NEW ADULT SCAVENGER HUNT! Hosting Katie Fox

THE HUNT IS NOW OVER!

THE WINNER OF MY PRIZE WILL BE ANNOUNCED HERE ON TUESDAY

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR STOPPING BUY. 

I’m so excited to be hosting Katie Fox author of MOMENT OF WEAKNESS for this Team Green stop of the New Adult Scavenger Hunt! You’re going to love her exclusive material!

This bi-annual event was inspired as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page to find out details about the hunt. There are THREE contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of Team Green–but there is also an orange team and a purple team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!

If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page.

***THE SCAVENGER HUNT***

Directions: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve listed my lucky book number (read carefully and you’ll find it). Collect the lucky book numbers of all the authors on Team Green, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Oct. 30^st, at 12 PM Eastern Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered. Winners will be announced Nov. 2^nd. 

Also there is another giveaway to enter that is exclusive to this blog (more information below).

LET THE HUNT BEGIN!

MOMENT OF WEAKNESS

An Embracing Moments Novel

Book # 1

Twenty-year-old Julia Parker has the ideal life. She comes from a wealthy family, has the perfect boyfriend, and plans to spend the summer in Europe. However, nothing is ever what it seems. It has been thirteen years since her mother's unexpected death, and the pain she still feels is something she keeps hidden beneath the surface.

But for the second time in her life, everything's about to change.

After discovering her roommate and boyfriend having an affair, she's forced to spend the summer at home. Only she won't be alone. Recent events have caused an increase in security, and her personal detail is nothing like she expected.

At twenty-five, Roman Hayes is one of the youngest in his field. His only focus is his assignment. But when a moment of weakness between him and Julia lead to several more, they are both left to question what is happening between them. Julia soon learns Roman may just hold the answers to the very questions she's spent her entire life asking. But when all is revealed will she be able to handle the truth? More importantly, can she find it in her heart to still love the one person she thought she knew?

Buy it Now

~EXCLUSIVE CONTENT~

Chapter 1

Emery

A few seconds. The tear of an envelope. Unfolding of paper. That’s all it would take to know if the last four years of hard work, late night study sessions, and having little-to-no social life had finally paid off. A light breeze whirled in the air, and as I reached up to brush away the few strands of hair that had blown into my face, I stared down at the bright white envelope sitting on my lap. Its thickness was similar to the other acceptance letters I had received, but what did I know? I let out a quick breath and picked it up, running my fingers along its fine edges, further examining it.

“It’s not going to open itself, ya know.”

“I know,” I mumbled, dragging my gaze from the envelope to my best friend. Her long blonde hair fell like a curtain around her as she pushed off her toes, scooting onto the stone wall beside me.

Shelly and I had been best friends since middle school, and she knew better than anyone that this letter meant so much more than what university I would be attending. It was my ticket out of here. My chance at living a life that didn’t consist of cleaning tables at the local diner or getting up at three a.m. to deliver the morning newspaper. Not that there was anything wrong with those types of jobs. I knew a lot of people who worked hard to make sure there was a roof over their families’ heads. Those jobs were what put food on those families’ tables—put food on our own table.

But I wanted so much more than that.

I wanted to travel. Wanted to experience the bright lights of the city at night and the taste of fine cuisine. Most of all, I wanted to feel like my life had purpose, and as long as I was living in Hickory Falls, none of that was going to happen.

“I can open it for you if you want,” Shelly offered, pulling me from my thoughts.

My shoulders dropped, and a huff of air left my chest in the form of a heavy sigh. “No. I don’t …”

I was getting ready to tell her I didn’t think so, but hell, I already had the letter for three days.

It was time.

“Actually, yeah, I think I will have you open it.”

I held the envelope between us, my fingers shaking from my out of control nerves. Shelly reached down to grab it, and as she did, it disappeared from my hands. I instantly recognized the hands that snatched it up, because it was the same set of hands—with the long fingers and callused palms—that I had embarrassingly fantasized about a time or two … or ten.

“What’s this?”

The familiar deep voice rang through the air, and the little hairs on the back of my neck rose as I sprung to my feet.

“Give it back, Tyler.”

Tyler darted through the front door of the aging trailer I called home, leaving it to sway open on its rusty old hinges, and I followed after him, my blood pumping hot and fast as I heard Shelly’s giggle behind me. I stomped up the single metal step, not caring that the door was still hanging wide open or the fact that it was creaking as if it was about to fall off. I almost hoped it would; would serve my brother right for not fixing it two months ago like I told him to.

Huffing air from my nose, I stepped inside, and the second I did, I froze.

