and body, but it also enrages whoever’s behind the smokescreen she’s uncovered at work. Someone is willing to kill to protect their secrets, and Gayle and Jon are the targets.

With both her heart and livelihood at stake, Gayle’s early career-limiting moves could turn into life-terminating ones.

Purchase Links:

Amazon.com  /  Barnes & Noble

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Be sure to check out Purely Relative (The P.U.R.E. #1.5)!!

As always, be sure to check out the linky list below & best of luck!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The P.U.R.E. - #AtoZChallenge

 “A man's grammar, like Caesar's wife, should not only be pure, but above suspicion of impurity.” 

― Edgar Allan Poe

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The P.U.R.E. 

Contemporary Romance

Suspense / Thriller

by Claire Gillian

No one ever said Gayle Lindley's first job would be a killer.

Fresh out of college, Gayle’s career path should follow the yellow brick road straight to the top. Thanks to a menial errand gone wrong, a wayward tongue, and a randy supervisor who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, Gayle’s stuck in corporate hell.

Discovering a company secret only turns up the heat.

The one part of her life not going down in flames is her friendship with the gorgeous, but intensely private, Jon Cripps. Jon would make the perfect consolation prize for Gayle’s pity party if dating a co-worker wasn’t career suicide. Then again, with all Gayle has been through, maybe falling in love is the lucky break she needs. 

Hitting the cool sheets with Jon soothes her mind and body, but it also enrages whoever’s behind the smokescreen she’s uncovered at work. Someone is willing to kill to protect their secrets, and Gayle and Jon are the targets.

With both her heart and livelihood at stake, Gayle’s early career-limiting moves could turn into life-terminating ones.

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Excerpt:

I shouldn’t have listened, but my curiosity beat out the entire feline population of Dallas. Who was I to fight it? It hadn’t killed me yet.

If the voices hadn’t been raised and full of discord, I might have resisted temptation. Perhaps . . . but probably not if I were being honest.

“You can’t possibly sign off, Bob. We found too many blatant errors and even more questionable treatments,” a woman’s voice said. Marilyn. The voice of reason—my mentor if I could impress her enough to take me on.

“Duly noted, but you’re overruled. It’s a done deal,” Bob said. 

I pulled away from the door and scanned my surroundings to double check that no one would catch me spying.

My heart pounded as I considered the implications of what I’d heard. Why would a partner, a leader in our accounting firm, do something so obviously wrong? Why would he put its reputation, his reputation, at risk?

“Aphrodite is showing missing cash, two luxury cars and a jet no one can seem to produce, to name a few things we’ve found. You can’t ignore this, Bob.”

I mouthed, ‘Don’t forget the overvalued inventories and past due payroll taxes,’ as if I might somehow prompt Marilyn through the door.

“What about the overvalued inventories?” Marilyn added. 

Exactly! I checked my watch, needing to get our lunches. Another few minutes wouldn’t hurt. 

“That’s not an Aphrodite issue,” Bob said. “Gayle and Jon royally botched the counts.”

What? No friggin’ way! Where’d he even get that idea from?

“We can’t hold Aphrodite’s audit hostage because of our own abysmal staff,” Bob said. “You should have replaced those two PUREs at the beginning of the project like I suggested.”

My heart sank to my feet. I waited for Marilyn to come to my defense.

“You said you had everything under control, Marilyn.” His tone took on a steely, accusatory edge. “The cost to redo the en- tire count is out of our budget. We’re just going to have to take the risk and sign off.”

I drew back as my stomach knotted. Abysmal? Bob thought my work was abysmal? Jon’s too? PUREs? Partners never called staff Previously Undetected Recruiting Errors unless they were one step away from the unemployment office. I did a good job, and so did Jon. Marilyn had even complimented our work.

How could Bob be so glib in front of our client?

Private conversation or not, I needed to hear more. My hoop earring clanked against the door as I returned my ear to its station. I froze. Should have worn studs. Hoops were so much less professional. Of course, eavesdropping was too. Listening for signs I’d betrayed my presence and hearing none, I pressed closer.

“. . . a lawsuit waiting to happen.” Marilyn said. “Your costs’ll look like loose change in comparison. You can’t possibly sign your name to those financial statements, Kenneth. Consider the implications to this company, to your reputation, your license.”

If Kenneth commented, he spoke so I couldn’t hear. 

“You could go to jail. We could all go to jail,” Marilyn said.

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Purchase Links:

Amazon.com  /  Barnes & Noble

#Review : Purely Relative by Claire Gillian #Contemporary #Romance

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Contemporary Romance

by Claire Gillian 

Unemployed and living far from home, Gayle Lindley is nevertheless lucky to be alive after narrowly escaping her murderous ex-employer. She’s also thankful to the boyfriend gods for having blessed her with a former co-worker. Jon Cripps is brains, brawn and bedroom-certified, all in one delectable package. Life is finally on the uptick.

…Or so Gayle thinks until Jon pops the big question—no, not marriage, but meeting the rest of his family. What he neglects to mention is his loose familial definition also includes the parents of his ex-fiancée. And too bad Gayle has already met one sibling while engaged in a vigorous mattress inspection with Jon. Everyone will think she’s a man-stealing hussy!

As Gayle tiptoes into the bosom of Jon’s extended family, she is deluged with more secrets than even her curious nature can absorb. But the drama hits hardest when Jon, mysterious as ever, drops a bombshell that threatens to unravel every single stitch of progress she has made with him and his … ‘interesting’ relations.

Too short! Too short!

