Blog Blitz Bonanza – Savage Passion

Today, I’m participating in a blog blitz bonanza book launch for the intriguing story Savage Passion by author Ember Sparks. This bonanza hosted by Xpresso Book Tours includes a giveaway so be sure to participate. Keep reading to find out about this new book release.

Book and Author Details

Book Title: Savage Passion (Savage Bloods MC, #1)

Genre: Adult contemporary motorcycle club romance 

Content Warnings: Violence / death / sexual situations

Author: Ember Sparks

ASIN:  B0CQH327Y4

Release Date: March 15, 2024

Synopsis

He’s been given a second chance…
Steven “Slade” Graham, Vice President of The Savage Bloods MC, just got a full pardon after spending seven years in prison. Only, he has no idea who got him out. Or why. And then he comes face to face with the one man he hasn’t seen in years: Harland Carter—president of The Savage Bloods and Steven’s former best friend. Turns out, Harland needs Steven’s help, and it’s a matter of life or death.

She vowed to never get involved…
Since the death of her twin brother and the creation of The Savage Bloods MC, Cassandra “Cassie” Carter swore she’d never have anything to do with that club—or her brother. And definitely not the man who took her virginity and then left her for said club. But then Steven crashes back into her life, and everything comes crumbling down around her.

She’s the target…
A madman intent on seeking revenge against The Savage Bloods MC club has his sights set on Cassie. Now, she has no choice but to get involved with the club and entrust her safety to them. To make matters worse, Steven isn’t just protecting her life, he’s stealing her heart. Again. And if she can’t trust him, she’ll end up dead.

Get your copy here and check it out on Goodreads.

Excerpt #1: (343 words, Chapter 2) 

Cassie…

Leaning against the bar is a man. A very sexy, very muscular, very dangerous looking man. Dark, shoulder length hair. Icy blue eyes. Jeans with a bulging crotch. Black T-shirt that stretches deliciously across his shoulders and chest. My heart races at the sight of him, but more so because he’s staring right at me. 

But then I notice he’s also wearing a goddman kutte covered with the Savage Bloods insignia. Because of course he’s part of the club. A beer bottle is pinched between his fingers, and he’s standing there like he owns this place. Cocky arrogance radiates off him, and he clearly owns that. He’s 100 percent pure male. Pure trouble. And one million percent not my type of guy. 

Yet, I can’t seem to stop staring at him. He’s everything Ryan isn’t, and that excites me in a way I don’t like. I don’t look away, and neither does he. There’s something familiar about him, though, and I narrow my eyes, studying him. Do I know him? That wouldn’t be so far-fetched considering I’ve met everyone in the Savage Bloods at least once before. Still, something nags at the back of my mind.

“He’s staring at you,” Becca shouts over the music, jerking me from my thoughts. “You should go talk to him.”

“No.” I shake my head. 

Turning away from his heated stare, I focus on dancing with Becca, but I can feel his gaze on me, feel the way he’s undressing me with his eyes, devouring me. 

Maybe Becca’s right. Maybe I need to take the plunge and go talk to him. Doing so will certainly get my mind off Ryan. But damn… I’m not sure I can handle a guy like that. He’s so hard and rough and a tad scary. Not to mention, he’s part of the club, and I swore never to get involved with that life. Just because I’m nursing a broken heart doesn’t mean I need to go catch a raging case of the stupids. 

And that man could make any woman stupid. 

Excerpt #2 (343 words, Chapter 3)

Slade…

I lean against the wall outside the bathroom and wait. 

When she emerges a few moments later, she gives me another dirty look and shakes her head. “Don’t you have a cat to go play with?” 

I let out a surprised laugh and fall into step beside her as she marches back toward the bar. “I’m sure there are plenty of cats I can stroke tonight, but I much prefer to play with one who hasn’t been declawed.” I wiggle my eyebrows so she knows I’m talking about her.

“Good luck finding one of those around here,” she tosses over her shoulder before leaning across the bar and flagging the bartender. 

Blitz, the manager of The Savage Cat comes over, nods at me, then grins at Cassie. “Back for more already?” He winks at her, and I see red. 

“Yeah, well, big and stupid here”—she hooks her thumb in my direction—“has no concept of personal space and spilled my last one.”

Blitz’s eyes widen, and his gaze darts from me to her. I simply shrug, enjoying Cassie’s spunk way too much. If anyone else spoke to me or about me like this, and I’d have put them in their place already. But Cassandra Carter is not the type of woman you tame. Not unless you want to lose your manhood in the process. 