Tyler stood in the kitchen, his bare chest on full display as he pulled the last bottle of blue Gatorade from the fridge. His black basketball shorts hung incredibly low on his waist, and when he turned toward me, I couldn’t stop staring at the deep cut of muscle decorating either side of his hips.

Prick.

Yeah. I said it. Or thought it, rather. Tyler knew how good he looked and now he was just using it to his advantage. Forcing my eyes away from his waist, I gritted my teeth and steeled my tone. “Give it back.”

The order came out sounding desperate and weak. Definitely not the affirmative tone I was trying to deliver. The corner of his lips kicked up, and a playful grin spread across his face.

“Oh, you mean this?” he teased, holding up the white envelope that determined my entire future. “You’re going to have to ask a lot nicer than that, Em.”

My cheeks heated, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of frustration or because he was standing half-naked before me. There was no denying it. Tyler was most definitely fine male material. His dark brown hair was cut close on the sides of his head, longer on top, and beautiful pigments of ink covered the right side of his tightly defined chest, spreading across his shoulder and down his muscular arm. A lean waist and fine ass— which I had caught myself staring at on occasion— completed the Tyler Bennett package.

Determined not to let him affect me, I stomped toward him, attempting to take back my letter and a sliver of my dignity. As soon as I reached him, he shot his arm up, holding the envelope above his head.

“Damn it, Tyler,” I shouted, pushing off my toes, trying to reach it. Could he seriously be anymore immature? “Would you give it back to me!”

A deep laugh rumbled his chest, the sound of it angering and exciting me all at the same time. God, I hated him. Hated the way he teased me, and the way my heart seemed to speed up and slow down whenever he was near. Hated the way he constantly treated me like I was just his best friend’s little sister. Most of all, I hated knowing he would never see me as anything more than that … because that’s exactly what I was.

Realizing my current tactics were failing miserably, I opted for a different approach. My fingers curled into a tight fist, and I pulled back, getting ready to throw all one-hundred and ten-pounds of my body weight into a punch that probably wouldn’t even phase him. I threw my fist forward, and before my brain had a chance to fully process what had happened, my back was pressing against the cool metal of the refrigerator door.

Tyler stood in front of me, his fingers wrapped around my wrist in a firm, yet gentle hold, which he had conveniently pinned above my head.

Intense, dark brown eyes found mine.

“What’s so important about this letter?” His warm breath fanned my lips as he spoke, causing a wave of tingles to creep across my cheeks and down my neck.

I held his stare, my mouth pulled tight, my throat suddenly drier than the Sahara Desert.

“Hey, Em?”

Shelly’s voice echoed against the walls of the trailer, and I followed the sound, glancing at the head full of blonde hair peeking around the doorframe. It took her a moment, but when she finally caught sight of me, her eyes lit up.

“I, uh, I have to go,” she said, quickly. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” Not bothering to wait for a response, she threw me a quick wave and vanished out the door.

Traitor.

Well, there went my chance at discovering where I would be spending the next four years of my life. There was no way I’d be able to gather enough courage to open the letter on my own. If I could have, it would have been done by now.

Figures the moment Shelly saw us, especially in the current position we were in, she’d bail. She was well aware of the feelings I had developed for Tyler and was constantly encouraging me to tell him, but that was so not happening—like ever.

Bringing my gaze back to Tyler’s, I attempted to swallow around the desert that had overtaken my throat.

Tyler moved in closer, his hard chest brushing against mine as he breathed in my ear. “Now, where were we?”

My mouth fell open to shoot off a snarky reply, but the wave of heat racing down my arm had somehow affected my ability to speak. The rough pad of Tyler’s thumb slid across my wrist, moving in slow circles against my skin, and my pulse changed from a steady beat to an out-of-control throb.

“The letter,” I whispered, thankful I had at least managed to find my voice.

I’m guessing Tyler hadn’t bothered to look at the envelope in the time that he had had it, because the moment he flipped it around, his eyes widened.

“Holy shit, Em! Is this what I think it is?”

Swallowing hard, I nodded.

“Why haven’t you opened this?” His expression changed as his eyes searched mine. A fine crease formed on his forehead, and his brows narrowed. “What are you waiting for?”

I shrugged, capturing my bottom lip between my teeth and holding it there. I eventually released it, along with a sigh. “I don’t know.”

“Here.” He held his hand out, offering me the letter. “Open it.”

Open it. As if it was that easy. Nerves rose in my stomach as I stared down at his hand, and I shook my head, my dark brown hair swaying with the movement. “I can’t.”

