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Thursday, January 29, 2015

"Highlander's True Love" by Donna Fletcher!! Coming Soon! Don't Miss this Teaser!


COMING SOON!!    

"HIGHLANDER'S TRUE LOVE"

"A CREE & DAWN SHORT STORY"

CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS ONE.  DAWN AND CREE ARE TWO OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS EVER!



EXCERPT


Cree entered the Great Hall with angry strides and stopped abruptly when the lone woman in the room turned away from the table, she had been bent over, to face him. Her beauty startled him for a moment, though he showed no signs of it. Dark ringlets fell around her lovely, unmarred face and neck from the mass of curls pinned atop her head and her large blue eyes glared at him as she tossed her chin up defiantly. She took a stance as if prepared for battle, though she could not keep her shoulders from slumping. She showed strength as well as exhaustion.
Cree was about to speak when she stepped aside to reveal a sleeping child on the top of the table. His light brown hair had threads of gold running through it, resembling Cree’s hair coloring, but his features bore no signs of Cree. Even with smudges on his face, he was a handsome child and looked well fed, not like his mother who was far too thin.
“He is your son. I named him Aidan. He is two years now.”
“So you say,” Cree said, approaching her slowly.
“I speak the truth.”
“Again so you say, but what reason do I have to believe you?” He stopped a few feet from her. “Why wait two years to claim him as mine?”
The woman stared at him a moment as if at a loss for words, then rushed to say, “He needs his father.”
“And so you chose me?”
“Like you chose me that night,” she said, forcing her shoulders back and her head up.
“And what night was that?” He folded his arms across his broad chest and settled his dark eyes that could intimidate the bravest of souls on her.
The woman took a step back. “It was a cold winter’s night and you sought shelter from the unfavorable weather at my family’s croft near Loch Rannoch. You asked me to warm your bed and I obliged.”
He had sought shelter from farmers now and again, though he had provided them with much needed items in exchange for their generosity.  There was just one problem with her story.
“Never would I have been so disrespectful as to proposition a daughter of a farmer who granted me shelter.”
Her face flushed red. “It was I who sought your bed.”
Her response troubled him, for that had happened on rare occasions Mostly, when he had been celibate far too long from far too many battles. He would spend a whole night appeasing his hunger only to poke the woman once again before leaving the next morning. But had she been one of the very few women?
Another question begged to be asked. “How can you be so sure the lad is mine?”
“I knew no other man before you or after you,” she said with great pride.
“So you say, but again it is only your word I have.”
Her chin went up a notch. “It is all I have left. My da was killed by a band of mercenaries a few days after you left. I was not there at the time or I would have suffered at their hands before meeting the same fate. I went to live with my sister, but her husband took ill and she could barely feed their family on what little they had. I knew it was time for me to seek you out and ask that you be a father to your son.”
“It is a good story you weave,” Cree said.
Before he could say more, the woman said, “It is the truth,” —she pointed to her sleeping son— “and he is proof of what I say.”
“He could be anyone’s son,” Cree argued his thoughts turning to Dawn and how she would feel when she heard of this.
“But he is not anyone’s son. He is your son.” She shook her head. “I cannot believe you do not remember me. You were so kind to me that night. I shall never forget how loved you made me feel.”
“I have been with many women and believe me when I say that if I bedded a woman as beautiful as you I would have remembered it.”
Her eyes turned wide, but not at his words, her glance had settled on something behind him and he knew who she was looking at. His heart clenched in his chest.
Cree turned and faced his wife.
Highlander’s True Love a Cree & Dawn Short Story coming in February!

HERE'S A LINK TO DONNA FLETCHER'S WEBSITE!   BE SURE TO SIGN UP THERE FOR MORE UPDATES ON THIS AND FUTURE BOOKS BY DONNA!




Wednesday, January 28, 2015

"A Dash of Desire" (Charity Parkerson) ★★★★★ with GIVEAWAY!!!