“I’ll take a bottle of Bud Light, please,” she says. “And put this one on Slade’s tab, will ya?” She turns her big brown eyes in my direction, bats her long, dark lashes, and smiles sweetly. 

That alone is enough to shred what little self-control I’m clinging to, but hearing her use my road name… I bite back a groan. For as long as I’ve known Cassie, I’ve always been Steven to her, so for her to call me Slade—even though I know she’s being snarky—sends a shiver down my spine. 

I have no idea what her current situation is, or what she’s been doing the past several years, or why Hothead declared her off-limits, but I’m going to find out. And then I’m going to make Cassie my ole’ lady. And I’ll enjoy every sweet second of the fight I know she’ll put up. 

Excerpt #3: (458 words, Chapter 9) 

Slade…

“I’m just going to cut to the chase. My sister’s in trouble.” Hothead rests his hands on the table, leans slightly forward, and hangs his head for a moment before glancing up. When he does, his eyes are dark and deadly, his expression hard. 

I remember that look—it’s the same one he wore when we tried and failed to save Caleb. “What kind of trouble?” I ask. 

“The kind that’s going to get her killed,” he says, straightening.

“No shit,” I snap. “Think you can spell it out for me?”

Hothead nods. “Slacker’s going to do exactly that, but first, let’s get you up to speed on a few things around here.” He yanks out his chair and sits. 

I lean back in my seat and wait for whatever load of crap he’s about to dump on me. 

“When we walked away from the military after Caleb’s death, I figured that was it. We built this club, and we were done.” He folds his arms on the table, hands clasped in front of him as if in prayer. “Then all that shit went down at the bar with you and Jeff.”

I narrow my eyes, jaw clenched. Jeff’s a strictly off-limits topic with me, and Hothead knows that. Is he looking to get punched in the face?

“A few years into your sentence, Danny Malone from Spec Ops Command approached me. He introduced me to his brother, Ethan Malone, who suggested we form a partnership. The Savage Bloods work various jobs for them that they can’t hand over to the US military. Real deep undercover, dangerous shit. Worse than we saw while in the SEALs. And in exchange, they keep the heat off us.” He raises a brow and pins me with a knowing stare.

In addition to the local, legal businesses the Savage Bloods own and operate, we also have our hands in some not-so-legal ventures. Mostly weed, and occasionally, gun running. 

“So what you’re telling me is that this club is now the government’s bitch?” I lean forward, my posture menacing. “They say jump and we ask how fucking high?”

“Of course not,” Hothead says. “But we do occasionally take a job here or there. They pay extremely well, and if not for this agreement we have, you’d still be sitting in a tiny cell, alone, sipping your toilet wine, and jacking off.” 

Slacker stifles a laugh, and I whip around to glare at him. He fakes a couch and stares down at the table.  

“I’ll be sure to send them a thank you note.” I furrow my brow, slump back in my chair, and cross my arms. “Now, what the fuck does any of this have to do with your sister? And my pardon?”

Excerpt #4: (523 words, Chapter 13) 

Cassie…

I pace at the foot of the bed, my gaze continually snagging on Slade’s duffel bag. He’s really dead-set on staying in here with me—even though I don’t want him to. I realize, though, that this isn’t a fight I’m going to win. Doesn’t mean I have to like his decision. Then again, if he’s in here with me, he won’t be with Kendra. Or any other willing woman. 

Thinking about what he said earlier has fresh anger rolling through me, and I hate that I’m having this reaction. Who cares if he hooks up with another woman? I sure as shit don’t care. I mean, I literally caught him with his dick in some woman’s mouth. That didn’t bother me. Not then, and not now. 

Yeah, right, I snort. I loathe the thought of Slade with any other woman. Not that I want him for myself—I don’t—but I don’t want him flaunting his sexual escapades in my face, either. He’s here to protect me, not hook up with women. 

I stop pacing at glare at the closed bedroom door, as if willing him to come sauntering in. But he doesn’t. And I know he isn’t going to. At least, not any time soon. I haven’t spoken to him since his outburst, and now he’s giving me the silent treatment, too.

“This is ridiculous,” I mumble and yank open the door. 

And come face-to-face with Slade. 

He’s naked save for the towel wrapped around his waist. His skin glistens with moisture, and his hair is wet and slicked back from a recent shower. I can’t stop my gaze from traveling the length of his body—over his muscular arms, through the maze of tattoos covering his biceps and chest, down his perfectly-sculpted abs, across his hips and lower, my eyes following the trail of dark hair that disappears beneath the towel. 