Tyler continued to eye me curiously, his head tilted to the side. “Why?”

Why? I almost laughed. “Because I’m afraid to, okay?”

“Four years, Em.” His voice was soft, so matter-of-fact. Confusion hardened his features, and as he slid his tongue along his lower lip, he seemed to be lost in thought. “You’ve been waiting for this very moment for the past four years. You’ve busted your ass—”

“That’s exactly why I’m afraid!”

Tyler stared at me, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t decipher. Three days ago, when I had pulled the letter from the mailbox, an anxious knot of worry formed in the pit of my stomach. That same knot had finally exploded, twisting itself around every nerve in my body, bringing with it an unsettling wave of apprehension.

My head dropped, my gaze briefly flicking to the linoleum floor, and then back up to Tyler’s dark brown eyes. The look swirling behind them had my mouth parting. I sucked in a sharp breath, and forced the words from the tip of my tongue, the sound of my voice coming out as nothing more than a whisper. “I’m terrified I’m going to open that letter and find out it was all for nothing.”

Without warning, Tyler let go of the hold he had on my wrist and pushed off the refrigerator. A whoosh of air left my lungs at the sudden distance between us, and as my body mourned the loss of his closeness, panic crawled up my chest. I stared at him, watching as his fingers moved quickly, sliding beneath the glued seal of the envelope.

“What are you doing?!” I attempted to reach forward and grab it from his hands.

He dodged my grasp and started reading the letter out loud. “Dear, Emery Whitmore.”

No. Oh, God no. “Please stop,” I begged, my hands coming up to clasp my face, my heart thudding against my ribs.

Tyler didn’t stop.

He continued reading, his deep voice washing out every other sound in the room.

“Congratulations! The admission committee joins me in the most rewarding part of my job—offering you admission to Stanford University.”

Tyler’s eyes flew to mine, his set of full lips curving into a genuine smile that took up half his face.

“You have set yourself apart, and we are impressed and inspired by your passion, determination, and your accomplishments. We acknowledge and celebrate all you have worked for with the good news this letter brings.”

My hands shook, and my heart pounded against my chest so fast it hurt. Tyler dropped the letter, and as I watched it float to the floor, I felt his hands move to my waist. His fingers gripped my hips, and as he swept me off my feet, lifting me up and twirling me above his head, my vision blurred from the tears welling in my eyes. The celebratory dance lasted two full spins before he was lowering me back on my feet. My body slid against his, and my hands found their way to his chest. The warmth of his skin tingled my fingers, causing them to clench, and as he walked us backward, my ass collided with the hard edge of the kitchen counter.

Strong fingers curled around the back of my neck, grasping it in a gentle hold, and the same rough-padded thumb that had created circles on my wrist was now sweeping across my cheekbone. I had no idea what he was doing, but I didn’t want him to stop.

Never in a million years, did I want him to stop.

“You did it,” he whispered, moving in closer, nearly eliminating the space between us.

A hot tear skated down my cheek, and Tyler smoothed it away. Tipping my head back, I glanced up at him through tear-laced lashes, and that familiar feeling of not being able to breathe whenever I looked at him, invaded my chest, stealing the air right from my lungs.  

“I knew you could do it.” His lips were so close I could practically feel them. “I never doubted you, Em.”

~~~~

Author Bio

Katie Fox was born in Florida and raised in Pennsylvania, where she still resides with her gamer husband and four-year-old son. An avid reader, and hopeless romantic, she is a sucker for a good love story. When not found with her nose buried in a book, she's usually spending time with her family or in her writing cave, giving life to the voices in her head. 

Since a very young age, writing has been her passion. Her works include, Moment of Weakness, World of Darkness, and Whispers From The East, which was co-written with author, Eleanor Lloyd-Jones. 

Website

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I don’t know about you, but I’m adding MOMENT OF WEAKNESS to my must-read pile right away. It sounds amazing.

Now to enter you need to know my lucky number! FIFTEEN..Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on Team Green and you’ll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

AGAIN--MY NUMBER IS 15 (fifteen)

BUT BEFORE YOU CONTINUE ON YOUR QUEST!!!!

Leave a comment below and be entered to win your choice of a copy of  my novel A HOLD ON ME (Dark Heart #1)! There will be only one winner, but it will be a signed paperback and will include a special handcrafted bookmark. 

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Or BEYOND YOUR TOUCH (Dark Heart #2)!

Buy It Now

***CONTINUE THE HUNT***

To keep going on the hunt, you need to check out the next author,  Sarah Zolton Arthur

GOOD LUCK!!

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