Blog Tour : Hope Restrained (The Estate, #2) by M.S. Willis

Hope Restrained

The Estate, #2

by M.S. Willis

Release Date: January 30th, 2014

Purchase At: Amazon U.S. | Amazon UK | B & N

Blog Tour Hosted by: Stephanie's Book Reports

Source: Author

eArc received for review

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis:

She was meant to be his assassin
A forced player in a rivalry within The Estate
Yet her loyalty was to no person but herself
When Hope is taken captive by Xander Black
She becomes the one thing that can ensure Aaron’s reign

Raised within a rival crime network, Hope Delacroix wanted nothing to do with The Estate. A fierce warrior, Hope is given no choice but to kill Aaron Carmichael. Caught in her attempt, Hope is captured by Aaron’s top guard in an effort to discover who sent her.

Ever loyal and protective, Xander Black’s sole objective is to defend Aaron and Maddy. Willing to do whatever is necessary, Xander gives in to darkness in order to force information out of Hope.

As Xander enslaves Hope to break her down completely, he learns that in the two years since Joseph Carmichael’s death, dissension still exists within The Estate.

“I find it ironic that your name is Hope…especially considering that you have none.” 
~ Xander Black

The Estate Series

Joseph Fallen (The Estate, #0.5)

Goodreads

Amazon | Amazon UK |B & N 

Madeleine, Abducted (The Estate, #1)

Goodreads | Review

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B & N | Kobo

Excerpt:

He smiled, his voice booming when he responded,  "You’re an assassin.  That much is obvious!"  Reaching up, he rubbed at his jaw where she'd hit him. "No woman hits like that and hasn't been trained."

A humorless laugh broke free of her throat.  "Growing up in the shadow of The Estate is enough incentive for all women to be trained.  Do you think nobody knows what goes on here? We notice the disappearance of our families, our friends.  We can smell the bodies as they're burned."

He smiled.  "You've done your homework.  Congratulations.”  Mockery weighed down his last word.  He paused, his eyes twinkling as they moved over her.  The timbre of his voice deepened when he calmly stated, “I can promise you, I will discover who you are, and while I'm at it, I'll also discover who the fuck sent you.  If you make my life easier by giving up the information now, I'll make sure you are no longer breathing when you become one of those burning bodies."


She was amused by his threat.  "You can set me on fire right here, big guy, and end this bullshit game right now."  She winked.  "I'll never tell you a fucking thing."

My Review:

Wow! *Ahem* I am speechless ...

I read Madeleine Abducted a few months ago and I still can't forget about it! I still can remember the book hangover I got once I was done reading it. That book intoxicated me! Dark Romance is not my usual genre. I decided to give it a try a few months ago and I am so happy to say that I found authors that caught my attention with their fascinating writing style. M.S. Willis is one of them. I read her Estate Series and Because of Ellison. Two totally different genres that have captivated me. Because of Ellison made me cry, laugh and swoon. No sign of twisted darkness at all, but with this book ...  Hope Restrained was so dark and twisted that it shook my foundation to the core! Needless to say that I read my favorite ''fluffy'' read after I finished reading Hope Restrained. I needed hearts, flowers and all that jazz!

**Warning**

This book is not for the faint of heart. Some scenes in the book are very graphic and they will linger with you even after you finish reading the book.

This is the second installment of The Estate Series. In Hope Restrained we follow Xander Black and Hope Delacroix. Two people with a tragic past who have been surrounded by darkness since a young age. Xander is Aaron Carmichael's right hand man and best friend. Hope Delacroix is the best female assassin you can find. When her sister, Honor, is abducted she rushes towards the Estate to go save her. She knows exactly what people from The Estate are capable of. She will do whatever it takes to save her sister and bring her back home. When she is ordered to kill Aaron Carmichael in exchange for her sister's freedom, Hope knows what she has to do to accomplish her mission. What she never expected was to fall into the arms of  dark and mysterious Xander Black. He provokes her like no other man ever did. She stands confident and strong even after the humiliations he puts her through. Xander is determined to protect Aaron and Madeleine at any cost. When Hope refuses to tell him who sent her to kill Aaron, he steps into the darkness and will stop at nothing to find out who wants Aaron dead. Even if it means breaking the strong and confident female warrior that stands in front of him.

