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Series: The Request #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 6/25/14
Hosted by: Wordsmith Publicity
Roman
Smith ~ Shopkeeper by day. Assassin by night.
The
undercover Russian contract killer has never turned down an assignment that
rids the world of scum. But this … request is the first time his conscience
gets the best of him.
Only,
he has a good reason—Everly Andrews, the woman who saved him from dying and has
no clue who or what he really is. There’s nothing Roman won’t do to keep Everly
in the dark, even if it means losing her in the process.
The Request is a three-part series,
releasing every month, perfect for the summer!
Part
One: The Request – Releases June 25, 2014
Part
Two: The Deception – Releases July 30, 2014
Part
Three: The Confession – Releases August 27, 2014
Links
What a way to start out a serial huh? Oh wait...you haven't read it yet have you? Then you need to remedy that shit pronto! Valentine, to me, is the queen of the novella. This woman can write the shit out of a short story that will first hook you into her world, second make you fall in love with the characters and third leave you wanting more of everything you just experienced. Luckily for us we get two more installments in The Request serials before she's through with us.
Roman Smith (if that's his real name *wink* shh) is just your everyday average bookshop owner. And if you believe that I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you! HEY-O! All joking aside though Roman is one of the most lethal and well known hit men in the business. With the shop set up as a front for his actual business he is able to hide amongst us mere mortals until Everly walks in and blows his careful facade to hell. Now that he's got an actual customer he has to start keeping up appearances and the closer they get and the deeper the attraction the more of a target is painted on their backs. Roman and Everly were absolutely odd together but Valentine has a way of making odd couples work out so well. Roman is the gruff and stoic hit man and Everly helps elderly women sell trinkets and doilies on Ebay. They are so far apart on the compatible spectrum you'd need a bus pass to unite them but even with their differences they find something sweet but dangerous in each other.
What I liked about Roman was, he had the ability to be very manly and vicious in his job but when he was around Everly he was a complete softy. He wasn't so soft that you would mistake him for a female but he had a more tender side that every woman craves to see in their man. Soft yet strong with the ability to still hoist you against a wall? Sign me up! Everly was a great match for someone like Roman. She brought more beauty into his sometimes ugly existence with her quirky charm. She's a good girl who only sees the best in others and her bubbly personality rubs off on everyone she meets. Everly was the kind of woman who saw someone else in pain and did whatever she could to make it better. Which came in handy for when Roman had a bit of vengeance come calling for a past job he did. I love that Roman tried to stay away from her but in the end couldn't help himself.
The underlying sensuality of the story was probably my favorite part. Not so much the sex scenes but the unintentional sexuality in ordinary things that shouldn't have been a turn on. For instances a scene when Roman has to take out a female mark and feigns seduction to lure her to him. Even though it wasn't intended to be sexy it absolutely was and that's what I love about Valentine's writing. When you least expect it she manages to make your pulse race and your heart pound with anticipation. The Request was a great set up with a saucy romance and lots of danger sure to come if the end is any indication.
Excerpt:
“Hurting you is the last thing I want to do. I might as well cut off my hand or cut out my heart... you are undeserving of such pain.” My façade is fading. The rhythm of my speech falling into a more familiar cadence.
Everly’s hand wraps around my wrist, gently tugging. I allow her to pull my hand away. I close my eyes and lift away from her slightly. She lets go of me, but doesn’t move from her spot.
Cool air brushes my chest and I open my eyes, glancing down to see her small hands working on the buttons of my shirt.
“What are you doing?” I ask, though I know the answer. Or at least, I think I know the answer.
“Getting you out of these wet clothes.”
“My jacket is in the way.”
“Then take it off.” She leans forward, pressing a kiss to my chest, and I cup the back of her head.
“Don’t—”
“Stop pushing me away.” She grazes her teeth over a nipple, and I bite back a curse.
“You didn’t let me finish,” I say, hooking a finger under her chin and forcing her gaze to mine. “Don’t. Stop.”
“My sweater’s still wet, too.” Then she goes back to pressing tiny kisses on my chest. I dig my fingers into her dark hair, taking out the pins holding it in place. Silky curls fall down and around her, like a curtain. I can’t see what she’s doing but bloody fucking hell, I can feel it.
I can feel her.
The hairpins fall to the floor, nearly silent plinks. I shrug out of my jacket, carefully concealing my gun in it as I ball the material up and toss it beside me. My fingers find the hem of her sweater and slowly edge it up. I’ve been waiting for this moment and want to take my time.
Giveaway:
5- The Request, Part One (ebooks)
About Marquita Valentine:
New
York Times Bestselling Author, Marquita Valentine, writes sexy heroes that make
you swoon and sassy heroines that make you laugh. She’s the author of the
bestselling contemporary romance series, Holland Springs, and the new adult
romance series, Boys of the South.
Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at
Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her
single friends in search of a good man—and if that doesn't work, they can
console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a
very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children.
