Synopsis
THE PLAN:
* Smuggle diamonds from Liberia to
Morocco
* Make the trip in three days
* Don't get caught
* Don't kill each other
* Don't have sex with each other
* Don't fall for each other
* Stick to the plan
This is the story of what happens
when an unlikely bond is formed between enemies, causing tensions to rise, and
igniting a chemistry that threatens to burn them both. Together, they'll learn
that sometimes even the best laid plans can fail.
If this NOVEL were
a MOVIE, it would have an R rating from the MPAA.
Contains: Violence, Grisly Images, Strong Language, Nudity, and Graphic Sexual
Content
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25596198-best-laid-plans
Excerpt
Is my left hand good enough? I should've trained
more with it. Maybe I can get it to my right hand quick enough. Fuck. How quick
is he? Fuck! Did he see me moving!?
“You back stabbing thief,” she hissed. She slid
her left hand even closer to the side of the trunk.
“Keep 'em coming, sweetheart, I've got fifteen
bullets here that are just itching to have a purpose in life. Maybe I'll start
by putting one in your right foot, then move up to your left knee. Maybe when I
get to your -”
Now!
In almost one fluid motion, she reached her hand
underneath a flap of material that was hiding a pistol, while at the same time
twisting her body and driving her elbow straight up. She caught him in the side
of the face with a sharp crack. His hand moved off of her head and she rolled
around, whipping her gun into her right hand as she snapped upright. He came
around at the same time, shoving his arm straight out and pointing his gun into
her face. Her own firearm was pointed right at his throat.
Shit, now what.
They glared at each other for a moment.
“You have two seconds to walk away from this situation,”
she breathed, stepping back from the bumper, not lowering her gun. Marc kept
his barrel trained on her forehead as he matched her step for step.
“Not gonna happen, princess. Maybe you
should walk away, you're in over your head,” he cautioned her, his tone snide.
She smirked at him and kept moving, trying to put some distance between them
and the car.
“Really? This 'princess' just outsmarted
you, twice, in less than five minutes. I think you're in over your
head, so back the fuck off,” she growled through clenched teeth.
“Kitty has claws, I like it. But can she pull the
trigger?” his tone was questioning as he cocked his head to the side.
That enraged her almost more than anything. More
than his deceit. More than his treachery. More than his violence. The
disrespect. He'd always treated her as an equal before – now he looked at her
and spoke to her like she was a cockroach.
“Try me,” Lily snapped back.
He stared at her for a second longer, then did
just that – he let his gun lower and he strode forward, pushing past her as he
made his way back towards the vehicle. She was stunned.
“I'm taking this car!” he called out. She whirled
around, keeping her gun raised.
“No, you're not! Stop right there!” she demanded.
He held up his middle finger.
“Go ahead and sto-”
Lily fired a shot, right over his head. He froze
in place mid-stride, then turned his head to the side so he could see her.
“I'm warning you,” she cautioned him. He
chuckled, but still didn't move.
“You don't have the balls to shoot me.”
She lowered her gun a couple inches and fired
again, directly between his legs. The bullet pinged into the sand at the edge
of the road, right in front of him. When she sighted back on his head, he
looked decidedly less confident.
“In two minutes, you won't have balls, either.”
Lily didn't want to shoot him, she really didn't.
She'd never killed anyone before, and didn't want to start with Marc. She was
saving that damnable act for someone very specific. She didn't want to condemn
her soul to hell for some piece of shit traitor. Some liar. Some con man.
“Look,” his voice was low, his teeth clenched. “I
need what's in that trunk. Whatever deal you have with Ivanov, I can make you a
better one.”
“And if I let you take that car, I'm dead.
Not winning me over,” she replied.
“No, you can just disappear. Drive off into the
sunset, find the nearest plane to take you back to L.A., or wherever you're
from. Somewhere safe,” he suggested.
“Not from L.A., and you have one more minute
before I blow your nuts off.”
“How did a sweet thing like you get caught up
with Ivanov?”
“'Sweet thing' just threatened to shoot
you in the testicles. Thirty seconds.”
“Okay! Okay, just take it easy. Maybe we can work
out a deal. I'll split them with you, half and half. Just take them out and
we'll divide them up.”
“Do you really think I'm stupid enough to fall
for that?”
“Was worth a shot."
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six ...,"
Lily began counting down.
Character Inspirations
Marc is very heavily based on Tom Hardy from
"Mad Max: Fury Road" and Lily is Jessica Chastain.
Kingsley Law's look is entirely based on Jude Law.
Who do you picture the characters like? Would
love to see your dream cast!
Author Interview
1 This
is very different from your previous work – what was your inspiration behind
BLP and what kind of research went into writing this book?
I love love LOVE action
movies. I wanted something kind of gritty and raw, but I didn't want it to be
something that's been done, I didn't want drugs or hitmen. So I went with
diamond heist and mercenaries. I wanted Marc to sort of have that John
McClane "Die Hard" feel, very "IDGAF and I'll say whatever I
want, no matter how un-PC", and I wanted Lily to be beyond badass, almost
an anti-hero in her own right.