M.S. Willis has exceeded all my expectations!  She created another couple that is perfect for each other. A couple that needed each other to survive the cruelty that surrounds them. I have to admit that Xander was nothing like I expected him to be. He was even better! Yes, he was an A**hole to Hope! But, soon enough she captivated him and infiltrated every part of his soul. He wanted to protect her. He wanted to keep her away from the darkness that she gravitates around. Hope was an amazing character to follow. She has been trained to survive the worst situations. When Xander pushed her, she pushed right back! She will not back down for anything in the world. You do not want to mess with Hope Delacroix. It gets ugly ... Trust me! I have never read about a heroine like her. I am 100% #TeamHope

I really loved to see Aaron and Madeleine again. Aaron and Hope are so similar, but yet so different. It was fascinating to see how they reacted to each other's presence. Madeleine once again stole my breath away! I absolutely ADORE her! She is such a beautiful human being. I really liked the way she connected with Hope. She knows how to handle darkness and she saw right through Hope just like she did with Aaron. Another thing that I loved about this book is how we got Honor's POV. Her life was HELL! I'm really anxious for the third installment of The Estate series, which is her story. I won't go into details of who her leading man is going to be, and I would suggest not reading the synopsis of Honor Bound until you have finished Hope Restrained. 

**Note to Self** Do not eat snacks while reading a book from The Estate Series!

My Rating:

I give, Hope Restrained, by M.S. Willis 5 gripping, twisted, dark, gut-wrenching stars! The content of this book was so dark that my body convulsed with the desire to cast out the darkness!! From the Prologue to the Epilogue, this book did not let me go! FANTASTIC work by M.S. Willis!

Playlist

Author Bio:

M.S. Willis is a romance novelist whose debut novel, Control, was released in 2013.  Although currently writing in the romance genre, Willis has plans to expand her literary pursuits into multiple genres and has no fear conquering difficult subject matters in her writing.  

Willis is a native Floridian who is also a photographer and musician.  When not absorbing herself in written, visual or musical expression, Willis is an adrenaline junkie, a ‘closet’ video game enthusiast, and an avid outdoors person and nature lover.

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Blog Tour : Because of Ellison by M.S.Willis

Because of Ellison

by M.S. Willis

Release Date: January 14th, 2014

Source: Author

Tour Hosted by: Stephanie's Book Reports

eArc received for Review

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis:

When I was nineteen years old, I lived for sex, drugs and a good party. I had it all - good looks, a fast car and a hot girlfriend. Nothing in life was more important. 

That was, until I met Ellison James….

Since the moment I first saw her she was a raging bull; tackling me in the mud and throwing out insults as fast as her tongue could form the sound. 

She was snarky 
She was rude 
And she pissed me off like no other woman could.

I lived beside her for a summer and in the three months that I walked by her side...

She opened my eyes
She changed my life
And she made me a better man

Purchase Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N

Excerpt

“Why do you keep chasing after me, Hunter?”  I could tell how raw her throat must have been by the scratch in her voice.  I was thrown off by her question and it took me a minute to formulate a response.

I didn’t answer her immediately because I felt like everything, all the times we’d spent together, all the smiles we’d shared and the tears that had fallen, and all the years I wanted to share those types of moments with her in the future hinged on my response.  Why did I keep chasing after her?  To most, she was just another girl in small town who was struggling like the rest of us in an attempt to find a place where she belonged in this world.  Most of those people weren’t lucky enough to know her like I’d known her – they hadn’t talked to her, hadn’t been shown the depths that existed within her.  Much like the moon and stars that hung above us tonight, Ellison was a light that wasn’t easily contained.  She burned bright enough to break through the dense fog I’d walked in my entire life.  Because of her, I’d opened my eyes when I hadn’t even been aware they’d been closed – and for that, I’d chase her forever.

Clearing my throat, I reached up and pulled her hand from my cheek when I turned to look her in the eyes. 

Speaking quietly, I confessed, “Because you are a dream and someone once told me that if I had a dream, I should chase it.”  It was a simple explanation, but somehow I knew Ellison would understand the honest weight of what I’d said.

Her eyes blinked slowly as she studied my face and as usual, she did something unexpected.  She laughed.  The corners of my lips turned up when I tried to suppress my grin.  Her laughter sounded fragile, as if something so tiny could come along and break it apart - but it was there and my heart raced against my chest to hear it.

“That is probably the strangest thing I’ve heard you say yet.”

My Review:

Sweet.mother.of.God

Because of Ellison by M.S. Willis completely left me breathless! I am still crying!!!  This story was powerful and eye-opening! I have to be honest and say that I did not know what to expect. I discovered M.S. Willis when I read Madeleine Abducted. That book is dark, intense, raw and captivating. You have to believe me when I say that every time I hear Joseph Carmichael's name, my stomach turns upside down! We can't really compare The Estate Series and Because of Ellison. Two different worlds, yet I am left with the same feeling at the end of each of these stories ... I want more! 

