Tag Archives: Carly Phillips

Teaser Tuesday Exclusive Excerpt: Dare to Rock by Carly Phillips

Hi friends!!! Today I’m so excited to share an excerpt from Carly Phillips with you! Not only is this an exclusive from Dare to Rock, it’s still a WIP, so it’s rough – but that means you’re getting a first look at it! Raw! Rawr! 😉 I have to say I’m excited about this book as well because I quite enjoy rockstar romances. What I like about the “Dare to Love” series is that each book can be read as a standalone. Continue reading

Teaser Tuesday Exclusive Excerpt: Dare to Touch by Carly Phillips

Hello darlings! Guess what? THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WON!!! WHEE!!! Okay. So, since I added that … let’s go back to the main attraction – Carly Phillips! (Also I know Carly’s daughter goes to another B1G school so hopefully she doesn’t begrudge me celebrating a win within the conference…) ANYWAY. It’s the second Tuesday of 2015! How did that happen?!

Carly Phillips is one of the most fabulous, nicest authors – and person in general – if you ever get the chance to meet her at a conference, do! I’m very excited to have an exclusive excerpt of her newest release Dare to Touch which is officially available today! Enjoy! Continue reading

Special Guest: Carly Phillips

Hello my lovelies! We’re slowing time yet rushing along here at the same time! And today we welcome the totally fabulous Carly Phillips! I’m so thrilled to welcome her back to ALBTALBS. Not only is she a superstar author, she’s also one of the nicest people I’ve met at any conference. <3 Her newest book Dare to Love is out now, and y’all know I’m not normally big on blog tours (or you know, at all) – but for Carly, I’m happy to make an exception. 🙂

I meant to crowd source here too, but we know how that has been going, so these are some questions twitter friends wanted to ask Carly. I hope you enjoy!

Dare to Love Official Blog Tour

1) Do you wear pajamas when you write or do you wear “real clothes”? (Georgina really hopes it’s the latter! XD)
Comfortable leggings during the day, and sweats or pajamas on the weekends! Either way it’s comfy clothes all the time. It’s such a luxury being home, I do enjoy not dressing up!

2) What inspires you to come up with your new stories?
It really depends.  Sometimes it’s something I’ve read in a magazine or seen on TV.  Other times it’s a news clip.  Sometimes it’s pure imagination. 🙂

3) Who is your favorite author? [Or authors/stories]
I have SO many auto-buy authors it isn’t funny and I’m such a voracious reader that I always have something new on my iPad mini ready to go.  Too many to pick just one!

4) As madly successful and a veteran writer – do you still get nervous with each book release?
OMG YES! I’m a basket case with each and every new book.  It never gets easier and it never gets old. I’m just so grateful to be able to do what I do … and I always want to please readers with each and every book.

5) Since your background seems very big city, what do you love about writing small towns?
I love the intimacy of the characters and how wacky I can make the neighbors, LOL.  It’s familiar and everyone loves the familiar. I’m not a big city girl, so small town comes naturally.  That said I understand the city and can write it too.  Dare to Love is set in Miami.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember to enter the giveaway! And also, what questions would you have asked? Who knows – maybe the fancy will hit and Carly will stop by. 🙂

Also, have you read Carly Phillips before? Do you enjoy contemporary romances? And of course, we can’t forget the most important part. The book!

Dare to LoveNew York Times Bestselling Author Carly Phillips turns up the heat in her newest sexy contemporary romance series, and introduces you to the Dare family… siblings shaped by a father’s secrets and betrayal.

Since finding out his father had another family on the side, Ian Dare swore to be the upstanding, responsible man his cheating parent had never been. When it comes to his relatives, he gives his all but in relationships he offers the bare minimum. But one glimpse of sensual Riley Taylor arouses his dominant and protective instincts and Ian is entranced. He will do anything to possess her … and does. But any future with Riley must include him extending an olive branch to the half-brother who is a constant reminder of the pain he’d rather forget.

Independent and always in control, Riley Taylor makes no apologies for choosing men carefully. Relationships have never been a priority and she believes herself hardened to domineering men – until she meets charismatic Ian Dare. He manages to turn a simple kiss into an all out assault on her senses and when he takes control in the bedroom, she’s stunned to discover she likes it. As their affair heats up, they soon realize they complete each other in ways neither imagined. But Riley’s past is closer than she cares to remember, and her struggles with Ian’s dominance might just cost her everything.

You should totally buy a copy today! (If you haven’t already…) 😉

Want Destiny?

Well, an ARC of it at least! You know how Carly Phillips is sharing an exclusive excerpt of the first in her series, Serendipity today? Well she just let me know that a lovely box of Destiny ARCs arrived today as well! How fortuitous! If I seem to be speaking a foreign language to you… an ARC is an Advanced Reader Copy. That’s right – you get to read the book before it’s out on shelves. Way before. If you win a copy. (You can’t sell it or anything…)

So get to it! Tell me anything about either destiny or serendipity in the comments of this post and you’ll be entered to win an ARC! You know you want it! (If you don’t win… well you don’t have to way too too long – it’s out January 3, 2012. Heh, yeah – the stakes just got upped, didn’t they?) 😉 Since I’m so nice, and I want to avoid confusion, I turned off comments to this post. You’re welcome!

Teaser Tuesday: Serendipity by Carly Phillips

Today’s author who is sharing an exclusive excerpt needs no introduction. The fabulous Carly Phillips! She’s sharing from her most recent release, Serendipity – and the next two books in the series will be out in 2012.

where love, fate and fortune are intertwined …

Faith Harrington was the classic girl of privilege–until her father was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme and then her marriage crashed and burned.