My pulse races, my cheeks burn with heat, and desire pools between my thighs. Slowly, I drag my gaze back up his torso to his face and am met with the most intense, darkest eyes I’ve ever seen. His expression is feral with hunger, his want for me undeniable. 

I swallow hard, unable to speak or move. Hell, I can’t even tear my gaze from his. I’m not sure I want to. No one has ever looked at me like he is right now. I want to stay suspended in this moment, to drown in the lust that’s pouring off him. 

But stupidly, all I can think about is how he’s right. How Ryan bores me to tears. How the sex with him, while semi-satisfying, isn’t exciting. It’s always the same, and I crave something more. Something harder and darker. Something I know Slade can give me.

“Cassie,” he says, his voice a deep rumble, thick with need that rivals my own. “Either move out of my way, or I’m going to move you. And if I have to move you, it will be to throw your ass on that bed and bury my face between your legs.” He crosses his arms, causing his muscles to bulge. “Your choice.”

Excerpt #5: (601 words, Chapter 20) 

Cassie…

I sneak a glance at Slade. His jaw is clenched, and he’s grasping the whiskey bottle so tight I worry he might shatter the glass with his bare hands. 

“He hates the house that I love, so I bought it on my own,” I say with a certain sense of pride. “He keeps promising to marry me—just as soon as we’re financially stable, but we’ve been stable for years now.” I huff. The more I talk about this, the angrier I get, all my emotions bubbling to the surface. 

“Sounds like an idiot,” Slade says, taking another long swig. 

I ignore his comment, though I can’t deny he’s kinda right. Not that I truly believe Ryan is an idiot—he’s actually very smart—but for some reason, he’s not willing to commit to me, and I have no idea why. 

“Let me guess.” Slade holds the whiskey out to me, and I take it. “He doesn’t want to have kids until you’re married?”

I take several swallows of whiskey, mostly so I don’t have to answer right away. The entire topic of having kids is a very sensitive subject to me, and Ryan’s betrayal in this matter still stings worse than anything. 

“He decided he doesn’t want to have kids at all. Ever.” I take another drink. My face is warm, and my limbs tingle with a strong buzz. “He had a vasectomy about a year ago and never told me. Until recently. And that’s when I ended things.”

“Shit,” Slade mumbles. 

“Guess if I want the husband and white picket fence, I have to give up the kids.” I shrug and tip the bottle against my lips again.

“Save me some, you lush.” Slade nudges my shoulder with his, then snatches the bottle from my hand. But he doesn’t drink like I expect him to. Instead, he leans forward, sets the nearly empty bottle on the coffee table, and then tilts his head. “C’mere.” His voice is deep and rough, and the sound grates my senses in the most delicious way. 

I can’t deny him even if I want to, and I don’t. Right now, I want him. I want his hands on my body. His lips on mine. I crave his attention. I need to know that I’m wanted—even if this is only a temporary thing. At least for the time being, someone desires me. 

I climb onto his lap, straddling him, my nightshirt riding up my thighs. The instant I lower myself, I can feel his erection. Knowing he’s always so hard and ready is a rush, and for now, I let that power go to my head. He wants me, and I want him, and right now, that’s enough.

Slade takes my face into his hands and holds my gaze. I fully expect him to pull me closer, to kiss me, but he doesn’t. He simply stares into my eyes, his expression intense. I lick my lips, and his eyes narrow. 

“Don’t you dare sacrifice what you want for someone like Ryan the accountant,” he says. “You deserve better than that, Cassie. You deserve someone who will give you everything you want, who will move the fucking world for you.” 

He caresses my cheeks with his thumbs, the gesture so unlike every other time he’s touched me. This is soft and loving whereas everything prior has been rough and dominant.

My breath catches. “I don’t know anyone like that,” I whisper, my heart thudding erratically. 

“Sure you do,” he says, and in those three words, he says everything and nothing all at the same time. 

Excerpt #6: (524 words, Chapter 29) 

Slade…

“Shit.” I very reluctantly set Cassie back on her feet and press the button on my earpiece so I can talk. “Did you get the fucker?”

“No,” Hothead says, his tone venomous. “But he offed his partner. Got another stiff to dispose of.”

I keep my face expressionless so as not to alarm Cassie. “Now what?”

“The team is headed back to the main house so we can regroup. Stay put until I come get you.” 

I take a deep breath. How the fuck does this guy keep getting past us? I suppose if he has help, that makes it easier for him to keep tabs on us, which means he can stay one step ahead of us. 