SO MUCH research went into the book, I had no
idea what I was getting into - I just started writing, and then I got to the
scene where Marc was in the shower, towards the beginning, and after I wrote it
I sort of had a "wait a minute ..." moment and realized there was a
distinct possibility they wouldn't have running water. So I started researching
Liberia. My mind was blown. So many things in the story changed after that
point. I constantly had Google open in one window and Google Maps opened in
another window. Virtually every place they go in the book is a real place. For
example: when a hotel is described, it is based on a real hotel I found on Trip
Advisor and then cross referenced on Google Earth. EVERYTHING was like that.
Half of my brain lived in Africa for two months.
2 A
list of 5 reasons why fans/new readers should pick up this book
1. It's different and it pushes boundaries,
which I think everyone could do with a bit of, now and then
2. They might learn something they never knew
about a different country, and learning is good
3. It's a departure from my other works, but
still has the erotica base that is my preferred genre (a.k.a. lots of
steaminess haha)
4. It literally takes you on a journey
5. The summer is almost over - can't end it
without one last blockbuster big action flick!
3 What
are you working on next? Can you give us a teaser/hint to book 2 in this
series?
Book two is already written, it just needs to go
through rewrites and edits and then it's beta time! Next, I'm caught between
two stories that I really want to work on - one dark, kind of going back to my
Kane Trilogy roots. Weird love and crazy sex and uncomfortable emotions. The
other is more romantic. Still angsty, more of the love-hate,
will-they-won't-they vibe. I don't want to give anything away - it'll be in a
popular subgenre, but with a distinct twist, as I like to try to do with all my
stories. Which will come next, I'm not sure, depends on which will speak to me
the most. I hope to have something publish ready by March 2016.
Out of Plans teaser
“You once said you would help me. Well, I need help,” Lily said.
Out of Plans teaser
“You once said you would help me. Well, I need help,” Lily said.
“Of course, love. At your service,”
Kingsley bowed his head.
“I want to learn everything. I want to be just as
good as you. Just as good as him,” she added.
“Making you better than him will be easy,
darling, but better than me? That's impossible,” he teased. She rolled her eyes.
“And no flirting. Flirting is what got me into
trouble in Africa. No flirting. No relationship. No sex,” she stressed.
“Deal?”
“What deal? Sounds like you're offering nothing
in return,” he laughed, shaking her hand.
“Exactly. Sounds like a hell of a deal to me.”
“Dear god, you've already picked up on De Sant's
awful sense of humor. We have so much un-training to do,” Kingsley
sighed.
“Whatever it takes. You train me, and I'll help
you in any way you want, with anything,” she offered.
“Mmmm, any way I want, huh,” his voice dropped
low while his eyes wandered over her body.
“Look here, Law, I meant what I said – you
touch me inappropriately even once, and I'll break your hand in ways it can't
be fixed,” she warned him. He smiled and leaned close again.
“Ooohhh, I love it when you talk rough,” he
hissed, sliding his bottom lip between his teeth.
“You won't love it so much when I back it up with
action. Now let's get out of here.”
Playlist
Buy
Links
On Amazon
Exclusively - also available in Kindle Unlimited program for
free. $0.99 release price will be good through Sept. 8th - then it goes up to
$2.99.
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AUS:
About the Author
Crazy woman living in an
undisclosed location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a
necessity!), I have been writing since ..., forever? Yeah, that sounds about
right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see
shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm
clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.
I like dogs more than I like most
people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an
igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's
your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a
blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.
Yeah. I think that about sums me
up.
Giveaway
The author is giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card
and 2 ARC copies of Out of Plans (when the ARCs are available and ready)
REVIEW
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I want to marry this book and have its babies.
Objectophilia?
And the People's Choice Award for Favorite Breakout Artist Author goes to Stylo Fantôme. Seriously! Only a little over a year ago she came out of nowhere with a fresh story, and it wasn't a fluke. The awesomeness just keeps coming! Best Laid Plans is not like anything most of us have been reading. It is essentially a romance, but it's actually so much more. Action! Action! Action!
BLP has a rich background. It isn't just the guy, the girl and the relationship struggles. There are several countries, dilemmas, people, props, ideas. . . It's obvious that the author really researched her material. What goes into being a mercenary? What's it like to go in a store in a certain country? How does the land and weather differ from place to place? Every weapon, every conversation, every move—it all feels realistic.
If you're like me, you appreciate when a character isn't wimpy, but often, the alternative is so unbelievable. BLP has badasses you can really sink your teeth into. They're tough as nails, but they're not invincible or overinflated.
Marc is a mercenary. If you've got the dime, he's got the time. He's a thief and a murderer, but he's big on honor. Marc is 6 feet of sexy, gruff warrior. Lily is a transporter. It's her job to get highly desirable and stolen goods from point A to point B. She's super strong and brave in this male-dominated environment; yet, she still retains her femininity. Law is a supporting character. He's a more refined version of Marc for when a sleeker approach is necessary.
This story is full of great dialogue, steamy sex, car chases, shootouts, fistfights and exotic locales. I enjoyed every single second, and I cannot wait for the next book in series.
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