If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page.
A quick note as we kick off the celebration: The Hunt doesn’t officially begin until noon, Eastern Time. While some authors will have their material up prior to this time, not all materials in the Hunt will be up until this time.
The Prize?
There will be 3 Grand Prize winners (one for each team)! Each winner will win a paperback from every author on that team! That's 12 books!! Click HERE to see which books you can win.
LET THE HUNT BEGIN!
She writes new adult romance about heroes who fight against the odds and are protective of their girl.
She's an avid reader of romance, is addicted to coffee and loves wine and chocolate, so yeah, not the most healthy eating and drinking habits :-) She spends way too much time online when she should be writing. She collects teddy bears and occasionally knits a couple of rows on a sweater she started years ago, which she may eventually finish in time to wear for her funeral :-)
Growing up, all Jem knew was hatred and the pain from his father's fists. Taunted by the kids at school, he was alone, until a girl with carrot coloured hair sat next to him.
She smiled.
She listened.
She cared.
She was his angel, and he knew he’d love her forever. But Jem’s father hurts him in a way he never expected by taking him away from her.
Now eighteen, scarred inside and out, Jem trusts no one and has worked hard to ensure he'll never be helpless again. But then he runs into his angel. The only problem is she doesn’t recognize him. Jem needs her to remember him, to show him that their time together meant to her what it did to him. For once in his life he wants to have mattered to someone, to her.
Devon is attracted to the muscular, tattooed, pierced hottie standing by the pub quiz machine. That is, until he punches a guy clean across the bar for daring to touch him. She’s had her fill of violent men and intends to avoid this one at all costs.
This is a standalone, new adult contemporary romance. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Jem’s POV
I hum to myself as I lock up the kiosk. It's been a week since I last saw Devon. She must have gone back home, wherever that is. I slip the keys into my jeans pocket and head outside to grab some lunch. I smile as the warm sun hits my face. I look down at my arms; my skin is pale beneath my tatts. I need to spend more time on the beach in the mornings to work on my tan before summer is over. I'm gonna miss her. I shake my head. It would be a whole lot easier to forget her if she hadn't been the best thing in my life. The only good thing in my life. I roll my eyes. Get a grip. She don't remember you, and doesn't want you, I mentally tell myself.
The burger shack is across the street from the arcade, but there's a line and I need a piss, so I head to the public toilets near the kid’s funfair. There's no one using the urinals but I can hear someone in one of the stalls. I do my business and turn on the tap to wash my hands. I glance at the grimy mirror above the sink and my ugly face stares back at me. I finger the faded, white scar above my right eyebrow from when my dad punched me so hard that I fell and smacked my head on the corner of the kitchen table. I frown and close my eyes. I can still remember the pain. My eye went black and swelled up, I couldn't see out of it for days. I open my eyes and stare at the scar that runs across my right cheek and edges into my lip. My punishment for taking too long to wash the dishes. I reach for a paper towel to dry my hands. I thought I was gonna die that day when he reached for the carving knife. Sometimes I wish I had. I take one last look in the mirror. At least the left side of my face isn't too bad. I poke my bottom lip out. Maybe I should get my lip pierced.
I turn at the sound of the toilet flushing. The stall door opens and out walks a kid. Her kid. We stare at each other and my breath catches in my throat. She's still here. The kid smiles at me. "I've been to the funfair." He's got her beautiful green eyes.
I swallow and find my voice. "Cool. Did you have fun?"
He nods his head. He doesn't have her red hair; he must have got his hair color from his dad. He stands on his tiptoes and tries to reach the tap but he's too short. They should think about fitting some wash basins at kid height. "Do you want me to lift you up?" I ask. He nods, so I move to stand behind him, put my hands on his waist and lift him up. He's as light as a feather. I hand him a paper towel to dry his hands. My mouth spits the question out before my brain can stop it. "Is your dad here with you?" I frown and bite down on my lip. I'm questioning a kid for information. Way to go, Jem!