Hunter is living the life ... Good looks, a hot girlfriend, money and brains. He thinks he's got it all. When endless parties, drug and sex take over his life, his parents decide that it's time that he start doing something with his life. They send him away to Florida, where he ends up living with his uncle Bill and his cousin Lily. He is stripped of everything: no phone, no computer and no car. Without any technology around to keep him busy, he starts working on renovation projects for his uncle's house. What he never expected during his stay was to be hit by a hurricane Ellison James aka Evil Princess B*tch. With Ellison James, what you see is what you get! Hunter has never met anybody like her. Her personality and attitude leave him speechless.  Now that Ellison is his new neighbour, he sees her every day. From the moment that they meet, she gets under his skin. Day after day, he gets to know Ellison and the more he gets to spend time with her, the more he realizes that he was throwing his life away. Next to Ellison he feels alive. She makes him feel things that he never knew he could feel. By her side he has learned the true meaning of love. When Ellison goes through a difficult time, it's Hunter's turn to stand by her side and help her like she helped him when he needed it the most.

What a beautiful story! From the Prologue to the Epilogue, this book will make you FEEL everything that Ellison and Hunter are feeling. They live happy, funny and emotional moments together, but most of all their journey is filled with self-discovery. Ellison and Hunter complete each other to perfection. Their chemistry is amazing! They will steal your heart and you will be thinking of them long after you finish reading their story. I loved that this book was told from a dual POV. I loved reading Hunter's POV. He is so different from all the other main male characters that I have read about. He is not scared to say that he screams like a little girl when he sees a snake .... lol!!! And, Ellison?!?! Wow! What a strong and confident young woman. She could totally be my BFF! Like I mentioned before this book is very emotional. Keep a box of tissues close by when you read this book, you are going to need it!

This book was PHENOMENAL! I can't remember the last time that I read a standalone that left me in such an emotional mess! There is so much to learn from this book. Add it to your TBR list, you won't be disappointed!

My Rating:

I give, Because of Ellison, by M.S. Willis 5 emotional, romantic, funny, outstanding stars! I really hope that M.S. Willis will write other books just like this one. It was a real reading escape!

Favorite Quote:

''Our lives are like books, Hunter. Each days is a new page-each year, a new chapter. Just like books, our lives end; but our stories ... those are never forgotten. We live on in hearts and thoughts of those who love us.''

Book Trailer

Playlist

About the Author

M.S. Willis is a romance novelist whose debut novel, Control, was released in 2013.  Although currently writing in the romance genre, Willis has plans to expand her literary pursuits into multiple genres and has no fear conquering difficult subject matters in her writing.  Willis is a native Floridian who is also a photographer and musician.  When not absorbing herself in written, visual or musical expression, Willis is an adrenaline junkie, a ‘closet’ video game enthusiast, and an avid outdoors person and nature lover.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Mailing List

Release Promo Blitz & Excerpt : David (Control, #4) by M.S. Willis

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David
Control, #4
by M.S. Willis

Release Date:
December 12th, 2013

Genres:
New Adult,
Romantic Suspense

Purchase At:
Amazon | B & N

Synopsis:

She didn't get it right
I mean…the facts were correct
And let's face it, she perfectly described just how amazing I look; BUT

M.S. Willis didn't tell you about how, really, I should have been the hero of the Control series. Sure, Paige and the crew did the things they did, but they couldn't have done them if it wasn't for yours truly. 

In case you don't know me, my name is David. Last name? Don't need one, I'm too fabulous to worry about small details. All you need to know is D-A-V-I-D…me!

So what's this book about? Pretty much everything you already know, except for one glorious improvement….

It's all David, all the time.

(Feel free to thank me later)

Control Series

 Control (Control, #1)

Goodreads | Amazon | B & N | Kobo

Conflict (Control, #2)

Goodreads | Amazon | B & N | Kobo

Conquer (Control, #3)

Goodreads | Amazon | B & N | Kobo

Excerpt of David:

“Sorry, David, but that was a really dumb decision on your part.  I think you should really consider your footwear better while planning out your day.”

Consider my footwear.   That was her advice?  I had considered my footwear!  It was elegant and a little bit rugged at the same time.  Those shoes were gold!  They could have been worn with jeans, but also with a casual business look.  The stitching was flawless and the tread was just thick enough to provide decent padding and also good traction in cases of inclement weather.  I’d considered those shoes for a whole twenty minutes before buying them.  What the fuck did she mean that I should consider my footwear?!