“Slade?” Cassie asks, her voice trembling. “What’s going on?”

“Your brother and the rest of the team is coming back to the house,” I say, not really wanting to give her all the details. She’s already been through so much, and I’m not sure how much more she can take before she breaks.

“Is it over?” She hugs herself and stares up at me, her gaze pained yet hopeful.

I shake my head.

She visibly swallows and nods, and I can physically see her shutting down—exactly like she did the day she found out her twin brother was dead. I want to make this asshole suffer for what he’s put Cassie through. She’s lost too much. 

“I’m sorry,” I say. 

“This isn’t your fault.” She flops back down on the couch, arms still wrapped tightly around herself. 

Before I can say anything else—not that I have any clue what to say—the panic room door clicks and swishes open. Hothead and the rest of the team walks in, Mandi included. Her face is pale, and she looks as horrified as Cassie. 

“Are you okay?” Hothead asks, moving straight for his sister.

“Not even a little bit,” she says with a bitter, tear-filled laugh. “I just want this to be over.” 

“I know.” Hothead frowns and rubs the back of his neck. 

“How the hell did you lose this guy again?” I ask. I stand near the couch, as close to Cassie as I can get without actually sitting down, and cross my arms over my chest. 

“That seems to be the question of the day,” Hothead says. “We found the rifle he used to shoot—” He abruptly stops and grimaces, but Cassie doesn’t seem to notice. “Found shoe prints leading away, but no sign of him. His partner is now out of the picture, though.”

“I wanted to kill this bastard before for all he’s done, but now I really want to kill him for making us chase him,” Tank says, his dark eyebrows pulled down in a scowl. 

“Yeah, God forbid you get any exercise,” Slacker says.

“Do I look like I need to fucking exercise?” Tank waves his hands down the length of his body. He’s easily the biggest brother in the club, equal parts beer gut and solid muscle. Most people know better than to start shit with him, but Slacker seems to have been born without a brain-to-mouth filter.

Author Bio

Ember Sparks is a passionate steamy romance author who draws inspiration from personal experiences and the world around her. Her stories are full of heat, love, and the unlikely connections that form between people. As a writer, Ember uses her vivid imagination to transport readers to new worlds and leave them wanting more.

With a fiery passion for storytelling, Ember’s writing style is designed to inspire readers and show them that joy, love, and passion can be found even in the most challenging times. Through her work, she encourages others to find their own escape, whether it’s through writing, reading, or embracing life to the fullest.

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Grab Book 1 in the Savage Bloods MC for free! View more on Goodreads.

Savage Bloods MC: The Beginning 

(Savage Bloods MC, #0.5 Prequel)

Book Title: Savage Bloods MC: The Beginning (Savage Bloods MC, #0.5)

Genre: Adult contemporary motorcycle club romance 

Content Warnings: Violence / death / sexual situations

Author: Ember Sparks

ASIN:  B0CQH4CJX2

Release Date: December 15, 2023

Blurb: 

A simple rescue mission ends in death…
The mission was simple—get in, rescue Caleb, and get out. But things go horribly wrong when the team is ambushed. Now, Caleb’s dead, several team members are injured, and no one knows what the hell happened. And now, Harland Carter needs to go home and tell his parents and sister that Caleb is never coming home.

She blames them…
Cassandra “Cassie” Carter blames her older brother, Harland, and their lifelong best friend, Steven Graham for not saving Caleb. Now, she’s left in a pit of grief that she’s not sure she’ll ever crawl out of. To make matters worse, Harland and Steven have the ridiculous idea to start a motorcycle club in Caleb’s honor.

The Savage Bloods are born…
Terrified of what this club means for her brother—and Steven, the man she’s secretly loved for years—Cassie begs them not to go through with creating the club. But they have their minds made up, and there’s nothing she can do to stop them. The Savage Bloods Motorcycle Club is born, and with it, Cassie loses everything and everyone she’s ever cared about.

Excerpt: (994 words, Chapter 2) 

Slade…

“Harland… what’s going on?” Cassie asks. “You’re scaring me. Where’s Caleb?”

“Yeah,” his father says. “You did just get home from a rescue mission, right?”

Slowly, almost as if he’s being tortured, Harland lifts his head. “Yes, and we failed.” His voice catches, but he doesn’t stop. “I’m so sorry. Caleb’s dead.”

His mother gasps, and his father wraps his arm around her shoulders, turning her against him. She sobs. 