His big green eyes look up at me. "My daddy used to live with us but now he doesn't." The corners of his lips turn down. "I love my mummy, but I miss my daddy."
My heart thumps. She's not with anyone. I shake my head. I must be sick in the head to be happy. In my opinion fathers ain't worth shit, but the kid is obviously missing his. I crouch down so I'm at his eye level. "Maybe your daddy will come and visit you?"
The kid smiles at me. "I hope so."
"Where's Mummy?"
"She's waiting for me outside."
I take his tiny hand in mine. "Come on then. Let's get you back to Mummy before she wonders where you've gone." Maybe I have a chance. Okay so she don't remember me, but maybe she can get to know and love the adult me. I grin down at the kid. Maybe today is gonna be a good day.
"There she is," the kid points towards a bench near the Merry-Go-round
She doesn't see us because she gazing down at her phone while she sips a drink from a plastic cup. I wonder what she's drinking. I smile as I remember we used to like lemonade. I still do. I glance down at her kid. "What's your favorite drink?"
"Coke."
"How about we let your mummy finish her drink & I'll buy you a coke?"
He chews on his thumbnail. "Okay. Can I have an ice-cream as well?"
I get the kid a coke, along with a vanilla ice-cream with strawberry sauce and a chocolate flake. I glance down at him as I take a big bite of my cheeseburger; most of the flake has ended up around his face rather than in his mouth. He munches on the flake as I take him back to see Devon. I hope she won't be mad at me for getting him in a mess.
She glances at the kid and then her gaze lands on me. A puzzled look crosses her face, and then she frowns. I'm about to explain when I notice the man standing next to her. The man standing next to her with his arm draped around her shoulders. I stop dead and whisper down at the kid. "Is he your dad?"
He smears ice-cream across his cheek as he wipes his hand across his lips. "No, that's Quinn." He skips over to Devon and she squats down to wipe his face with a tissue.
I hang back and stare at Quinn. Quinn. What a fucking stupid name. He's shorter than me, and skinnier. I scan his face. His eyes look alive, happy. His skin is smooth, no scars. He's got a day's growth on his top lip, chin, and across his jaw. On him it looks good, like designer stubble. On me it looks like I couldn't be bothered to shave.
Devon stands and takes the kid's hand. Quinn slides his arm around her and squeezes her shoulder. I glare at his hand and clench my jaw; I want to snap every one of his fucking fingers. They turn and walk away. The happy fucking family and she didn't even say one word to me. I watch as she leans down towards the kid and I hear her say, "Stay away from that man, he's a bad person."
I stare at the back of their heads as they walk away. A bad person. She thinks I'm bad, just like my dad always said. I squeeze my eyes shut. Have I changed that much? She used to be my best friend, my only friend. She loved me once, and now she hates me. I force my eyes open. I can't see her anymore, they've gone. I rub my eyes, they're watering, I must have got sand in them or something.
Her words play over and over in my head for the rest of the afternoon. Who the fuck does she think she is to judge me? She can't even fucking remember me, yet she thinks she knows who and what I am. I get madder and madder as the afternoon goes on. I'm glad when my shift is finally over. I want to go home, go to sleep and forget today ever happened.
I open the door to my trailer and there's Maddy, dripping blood all over my floor. Her sleeve is pulled up, there are deep scratches running down her arm and she has the wooden fork pressed against her skin, ready to make another scratch. I snatch the fork from her hand and throw it out through the open door. I reach for the knife hidden in my sock and flick the blade. She backs up against the wall as I wave it in front of her face. "I got a present for you." I toss the knife onto her bed. "If you wanna scar yourself, do it properly. Slit your fucking throat." I storm out and don't bother to close the door.
Don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Michelle Abbott, and more!
To enter, you need to know that my lucky book number is 19 - like the number of kids those crazy people have :)
Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on Team Red and you’ll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!
Enter my giveaway below for an extra chance at a signed book by me!
To continue on your quest, you need to check out the next author, A.G. Howard! Talk about gorgeous covers!!
GOOD LUCK!