SCROLL DOWN TO ENTER THE $20 GIVEAWAY!
Esperance
by Heather Hildenbrand
Series: Heart Lines, book 3
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
She is his only hope. If only he wanted to be saved. Alex is cured… sort of. After letting the mysterious Indra work her magic, the venom is gone but so is Alex’s ability to feel. He’s not dead, but he’s not really alive either. Numb inside, he turns his back on Sam and everyone else. The only person he’ll really listen to is his new master…
Sam’s angry and lost. Her destiny was to heal, but so far, all she’s done is hurt herself and others. When Alex chooses another woman’s healing over hers, Sam’s doubts and fears become the very thing that separate her from her true potential. Despite Sam’s broken heart, she is determined to make her magic work, no matter the cost. No price can be higher than the one she paid watching Alex walk away.
Sam will do whatever it takes. And she’ll never stop trying to change Alex’s mind—and his heart.
But Alex has his orders and he doesn’t care who they affect. Love hurts. But in this case, it just might kill…
Reading order: Remembrance Inheritance Esperance Imbalance (coming 5/29, available for pre-order now)
Esperance has officially released! I hope you guys are enjoying the series so far! I know the reviews all said this book is their favorite so far which just makes me grin and rub my hands together evilly because…. book 4. hehe.
There’s a $20 giveaway at the bottom of this post so keep scrolling for that!
But before we get there, keep reading below for an EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT from Esperance, now available for Kindle & Free for KU subscribers!
Or scroll on by if you don’t want spoilers….
Sam
All the lights in the house were off. I stood on the porch, wedged beside the old rocking chair, and peered into the window. It was too dark to see anything, but I wasn’t giving up. My temper wouldn’t let me. Behind me, Brittany sat in the driveway, her car idling so she could keep the heat on. I wasn’t willing to return to her empty-handed. Back to the front door, I pounded on it with my fist, hoping the neighbors didn’t decide I was worthy of reporting.
“Open the damned door, Alex,” I yelled. “I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I don’t care. You’re going to listen to what I have to say and you’re going to give me answers.”
I banged on the door again, contemplating whether to attempt hopping the chain link fence around the corner and trying the back door.
Behind me, someone cleared their throat.
I whirled.
Alex stopped, one hand on the railing, one foot on the bottom step. He didn’t come any closer and I didn’t ask him to.
My stomach flip-flopped at the sight of him and it pissed me off. Now was not the time to appreciate the way he wore that sweatshirt or the sharp curve of his jawline and the liquidy warmth I felt inside when our eyes met.
Not a good time, libido.
“What the hell is your problem?” I demanded.
“You’re going to have to be more specific. I have several.”
I glared. “Why did you punch RJ? He’s your friend? And don’t tell me it’s none of my business.”
“Fine. I won’t. But it isn’t.” He went on before I could blast him for that. “But if you must know, we were having a friendly heart-to-heart and then we both got a little carried away.”
“Carried away? That’s what you’re calling it? Alex, what is wrong with you? Since the moment you woke up healed from the venom you’ve been different. What’s going on?”
“You’re right. I have been pre-occupied.” His gaze softened and he added, “I’m sorry. I miss you.”
My temper drained away against my will. I needed to be angry. He deserved at least that much from me. But when he talked like that, I wanted to believe him, and I could already feel myself caving. “You stopped talking to me,” I said, confusion making it hard to think straight. My words came out in a jumble, quiet and completely giving away all the hurt I’d planned to conceal from him tonight. “You just walked out and then you didn’t…”
“I know,” he said quietly.
He climbed the steps, his boots scuffing against the wooden planks, and closed the distance between us, wrapping his arms around me. I leaned in, letting him hold me, and inhaled the familiar scent of him. It was comforting, which struck me since it wasn’t like we’d had some longstanding relationship.
His walking out on me last week couldn’t even be called a break-up. We weren’t together. But we’d been more than this. Headed toward something. Especially after the night we’d spent in the woods behind Aunt Kiwi’s house. We’d joined out bodies at least. Become one for a moment. And now, we weren’t anything.
“Sam,” Alex said, his voice gruff and soft in the darkness.
I looked up at him, losing myself in his brown eyes and the contours of his cheeks. In the feel of his strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close to his chest. I didn’t even care that Brittany was watching. I just needed to touch him. To understand what had happened on a sensory level.
When his head lowered slowly toward mine, I rose on my tiptoes to meet him, clinging to his sweatshirt for balance.
The moment our lips touched, I knew something was wrong. He was cold, unresponsive and completely devoid of passion as his lips brushed robotically against my skin. I forced myself to hang on a moment longer, to give him a chance. Two more seconds was all I could take. His mouth moved against mine stiffly, as if I were a foreign specimen; or maybe it was kissing, in general, that confused him. I tried not to let the hurt show on my face as I pulled away and stepped back.
“Why are you—?” he began.
“What’s going on?” I asked quietly. “For real this time, Alex. No more excuses or bull shit.”
He hesitated and the ball of nerves in my stomach tightened. “Indra …” He started and then stopped. When I looked up, he was frowning deeply; an expression that probably matched my own.
I folded my arms over my chest. “What about Indra?” I asked, again ignoring the pang of jealousy that came with her name on his lips.
“She healed me,” he said slowly as if choosing his words carefully.
“I got that. I was there, remember?”
He sighed but it sounded frustrated. Angry. What could possibly have him pissed at me? “Remember how I told you there’s a price for doing magic?”
“I remember,” I said.
“Well, maybe the more powerful the magic, the higher the price. I don’t know but I do know I’m the one paying the price for mine.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, the hairs on my neck prickling in a wary sort of anticipation.
“I’m numb, Sam.” He blinked back at me and then thumped his fist against his chest. “I can’t feel anything.”
–Esperance (Heart Lines #3)
Now it’s time for the ⭐⭐⭐NEW RELEASE GIVEAWAY⭐⭐⭐
You (the readers’) response to this series so far has been amazing. Thank you for all the messages. Even the ones threatening to come and cut off my internet until I finish the next book
To celebrate this release AND your support, I want to give away a $20 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner!!
Here’s how to enter:
Head over to my Facebook page where you’ll find a post about the giveaway with the graphic pictured below.
Then: 💖 LIKE the post! 💖 SHARE the post! 💖 COMMENT to let me know you shared!!
Want extra brownie points? 💖 JOIN the Love Birds FB group for more giveaways
(I’m going LIVE today and giving away a signed paperback but ONLY in the group!)
Contest open to those 18 years or older. One winner will be chosen May 3, 2017! This contest is not affiliated with WordPress or Facebook in any way—it’s all me!
Thanks for reading, guys!