The Stars in Her Eyes
C.M. Albert
(Love in LA Quartet, #1)
Publication date: March 26th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Reverse Harem, Romance
Love in LA just got a whole lot hotter!
One woman. Three men. Some things are best kept secret.
“Hands down the best reverse harem I’ve ever read!” Goodreads Reviewer M. Simmons
When Creslyn Knight auditions for the role of a life time, she never expects three things:
1. To know the casting director—intimately.
2. To be insanely attracted to the three stand-in actors at the audition.
3. That she’d soon be putting her morals to the test when her resolve weakens.
Acting is in Creslyn’s blood, and she’s focused her sights on one thing: landing the role of a lifetime. But she’s always been told that everything comes at a cost. The casting director names his when he tells her she must make him believe she can surrender to a harem of men, or he can’t justify giving her the lead role.
Determined to prove him wrong and show him she can tap into a passion that deep, Creslyn throws herself into rehearsals. But the fine line between script and reality soon starts to blur, leading her and three men into unchartered territory. The only problem? She has a jealous roommate, a disgruntled mother, and a string of paparazzi hot on her trail, making Creslyn question the cost of everything.
In a world where some things are best kept secret, is the price of fame too high when it comes to the heart?
The Stars in Her Eyes is book one of the Love in LA Quartet and is a new adult, steamy contemporary romance reverse harem LOVE STORY that can be read as a stand-alone or as an introduction to the series. All the heat you’ve come to expect with a reverse harem, AND a storyline worthy of a contemporary romance love story. Finally, the best of both worlds!
Excerpt:
Creslyn nodded, her eyes
taking in the chestnut color of his hair more than the upscale modern
furnishings that surrounded them. Her eyes fell to the five o’clock shadow that
roughed up his jawline, drawing even more attention to its chiseled angles. “I promised
Dale I wouldn’t try to corrupt your decision by trying to seduce you,” Creslyn
blurted out. She closed her eyes and winced.
Why
did I just say that?
Ryder’s throaty laughter
filled the office space, but the lighthearted response betrayed the predatory
look that filled his eyes. “Yeah, it’s not my thing to sleep with the
actors—gets too messy.”
Creslyn nodded, taking the
hint. Despite the immediate chemistry that crackled in the air between them,
Ryder wouldn’t be dipping in the talent pool. She respected him for it—she
truly did. So why did she suddenly feel a little disappointed? She blamed it on
the tug in her belly she got every time her eyes landed on that manly-as-fuck
jawline of his.
“Well, it was good seeing
you again,” she said, needing to get out of his office and put some distance
between them. “I don’t want your decision to be personal, either. I want to
earn this role on my own merit. So maybe the coffee should wait.”
She turned toward the
door. The pang in her stomach called her a liar, but the fire in her heart that
led her to follow her dreams was stronger than any physical attraction ever
could be . . .
. . . until
she felt Ryder’s firm grasp around her bicep, turning her with ease so she was
facing him, their chests nearly colliding. She closed her eyes and took a deep
breath, reveling in his familiar scent. What she wouldn’t do to have met him
out in a bar after all this time so things could be simpler. So she could bring
him back to her place without thought of the consequence to her career.
Ryder lifted her chin so
she was forced to meet his smoky gray eyes. His eyelashes were longer and more
beautiful than they had any right being. “You’re not just some starlet who’s
trying to make it big by blowing the casting director—I know that. As a rule, I
never mix business with pleasure.” He lowered his mouth within inches of
Creslyn’s, their breaths mingling from the proximity. “But damn you’d be worth
breaking the rules for.”
His hand found the back of
her head, bringing her mouth just millimeters from his. Creslyn’s lips parted,
as if from muscle memory of all the hours spent making out with Ryder in
college. She melted into his arms as they wrapped around her, pulling her even
closer. She wanted to crawl inside him and taste every inch of his lips, his
tongue, his mouth.
Her chest pressed against
his, heaving with a sudden aching for him that was palpable. He lifted a thumb
to her lower lip, touching it so it lowered, opening her mouth even farther for
him—preparing her for the kiss. Their bodies trembled with raw heat, melting
against one another. Creslyn closed her eyes, longing to feel the first swipe
of his tongue.
She heard him groan before
breaking away. He rested his forehead against hers as they both drew in ragged
breaths, trying not to set off the fuse that would explode into something they
couldn’t stop.
“I need you to have this
kind of passion when you’re auditioning, Creslyn,” he said quietly. “I need you
to convince me that you could take on three men at one time. In the casting
room, you were timid, too sweet. I don’t care how you do it, but you need to
tap into and bring this kind of raw heat into the role or I won’t be able to
justify giving it to you—and I want to. So bad.”
Creslyn stood back—shocked
and confused. Was this why he dragged her to the edge, almost kissed her? To
prove a point? She knew she was in unchartered territory with the harem of men
she needed to master in the movie, but she didn’t need Ryder to tell her how to
tap into passion, for God’s sake.
Her hand snaked out and
she slapped him before she even realized what she was doing. Damn him. “I guess I should have
believed you when you told me you never mixed business with pleasure.”
Screw the role.
Creslyn picked up the
pride she had left and rushed from Ryder’s office. Maybe some things were meant
to stay in the past where they belonged. She hadn’t worked her way up this far
just to have her ex school her in the art of believable, on-screen passion. She
sat in Grady’s car, fuming.
Who
am I kidding? she thought. I want this role more than I’ve ever wanted anything.
She pulled her phone out
before turning over the engine and started a group text. She’d show Ryder who
could master three men.
—
On sale for $2.99 for a limited time!
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Author Bio:
USA Today Best Selling Author C.M. Albert writes heartwarming romances that are both “sexy and flirty, sweet and dirty!” Her writing infuses a healthy blend of humor, inspiration, and high-heat romance. She’s a sucker for a good villain but is a die-hard believer in everlasting love. In her spare time, she and her husband wrangle their two kids and enjoy spending time outdoors. When not writing or kid wrangling, C.M. Albert is also a Certified Medical Reiki Master, chocolate chip cookie aficionado, kindness ambassador, and seeker of naps.
Thanks for hosting today, Anita! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the ecerpt, sounds like a good book.
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