That's my only yucky, & not worthy of deducting stars, so onto the yummies. This is a little shorty follow up from the novel The P.U.R.E. which released last April. HERE is my 5 star review for that book. If you haven't read it, do so. But on to the first yummy ...

Voice voice voice voice voice. Ms. Gillian knows how to tell a yummy, fun story. I love her style and snark. Nothing like reading a good romance with a hint of humor to keep a reader giggling or snorting. As I mentioned in my review of TP, the MC, Gayle, is a total hoot. She's one of those great characters you could read about all day - especially if you're having a shi##! day like I've been enjoying today. 

The man. Oh yes, Mr. Cripps. Yum. Need I say more? What a romantic sap - what woman wouldn't want (LOOK AT THAT ALLITERATION!)  a man like that? And his family? Hoot #2. The family dinner scenes were hilarious. So real. It's like I was sitting there, jaw slung open & wide-eyed as all get out. Excellent!

And the ending. Oh, the HEA.  :) LOVED how Ms. Gillian brought this story to a close with all that inner monologue argument between sex, reason, & heart. Once again, excellent!

If you haven't read The P.U.R.E., DO SO. Then nab this enjoyable little nugget.

Check out the purdy! Purely Relative by Claire Gillian

Yes, I've been doing a lot of purdy reveals lately, but hey ... there's a lot of interesting looking books coming out this year.  :)

This one is from my Scribo bud, Claire Gillian, a sequel to her debut novel, The P.U.R.E. which I loved. 

On to the goods!

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Purely Relative

The P.U.R.E. #1.5

by Claire Gillian

Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy

Release Date: April 30, 2013

Back of the Book

Unemployed and living far from home, Gayle Lindley is nevertheless lucky to be alive after narrowly escaping her murderous ex-employer. She’s also thankful to the boyfriend gods for having blessed her with a former co-worker. Jon Cripps is brains, brawn and bedroom-certified, all in one delectable package. Life is finally on the uptick.

 …Or so Gayle thinks until Jon pops the big question—no, not marriage, but meeting the rest of his family. What he neglects to mention is his loose familial definition also includes the parents of his ex-fiancée. And too bad Gayle has already met one sibling while engaged in a vigorous mattress inspection with Jon. Everyone will think she’s a man-stealing hussy!

As Gayle tiptoes into the bosom of Jon’s extended family, she is deluged with more secrets than even her curious nature can absorb. But the drama hits hardest when Jon, mysterious as ever, drops a bombshell that threatens to unravel every single stitch of progress she has made with him and his ... ‘interesting’ relations.

Other books in the series:

The P.U.R.E.

What I had to say about The P.U.R.E. in my 5 star review found HERE: 

"Mystery, part thriller, & romance was all wrapped up with a light-hearted bow." 

About Claire Gillian

Claire Gillian is the pen name for a number-crunching executive by day and a darkly romantic curmudgeon by night. Her debut novel, The P.U.R.E. was released in April 2012. She also writes fifty shades naughtier stuff under the pen name of Lila Shaw, but please don’t tell her mother. No matter which name she uses, Claire is happiest penning romance drenched in humor with a dash of intrigue and loads of spice.

Claire lives in the boggy Pacific NW with her husband and two teen-aged sons.

Website  Goodreads  Twitter   Facebook

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In typical Ms. Gillian fashion, this cover looks like fun, just like The P.U.R.E. If you're in the mood for sparks, steam, & tension galore, this book will probably be IT. 

I'm off to find out ...

Book Review: The P.U.R.E.

A contemporary romance

by Claire Gillian

5 Stars

No one ever said Gayle Lindley’s first job would be a killer.

Fresh out of college, Gayle’s career path should follow the yellow brick road straight to the top. Thanks to a menial errand gone wrong, a wayward tongue, and a randy supervisor who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, Gayle’s stuck in corporate hell.

Discovering a company secret only turns up the heat.

The one part of her life not going down in flames is her friendship with the gorgeous but intensely private, Jon Cripps. Jon would make the perfect consolation prize for Gayle’s pity party if dating a co-worker wasn’t career suicide. Then again, with all Gayle has been through, maybe falling in love is the lucky break she needs.

Hitting the cool sheets with Jon soothes her mind and body, but it also enrages whoever’s behind the smokescreen she’s uncovered at work. Someone is willing to kill to protect their secrets, and Gayle and Jon are the targets.

With both her heart and livelihood at stake, Gayle’s early career-limiting moves could turn into life-terminating ones.

My Review:

Yummies:  Sparks, steam, & tension galore.

I don't normally go for contemporary romance, but seeing as how Ms. Gillian is a fellow JTP author and a Scribo bud, I had to buy it.

Well. I was impressed. Mystery, part thriller, & romance was all wrapped up with a light-hearted bow. Yes, I said light-hearted. The MC, Gayle, is a riot. Even while eaves dropping (hiding beneath a conference table)she's amused and making the reader smirk. She jokes with herself while fleeing a gun-toting murderer intent upon blowing her brains out. Something like this you might think would feel contrived, but it didn't. It worked.

And Jon, her coworker? *fanning face* Um ... yum. Meticulous and private Jon Cripps - he has secrets. A suit and tie wearing bad @$$. He kicks butt and kicks Ms. Lindley's hormones into overdrive.

Yuckies:  There aren't any. I just wish I understood the accounting, number-crunching world a bit more. Some stuff was over my head, but it took nothing away from the story itself for me.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. Even if it's out of your normal genre-of-choice, pick this up. You'll be glad you did!