“Shut up, Paige!  You’re really not going to get my shoes out of there?”

“Nope.  Consider them buried.  I can say a eulogy if that would make you feel better.”

Antonio and Maurice (yes, I name my shoes) were presently trapped within an evil abyss of mud, and muck and water and dirt and all Paige could offer me was a eulogy?  What kind of eulogy would they receive?  She didn’t understand what we’d been through.  The day I’d bought them, the day I’d first worn them and they didn’t cause a blister – the impressed look Matt had on his face when he’d seen them in the diner.  Those guys had been through so much with me.  I’d be damned to allow her to give the eulogy, the boys deserved better than that.

Lowering my head, I began.  “They were a good pair of shoes and they will be missed.”  I looked up into the Heavens knowing their little shoe souls had to have been flying up as we spoke.  “I remember the first day I walked past the window that contained those shoes…”

Paige laughed…again…the heartless bitch.  “Give it a rest and come on.  We have to get home, it’s getting late.”

About the Author

M.S. Willis is a romance novelist whose debut novel, Control, was released in 2013.  Although currently writing in the romance genre, Willis has plans to expand her literary pursuits into multiple genres and has no fear conquering difficult subject matters in her writing.  Willis is a native Floridian who is also a photographer and musician.  When not absorbing herself in written, visual or musical expression, Willis is an adrenaline junkie, a ‘closet’ video game enthusiast, and an avid outdoors person and nature lover.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Author Page

Waiting on Wednesday (47)

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

 

Waiting On Wednesday (WOW) is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating at A Bookish Escape.

Because of Ellison

by M.S. Willis

Release Date: January 14th, 2014 

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis:

When I was nineteen years old, I lived for sex, drugs and a good party. I had it all - good looks, a fast car and a hot girlfriend. Nothing in life was more important. 

That was, until I met Ellison James….

Since the moment I first saw her she was a raging bull; tackling me in the mud and throwing out insults as fast as her tongue could form the sound. 

She was snarky 
She was rude 
And she pissed me off like no other woman could.

I lived beside her for a summer and in the three months that I walked by her side...

She opened my eyes
She changed my life
And she made me a better man

Why I Can't Wait:

First of all ... I LOVE this cover! I've been a fan of M.S. Willis since I read her book Madeleine, Abducted. That book always comes up in my book conversations with my book besties :) Once I finished that book, I added her Control series at the top of my TBR list. My Christmas break is almost here and I can't wait to read this series. As for, Because of Ellison, I'm positive that it will be an emotional read that will leave me with a book hangover.  

What Are You Waiting On?

Cover Reveal : Hope Restrained (The Estate #2) by M.S. Willis

Add to Goodreads

Hope Restrained
The Estate, #2
by M.S. Willis

Release Date:
January 30th, 2014

Genres:
Adult Dark Romance

Synopsis:

She was meant to be his assassin
A forced player in a rivalry within The Estate
Yet her loyalty was to no person but herself
When Hope is taken captive by Xander Black
She becomes the one thing that can ensure Aaron’s reign

Raised within a rival crime network, Hope Delacroix wanted nothing to do with The Estate. A fierce warrior, Hope is given no choice but to kill Aaron Carmichael. Caught in her attempt, Hope is captured by Aaron’s top guard in an effort to discover who sent her.

Ever loyal and protective, Xander Black’s sole objective is to defend Aaron and Maddy. Willing to do whatever is necessary, Xander gives in to darkness in order to force information out of Hope.

As Xander enslaves Hope to break her down completely, he learns that in the two years since Joseph Carmichael’s death, dissension still exists within The Estate.

“I find it ironic that your name is Hope…especially considering that you have none.” ~ Xander Black

The Estate Series

Joseph Fallen (The Estate, #0.5)

Goodreads

Amazon | B & N 

Madeleine, Abducted (The Estate, #1)

Goodreads | Review

Amazon | B & N | Kobo

Author Bio:

M.S. Willis is a romance novelist whose debut novel, Control, was released in 2013.  Although currently writing in the romance genre, Willis has plans to expand her literary pursuits into multiple genres and has no fear conquering difficult subject matters in her writing.  Willis is a native Floridian who is also a photographer and musician.  When not absorbing herself in written, visual or musical expression, Willis is an adrenaline junkie, a ‘closet’ video game enthusiast, and an avid outdoors person and nature lover.

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