Dash of Desire - Tour Banner

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – A Dash of Desire SERIES – Spiced Life AUTHOR – Charity Parkerson GENRE – Contemporary Romance PUBLICATION DATE – 12/12/14 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 261 pages PUBLISHER – Punk & Sissy Publications COVER ARTIST – Charity Parkerson
Dash of Desire - Book Cover

BOOK SYNOPSIS

He wants to tame her… After losing his wife to her wild ways at a young age, Tristan moved on to follow a higher calling. He finds comfort in helping others and has no intention of inviting drama back into his life. That is, until temptation blows into town. She wants to corrupt him… Riley is a foul-mouthed, bad-tempered, and bitter soul. Down on her luck and on the run from another terrible decision, the last thing she needs is a soul-saving hottie pushing his way into her life. But will they end up destroying each other? Taming Riley becomes an obsession for Tristan. With his reputation on the line and Riley’s heart on the table, can Tristan find a way to keep both? It only takes a dash of desire to ignite a flame when this savior and sinner collide. But this is one inferno that could end up destroying them both.
Dash of Desire - Teaser 2

BUY & TBR LINKS

Dash of Desire - Teaser 1

EXCERPT

The chain rattled. “Riley, Brother Daniels’ truck is out front. Have you…” Tristan jumped away from Riley as Billy burst onto the scene. The woman froze, as she caught sight of him standing in the center of Riley’s bedroom. No doubt, he was also looking guilty as sin…and turned on. He definitely was that. “Oh. There you are.” “Riley fell,” he said without giving her a chance to question what she’d—no doubt—witnessed coming through the door. A loving expression touched her features as she eyed them both. “I’m not surprised. Poor girl. You wouldn’t believe how many calls I got from West Anaheim ER, letting me know my baby had broken another bone.” Billy’s voice hardened. “Especially, since my no-good sister, Marty…” “Billy, please?” Riley said, cutting her off. With a sheepish grin, Billy blushed. “Sorry darling. Sometimes I forget.” Riley crossed the room, and gave the older woman a quick hug. She toyed with Riley’s hair, tugging it over one shoulder and sliding her hand down the locks. “Anyhow,” she said, turning her attention back to Tristan. “My girl has a good job. She never would let me come take care of her, since she could afford to hire someone to do it.” Flashing Riley an exasperated look, she added, “This one has never needed anyone. Thank goodness, since Marty…” “Billy,” Riley said, reeling her aunt in, once more. “I’m sorry. It’s just with it being your birthday and her doing what she did, I just.” Tearing up, Billy covered her mouth. A sob still broke loose. Before anyone had time to react, she walked out, closing the door behind her as she left. Riley stared unblinking at the wood separating them from the rest of the world. “Wow.” Tristan was baffled by Riley’s obvious shock. As she turned wide eyes his way, her voice came out in a horrified whisper. “She was crying. I’ve never seen Billy cry. That’s the same woman who used to make me pick my own switch when I misbehaved.” A chuckle rose in Tristan’s throat. “I didn’t know it was your birthday.” Riley motioned toward the door, still seemingly floored. “She once beat a chicken to death with a shovel after it chased me down the driveway. I was scarred for years.” Tristan’s chuckle turned to a full-on laugh. “I’m being serious. She cooked him afterward. I haven’t looked at a drumstick the same since.” Tristan swiped at his eyes. “Happiness looks damn sexy on you.” He glanced away, uncomfortable with the change in topic. Happiness was one thing he knew little about. “Being in your company seems to have that effect on me,” he said, half hoping to fill the silence and half needing her to know the truth. “How old are you today?” He asked, changing the subject. “Twenty-eight. Why? Do you intend to spank me?” She sounded hopeful. There were no safe topics where Riley was concerned.

CAT'S REVIEW

"A Dash of Desire" by Charity Parkerson - Wowzer!  I LOVED this one!  Both the Hero - Tristan -  and the heroine - Riley - were perfect!  No, I don't mean perfect human beings but Ms. Parkerson did a fantastic job of creating characters that were real and oh so opposite (at least up front).  Tristan is a very sexy minister.  He cares about others and always does his best to see the good in people.  Riley has a really tough persona but I love that, despite her tough life, she is still sweet and truly cares even if she tries to hide it.   I really liked her - it bothers me when authors create a heroine that is "tough" and really turns out kind of mean.  I like strong heroines but I like them to be a bit girly too.  Tristan is dreamy!   I love how Riley would bring out the "bad boy" in him and make him think things one wouldn't think a minister would think!!  Ms. Parkerson had me chuckling at times and my heartbreaking at others.  Oh and the chemistry between the two is off the charts too!  I would definitely recommend this one - it's going on my Read Again chart immediately!