“You’re lying.” Cassie stands, her hands balled into fists by her sides. “He’s not dead. He’s not.” She shakes her head.

Harland pushes to his feet and takes a step toward Cassie. She shakes her head even harder and holds up her hand to stop him. He freezes. 

“I’m sorry, Cassie. I swear to you, I did everything in my power to save him.” The sheen of tears glistens in Harland’s eyes. 

“No. He can’t be dead.” Cassie’s bottom lip trembles, and tears spill down her cheeks.

I have to force in a lungful of air, and I flex my hands. I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms and comfort her the way her father is comforting her mother, but I suddenly feel like an outsider, peeping on a private moment that I have no business witnessing. 

“Cassie, I—”

“No!” she screams and then darts around Harland. She’s out the front door before I can register what she’s doing. 

Harland moves to go after her, and I stop him with a firm hand to his chest. “I got her. You stay here.” I nod at his parents.

He turns back to his parents without another word, and I walk outside. Truthfully, I need the fresh air. Even from the front porch, I can hear Mrs. Carter’s sobs, and the sound rips my heart to shreds. 

But the sight of Cassie on the ground, rocking forward, face buried in her hands, wailing is my undoing. I stride toward her, kneel down, and wrap her in my arms. She buries her face against my chest and cries even harder, which I’m not sure how that’s possible. But she does. And I let her. 

I don’t know how long we’re out here, but when she finally eases back, her face is red and splotchy, her cheeks are streaked with mascara, and my shirt is wet from her tears. 

“He can’t be gone.” She hiccups. 

I frown, wishing I could say something to make this better for her. I can’t bring the dead back to life, though, and no amount of stupid platitudes is going to make any of this okay. 

“Did he suffer?” she whispers, staring up at me. 

“No,” I lie. 

She nods and hugs herself. She tucks her bottom lip between her teeth, and I can tell she’s trying not to cry anymore, but she’s quickly losing the battle. She’s much too strong for her own good. 

I reach for her again and drag her back into my arms. She doesn’t resist. “Let it out, Cassie.” 

She clings to me, her body shaking with grief. I can’t stop the tears from pooling in my eyes. Caleb was just as much a brother to me as he was to Cassie and Harland. Maybe not by blood, but I loved him like he was. 

Several moments later, Harland steps outside. His hands are once again shoved into his pockets. His hair sticks up in all directions, and he looks exhausted. His gaze meets mine, and I give a quick nod. His shoulders slump, and he slowly makes his way toward us. 

“Cassie?” He gently touches her back. 

She stiffens in my arms. “I need to know what happened.” She sniffles and sits back so she can see me and Harland. “I need you to tell me everything, Harland.”

The sheer terror that washes over Harland’s face has my gut clenching. Technically, we weren’t supposed to even tell her or their parents that we were going on a rescue mission—for this exact reason. But Harland had wanted to ease his parents’ worry, and so he’d broken protocol to tell them. 

“I can’t,” Harland says. “I’m sorry, Cassie.”

She scrambles to her feet, sadness morphing into anger. “This is your fault!” She pokes him in the chest. “You were supposed to watch out for him. Protect him.” She chokes out a sob. “You promised me.”

I get to my feet, ready to jump in to play mediator when she turns on me. Her anger is palpable, and I brace myself. 

“This is on you, too, Steven,” she snaps, her tone vehement. “Caleb did whatever you two wanted him to do, and now he’s dead. Because of you!” 

Before either of us can respond, she spins on her heel and runs back inside, slamming the door hard enough to make me flinch. I clasp my hand on Harland’s shoulder to still his movements. One look at his face, and I know Cassie’s words hit their mark. Harland already blamed himself for not saving Caleb, and now his own sister is blaming him, too. 

“Give her some time,” I say, though I’m not sure all the time in the world will be enough for her to grieve the loss of her twin brother. 

“I can’t do this.” Harland shakes his head, climbs onto his bike, and takes off, dirt and gravel flying up around his tires. 

I stand there, heartbroken. Angry. Confused. I have no idea if I should take my own advice and leave Cassie alone or if I should go check on her. Eventually, I decide to leave her alone. She and her parents need time to process and grieve, and they don’t need me in the way. 

I mount my bike and leave. I have no idea where I’m going, and I don’t need to have a destination. Right now, I just need the wind in my face and the open road ahead of me. I can figure out the rest later. 

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Check out my other book reviews and my participation in blog blitz promotions through Xpresso Book Tours.

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• The Space Between Us – blitz tour
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