Blitz Tour: Impulse Control by Amanda Usen
Impulse Control
by
Amanda Usen
Synopsis
Survivalist Russ
Donovan is the toughest man in America, with a reality TV show to
prove it. Now he’s been strong-armed into filming a new show with
dainty lifestyle expert Susannah Stone. But while “At Home in the
Wild” could mean millions for his family’s charity, Russ plans to
put Little Susie Homemaker to the test—in the Adirondack Mountains
in the dead of winter. And there's no way she'll be able to hack
it...
Susannah is tougher
than she looks. She's had to fight her way through life, and there's
no way she'll let a bossy mountain man show her up. When she gets him
on her turf, he’s in serious trouble. But now she's run into a bit
of problem. Because no one—least of all Russ and Susannah—expects
sparks to fly both on camera and off. And now everyone will see their
risqué rivalry break all of the rules...
Aries (March
21-April 19): Impulsive Aries, haven't you learned your lesson yet?
Your list of regrets is almost as long as your list of
accomplishments, but you still ram your way to the top of every
mountain. It's part of your charm, I guess, but do me a favor: stop
blaming yourself. Don't let the past rule your future. You're not
perfect, even if you think you are. Your life is in front
of you. Romance is highlighted!
Pull your head out, man!
Welcome to the
IMPULSE CONTROL release blitz! I'm thrilled to introduce Book One of
the Men Of The Zodiac Series for Entangled Indulgence. Russ Donovan
is an Aries, and he embodies all the best—and worst—traits of the
sign. He's a survivalist, a former Green Beret, twice-voted the
toughest man alive, but a past mistake is eating him up inside. He
honored his younger brother's dying request: to check him out of the
hospital and take him on the trip of a lifetime. But after his
brother's death, guilt drives Russ all over the world in search of
new—and dangerous—adventures. Here's the scoop on why Russ pushes
himself so hard and the origin story for his tattoo, the unifying
characteristic that links the heroes of the Men Of The Zodiac Series.
“I
want to see your tattoo,” she blurted out. “If I’ve only got a
few more seconds to get what I want, then I want to see your tattoo.
And touch it,” she added.
He
rolled to the side, depositing her beside him. “You can see and
touch anything you want, sweetheart. I told you I’m all yours, but
if you think this is about me getting what I want, you are dead
wrong. This isn’t about me at all, so you keep those requests
coming. I am completely open to suggestions.” He tucked a strand of
hair behind her ear and then slowly rolled. His big frame took up so
much of the sleeping bag that he had to take it a few inches at a
time before his back was to her.
She
held her breath to stifle a gasp. The intriguing flashes she’d
caught on the TV screen had hinted at how amazing it might be, but
she was still stunned. Air hissed out of her lungs as she reached to
trace the edge of one spiraling horn. The ram’s head was
superimposed on a burning mountaintop. Flames twined through the
shaggy hair and licked the edges of the horns. Its eyes were furious,
fierce, and determined, much like the gaze of the man looking over
his shoulder at her. The intricate and mesmerizing design made it
hard to tell whether the beast had conquered the mountain and set it
on fire or if it had been born from the flames.
She
pressed her palm to his back, imagining she could feel the heat.
“There’s got to be a story here.”
The
design rippled, seeming to move as he chuckled. “There was alcohol
involved when the decision was made, but I was stone-cold sober by
the time it was done. It took hours.”
“I
can imagine.” The tattoo covered half his back. “Did it hurt?”
“Not
the tattoo. My little brother and I were in New Orleans, doing the
things guys do in one of the craziest towns in the world. Lance was
an adventurer, always looking for the next challenge. He was
fearless.”
His use
of the past tense made her heart thud. “Was?” she asked softly.
“He
died the year I started doing In
the Wild.
Leukemia. It was fast. God, it was so fast. The first treatment
didn’t go well. If he wanted to ravage his body with drugs and
radiation, he might have gotten a few more months. He chose to travel
instead.”
“Let
me guess—New Orleans was on the itinerary?”
“Exactly.
He wanted to do everything on his bucket list, starting with Mardi
Gras. Getting a tattoo was farther down the list, but we started
talking to a woman in a Bourbon Street bar, and when Lance found out
she was a traveling tattoo artist, that was it. We got inked.”
“You
certainly did.” She traced the spiral of each horn. “Why a ram?”
“I
left it up to them. I didn’t care what went on my back, I just
wanted to spend time with my brother and have a connection to him
forever, you know?” His voice thickened. “But I’m glad he chose
something I could live with. Don’t laugh, but it’s my zodiac
sign. I’m an Aries, a fire sign—hence the ram and the flames.”
“And
the mountain?”
He
turned away. “Lance wasn’t going to be climbing any more
mountains with me, so I promised I’d keep climbing for him. Maybe
Everest someday.”
Seriously,
Aries? Mount Everest? Have you been listening at all? You better hope
she thinks you're worth it, because your stubborn ass is going to
cause a lot of trouble. And heartache. Not just for her, either. You
are in for it, buddy. Climbing Everest is a picnic compared to what
lies ahead of you. You'll need every ounce of your courage and
confidence to face your greatest challenge: getting over yourself.
Hush,
Destiny! Give him a chance! Russ is stubborn, but he's not stupid.
That's how I like my heroes. As you know...I'm an Aries, too. We ram
our way to the top of the mountain or go down in flames trying. We
fight fire with fire. We make love AND war. Life with an Aries isn't
easy, but it's always an adventure! And the makeup sex is topnotch.
;-)
About
Amanda
Amanda
Usen knows two things for certain: chocolate cheesecake is good for
breakfast, and a hot chef can steal your heart. Her husband stole
hers the first day of class at the Culinary Institute of America.
They live in Western New York with their three children, one gerbil,
four fish, a tortoise, and a beagle. Amanda spends her days teaching
pastry arts classes and her nights writing sexy contemporary romance.
If she isn’t baking or writing, she can usually be found reading a
book and trying to get out of cooking dinner.
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Another great excerpt! Thanks
ReplyDeleteIt does sound good, doesn't it!
DeleteThanks for the spotlight! This sounds great!
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