★★★★★


Dash Of Desire - Author Photo

AUTHOR BIO

Charity Parkerson is an award winning and multi-published author with Ellora's Cave Publishing, Indie Publishing House LLC, and Punk & Sissy Publications. Born with no filter from her brain to her mouth, she decided to take this odd quirk and insert it in her characters.
*Winner of 2, 2014 Readers' Favorite Awards *2014 Golden Ankh Nominee *2013 Readers' Favorite Award Winner *2013 Reviewers' Choice Award Winner *2012 ARRA Finalist for Favorite Paranormal Romance *Five-time winner of The Mistress of the Darkpath

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

Dash of Desire - Giveaway Pic


GIVEAWAY PRIZES
1 winner will receive this prize pack: 1- autographed copy of A Splash of Hope, 1-“Team Naughty” tote, 1-audio copy of The Wizard & The Wanton, 2 autographed bookmarks, 1 “Sinner” t-shirt, and 1 pack of Ellora’s Cave Cavemen playing cards.

Tour organized and hosted by buttonmfh

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

"Blind Faith" (Rebecca Zanetti) ★★★★★ NOW AVAILABLE IN PRINT!! GIVEAWAY!!


BOOK SUMMARY

A betrayal he couldn't forget . . . For Nate Dean, love is a four-letter word. As part of a secret black-ops military unit, he and his brothers were genetically engineered by the government to be ruthless soldiers with an expiration date. They were loyal only to one another . . . until Nate laid eyes on the woman who stole his heart and blew his world apart. Now, years later, his family is still paying the price for his mistake. But as time runs out, there's only one person who can save his family: the very woman Nate swore he'd never trust again.

A love she couldn't deny . . . 

The moment Audrey Madison spies Nate across a crowded ballroom, she can barely breathe. He's just as undeniably sexy as she remembers, yet there's an edge to him now that's as irresistible as it is dangerous. When he asks for her help, Audrey can't refuse. But she has secrets of her own--secrets that, if Nate ever discovers them, may cost them both their lives . . .


TBR/BUY LINKS







EXCERPT

Nate studied her, wondering how their very different childhoods had somehow brought them to the same place once again.  “Why haven’t you slept with anybody but me?”  he asked, surprising himself.
Her head jerked up.  Vulnerability flashed across her delicate face to be quickly hidden as she slid her arms into the robe and belted it around her tiny waist. “I haven’t had a lot of time, with being blown up, operated on, and then trying to commit fraud on the US Government on behalf of your sworn enemy.”  Sarcastic humor lifted her top lip, but the lightness failed to reach her eyes or flash that devastating dimple.  “Sometimes a girl just has to prioritize.”
He’d loved her sense of humor.  This one?  Not so much.  Sarcasm and fatalism didn’t fit with the person deep inside Audrey, the one she’d shoved down to survive.  “I understand why you stayed to receive medical attention.”  The commander’s medical team and facilities beat any other in the world, without question.  If anybody could have saved her leg, it would’ve been them.  “But now it’s time to go.”  As much as the thought cut through him like a blade, he didn’t trust her enough to send her to his brothers in Montana.  But he could find her safety.  “Let me help you.”
“I don’t want your help.”  Her stance widened slightly as if they faced off under high noon.
Worse yet, absolute truth lived in every word.  The woman really didn’t want his help.  A surprising hurt compressed his lungs.  “Why are you still working with him?”  he breathed out.  Could her mother’s approval mean that much to her?  After everything?

Audrey lifted her chin.  “They saved my life and gave me a second chance.  It’s the only life I’ve truly known, and I’m doing some good with the senator.”



CAT'S REVIEW

"Blind Faith" by Rebecca Zanetti.  Well, all I can say is this series keeps getting better and better!  There is suspense and action and, of course, romance and some sexy, steamy scenes.  Audrey and Nate are terrific.  I love how they interact and, despite their past, are able to move beyond it. It was nice to see that their past didn't dictate most of the story.  Nate is, of course, a super, sexy alpha Hero while Audrey, having survived her own demons in her past, is a strong heroine that will do pretty much anything for the man she loves.  If you haven't read any of this series, what are you waiting for?   Thank you, Ms. Zanetti, for another wonderful read!  (Received copy from NetGalley for honest review)


★★★★★

AUTHOR INFO
New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner - only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She is a member of RWA, has won awards for her works throughout the industry, and has a journalism degree with a poly sci emphasis from Pepperdine University as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho. 

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day-or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

WEBSITE

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GOODREADS




AND COMING SOON FROM 
REBECCA ZANETTI......


TOTAL SURRENDER by Rebecca Zanetti 
(March 31, 2015; Forever Mass Market & E-Book)
A fight he must win . . .
Piper Oliver knows she can't trust him. They warned her that the tall, dark, and sexy black-ops soldier Jory Dean would try to win her over with his steel-gray eyes and deadly charm, but she won't be conned by this man they call a traitor. All she has to do is figure out the science necessary to save his life, and she's done. Something isn't adding up, though, and she won't rest until she uncovers the truth-even if it's buried in his deep, dangerous kiss. 

A passion she can't resist . . .
Jory will do anything to reunite with and save his brothers-even kidnap the gorgeous woman who's working to deactivate the deadly chip in their spines. But the forces determined to destroy his family won't let them go so easily. Keeping Piper alive is more than he bargained for-and so is his burning desire for her. But with every second bringing him closer to certain death, can he afford to lose himself in her hot and willing embrace?



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Monday, January 26, 2015

"Hook" (K.R. Thompson) ★★★★★ with GIVEAWAY!!

Hook - Tour Banner

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – HOOK AUTHOR – K.R. Thompson GENRE – Fantasy/Fairy Tale/Adventure PUBLICATION DATE – January 1, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - 300 Pages/78,000 words
Hook Book Cover

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Archie Jameson dreamed of adventure. Today, it found him. Caught in a chilly October storm, he ducked into a tavern, hoping to escape the rain. What he found, was a room teeming with pirates. Shanghaied by the most elderly of the lot, Archie awakens to discover that he is serving on a ship captained by the fiercest pirate ever to sail the seven seas--the man known as Blackbeard. Through a series of thrilling twists, Archie finds himself captain of another of Blackbeard's ships, the Jolig Roger. In an attempt to flee danger, his ship becomes lost beneath uncharted stars and arrives at a mysterious island. Determined to save both his crew and the woman he loves, Archie will make decisions that will forever seal his fate. For in Neverland, not all is as it seems.

BUY & TBR LINKS

Pixie Dust 1

EXCERPT

The breeze picked up and was bursting insistent, frigid puffs that threatened to dislodge his hat. Archie clamped one hand on top, squishing it down around his lean face as he resolutely lengthened his stride and marched on, determined to make it home before the storm set in. He'd almost made it to the corner, to the place where he normally made the left on N. Westburl, and then a right onto 43rd, followed by a various assortment of other long deviations that would get him safely home, when a large crack of thunder shook the air. He decided that just this once he might consider taking the most direct route, albeit dangerous, foreboding, and possibly life-threatening. He stopped right on the bend of the street, uncertain for a split moment, until the next jolting crack of thunder made up his mind for him. He headed straight along Market St that followed the length of the Thames River, hoping that the seedy individuals who lurked around the pier were as mindful of the storm as he and would not cause him trouble on this particular evening, for even though he was quick-witted and could talk himself out of most troubles, sailors tended to be a harder breed of people. They were a sharp and cunning lot, and Archie did not know if he could outsmart anyone else that day and didn't wish to press his luck. He made it past the pier, hesitating just long enough to glance at the small boats tied to the dock. There were obviously people about, and so far he had been lucky enough not to encounter any of them. But one final ground-shaking crack and the tinkling sound of bells changed it all. The clouds overhead clashed and he ran for the shelter of a nearby tavern, barely escaping the torrent of rain. Archie had never been in The Captain's Keg before. He stopped just inside the door and let his eyes adjust to the dark, smoke-filled room. He realized that not only had he run into the very people he wished to avoid, but that he also had a new problem. These men weren't just sailors. He was ready to run back out and take his chances of drowning in the street, when he heard the same tinkling of bells from earlier. This time, it sounded like mocking laughter. Well. He might very well be losing his mind, but a coward he was not. He straightened to his full height—all six feet and four inches of it—and removed his crumpled hat with a flourish, tucking it under his arm. He walked proudly down the three steps that led into the heart of the tavern—to a bar, teeming with pirates. A couple of heads turned at his arrival and those who met his solemn, blue gaze were quick to drop their eyes back to their drinks. His spirits momentarily lifted, Archibald nodded to himself more than to anyone else in particular, a slight smile playing on his lips. He was holding his own. Still erring on the side of caution, he scanned the length of the bar, finding three open seats. Two were between rather burly, shifty-looking blokes with tattoos. The third seat, nearly on the end of the bar, sat betwixt an elderly gentleman with longish white sideburns, a round belly, and spectacles to match that sat precariously upon a rather bulbous nose. The gent on the other side was scrawny, his clothes in tatters, thin face in a scowl as he stared at a leaflet of paper before him. Even though he sat still, there was a nervous energy that pulsed off the small man. He gave Archibald the impression of a jittery, starving squirrel. Archibald decided his best chances lay between the old man and the squirrel and so he took his seat, nodding in a genial fashion to the old man, whose watery blue eyes barely gave him a passing glance. The squirrel didn't acknowledge his presence. "What'll it be, mate?" the barkeep asked. Archibald bit his lip to keep from laughing. Every drink in the tavern was the same yellowish liquid. Why the bald man standing behind the bar bothered to even ask such a mundane question was beyond him. Perhaps he was daydreaming again. He did do that a lot and at times it seemed real. "'Tis all ale, is it not?" "Aye, but will it be single or double ye'll be havin'?" Archibald lifted a single finger and waited for his drink. "Ye'd have much better luck with rum, I should think," the old man said quietly as he stared down into his own glass, "The ale's watered down. Not fit for a fish to drink, it isn't." One dreg out of the glass, and Archibald was quite certain the gentleman was more than right. It tasted like something poured from an old boot. Not that he regularly drank from old boots, mind you. Thank heavens he hadn't ordered twice the amount of the vile stuff. Deciding it better not to even bother asking for the rum, which most definitely hidden beneath the counter and out of sight, he tossed a couple of coins down on the scarred wooden bar, and sat looking down into the remnants of his glass, listening to the patter of rain on the tin roof. A strange thought came suddenly. For a bar filled with pirates, it was most unusual. It was rather quiet, an odd comment here or there, but otherwise there was nothing but silence. Surely they weren't all sitting around listening to the rain. Archie couldn't figure it out. But he knew one thing, these people certainly weren't living up to his expectations of the loud, fearless persons he always thought pirates to be. The squirrel on his left shifted around on his stool, staring even harder at the parchment. Sweat popped out on a face that was now a color that reminded Archie of the paper in the print shop, a colorless, pasty white. Good for paper, not for squirrels. "Well?" a low, deep voice rolled out from a dark corner and broke the silence so suddenly that it startled Archie. "Give us the news then, Harper." Ah, well now. Things may get lively yet, Archie thought, casting a quick look to the corner from where the voice rumbled. It was too dark to see the man who sat against the wall, but Archibald got a good look at the pair of worn, dark leather boots propped up on the table, and the curling wisps of cigar smoke that floated up to the rafters. "It says a r-roy, royy…" the squirrel named Harper stuttered, the paper shaking in his hands. "Ach! The man canna read it anymore than the rest o' us." A complaint hurtled from one of the tattooed blokes at the opposite end of the bar. As if he were getting more anxious, Harper tried again, his voice in a near squeak, "A royy-alll…" Archie spied the lettering, and against his better conscience, whispered just loud enough that Harper would hear, "A royal pardon is offered to those pirates who surrender on or before the fifth of September, this year of 1718." He waited as Harper relayed the message, then continued, "Being limited to crimes committed before the fifth of January. All other crimes committed after such date, will be considered for a death of hanging." Archie sensed the old man on the other side of him shuffle about, as if he were searching for something on the insides of his pockets, but Archie's attention was fixed on the squirrel he saved. Harper turned and gave him a toothless, yet thankful, smile and set to guzzling the contents of his glass as quickly as possible in an effort to calm his shaking nerves. "Well, that counts us out, lads," a dark chuckle came from the corner, "'No pardon for the likes o' us, I fear. We all be hanged." "Aye, but they must catch us first. I won't be finding me neck in a noose," a shout rang out, followed by the murmur of agreement from all the others as they lifted their glasses in salute. Feeling rather in-tune with the pirates, Archibald picked up his glass as well and toasted the luck of the now boisterous lot, draining the last contents of his glass. Some small part of his brain noted that while the ale was certainly vile before, it also became bitter the longer it sat. The bitterness left nearly as soon as he noticed it, having been replaced with a rather calming sensation. Pirates truly weren't a bad lot, he thought sleepily, just people like everyone else. They were only misunderstood. He turned to convince the elderly gentleman on his right of exactly that, when the darkness came and took over. The last thing he heard was the old man chuckle, singing softly, "Yo-ho, me mateys, yo-ho…"
***
"Careful now, lads, mind the poor lout's head, aye? He'll be having a dreadful headache come morning without any extra bumps ye'd be givin' him along the way." The voice was familiar—rather achingly so—though Archie couldn't quite seem to get his faculties in order to remember who the owner of the voice was. The few times he could open his eyes, nothing at all made sense. It all came and went in blurs with distorted figures he couldn't quite make out. The darkness came and went, so in the end, he figured it better to keep his eyes shut for the time being and try to concentrate on other things, foggy and confusing as they might seem. He thought he was being drug along the rough boards of the pier, and while that familiar voice seemed to care about the condition of his head, his legs and backside seemed to be another matter entirely of which the man cared not a whit as they bumped him along each splintering plank. Luckily, the drug slipped in his drink deadened the pain, and he only registered the faint, odd pricks and scrapes where the wood had its way with his flesh. "He's got hair like black candles, he does," a crackling voice snickered by his head. "Aye, Smee, are we taking this poor soul aboard for his long locks? Did the Cap'n order you fetch him a wifey, then?" another voice chimed in, followed by raucous laughter, and a low retort from the man named Smee that Archibald couldn't make out. "A good bit heavier than he looks," the first voice by his head huffed, "Slow ye down a bit, Murph. I'm losin' my grip. Oh drat, there he goes!" And those were the last words Archibald ever heard on the shores of bonnie England as his head hit the pier and the darkness crept over him once again.


CAT'S REVIEW

Wow!! "Hook" by K.R. Thompson.  I was so pleasantly surprised by this one.  I signed on to review it, not really sure what to expect and, to be honest, not sure if I'd like it - after all, it's a story about Peter Pan...or so I thought!.   Ms. Thompson does an excellent job of creating the world of Neverland.  Her descriptions and details make the reader believe they are there!  There is action and adventure and plot twists along the way - never once did I feel the story was slow or boring.  Living the story from the Jolig Roger's Captain's POV is a new take on this - certainly I will never read or look at Peter Pan the same way again!  This one is going on my Read Again shelf, no doubt.  I look forward to enjoying this one over and over.   Thank you, Ms. Thompson, for such a wonderful story.   (Received copy for honest review)


★★★★★


Hook - Teaser 2

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AUTHOR BIO

K.R. Thompson lives in southwest Virginia with her husband, son, three cats, and an undeterminable amount of chickens.
An avid reader and firm believer in magic, she spends her nights either reading an adventure or writing one.
She still watches for evidence of Bigfoot in the mud of Wolf Creek.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

Hook - Teaser 1

GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon Giftcard
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