Now Faith is back in her hometown, hoping for a fresh start. But her father’s betrayal has rocked Serendipity – and not everyone is ready to welcome her with open arms. Then she runs into her teenage crush — the dark, brooding Ethan Barron. Ethan, no stranger to scandal himself, never imagined he’d own the mansion on the hill, much less ever again come face to face with Faith–the princess he once kissed senseless. The chance meeting reignites the electric charge between them.

Still, when Ethan hires her to redecorate what was once her childhood home, Faith is sure that getting involved with the town’s notorious bad boy will only lead to trouble. But her heart has other ideas. And so do the townspeople of Serendipity …

Faith’s mother raised her small nose, which her daughter had inherited, into the air and turned her back on him, facing Faith instead.  “Well? What in the world are you doing here?” her mother asked again, ignoring Ethan completely.

“I’m shopping, Mom. What are you doing here?”

“Picking up a few necessities,” Lanie said in another hushed whisper.  “This budgeting business isn’t for me.”

Ethan swallowed a laugh he knew would be unwelcome.

Faith rolled her eyes.  “Welcome to the real world.”

Her mother straightened her shoulders.  “You didn’t answer my other question.”  She clearly intended to avoid Faith’s comments.  “What are you doing with him?”

So he’d been wrong.  She wasn’t going to ignore him, just insult him.

“Really, Faith.  A Harrington has to show some class.”

“Like dad did?” Faith asked.

Her mother sniffed, clearly offended.  “That comment was uncalled for.  You know your father has been maligned and misunderstood.”

“Actually I know no such thing,” Faith said.

“I thought you had a good point.”  Ethan added his unwelcome opinion.

“Thank you.”  Faith actually sounded pleased.

Ethan grinned.  He hadn’t realized his little tigress had teeth and he found himself wishing she’d use them on him – not to reprimand him the way she was her judgmental mother, but in bed.

“And by the way, he has a name,” Faith said to her mother. “It’s Ethan Barron and since I’m here with him, it means I like him.  So I would appreciate it if you’d show some respect.  Or ignore me along with him.”  She’d taken a page from his book the other night when he’d defended her against his brother.

Man, they were a mismatched pair.

Her mother let out a prolonged sigh.  “I thought you gave up temper tantrums when you got married.”

Married? This was the first he’d heard about it and the idea threw his stomach into crippling knots.

“This is a waste of time.”  Faith gripped the shopping cart handle hard enough to turn her knuckles white.  “We have shopping to do.  And so do you.” Faith dismissed her parent.

Lanie raised her nose further in the air.

If the woman lifted her chin any higher, she’d be looking at the ceiling, Ethan thought.

“Fine.  But we will discuss this,” her mother said and walked away.

“When? Next time she calls me, which is never?”  Faith asked aloud.  She turned to Ethan, regret etched in her face.  “I’m sorry about that.  She’s horrible.”

“No more than my brother was to you.”  He shrugged it off, truly not bothered.  “And you’re not responsible for what she says.”

Blue eyes met his.  “Thanks.  So where were we?” she asked, obviously eager to put the scene with her mother behind her.

He propped a hand on the shelf behind her.  “We were about to discuss the fact that you’re married?” He raised an eyebrow and waited for an answer.

“Divorced.”

The knot in his stomach unwound a bit. “Better.  But not perfect.”

The corners of her mouth lifted in amusement. “What? You thought I was a vestal virgin?”

No, but he couldn’t bear the thought of another man’s hands on her naked body.  Especially when he hadn’t had his hands on her yet.

“Relax, caveman.”  She poked him in the chest.  “It’s over.”

Not for Ethan.  He needed to know more.  “What happened?”
“Do you really want to have this conversation in the aisle at Target?”

It was better than not having the conversation at all.  “Yep.”

“Fine.”  She hitched the strap of her purse higher on her shoulder.  “I married a man my parents approved of.  It turned out he only married me for my father’s connections, but I was too naïve to realize it.  Once my father was arrested, Carter had gotten all he could from our marriage.  I caught him in bed with his mistress.”

“Asshole,” Ethan muttered.

“Our bed.”

“Son of a –“  Anger at that kind of betrayal flooded Ethan’s veins.

“It’s over,” she said again, more softly this time.  “And it should have been finished long before that.  Now can we get back to business?”  She pointed to the colored comforters lining the walls.

Ethan wanted more information.  He wanted to know if she’d been happy with the man.  If she’d loved him but knew better than to push.  He had his own walls, didn’t he?

“So how do we choose for Tess?” he asked.

She released the breath she’d obviously been holding.  “If you ask me, it comes down to these.  There’s this floral.”  She touched a pink and black flowered pattern.  “Which I don’t see as an option.”  She looked to him for confirmation.

He nodded.  “I agree there.”

“So it’s one of these animal prints.”  She swept her hand over the green, purple, pink or regular black and white zebra stripes.  Shockingly, Ethan could live with one of those.  “She seems to like purple,” he said, recalling her awful colored hair.

Faith laughed.  “Exactly what I was thinking.”  She turned and reached high to grab the right size comforter, causing her denim skirt to ride up on her thighs and reveal a flash of what he thought was bare flesh.  A second look showed a dusky pink color covering and almost blending with her pale skin.

Ethan’s mouth grew dry.  Thoughts he’d managed to keep at bay most of the day came flooding back now.  Wanting her.  Needing her.  His groin hardened at the thought, thrusting against the rough denim of his jeans.

“Let me,” he muttered, reaching for the plastic covering and pulling the blanket into his hands.

“Thanks!”

“No problem.”  He shifted his jeans, trying unsuccessfully to get more comfortable.  “Queen.”  He read the label.  “Is this the right size?” he asked gruffly.

“Yes.  I thought we’d give Tess my old room and it’s definitely big enough for a Queen.”  She narrowed her gaze.  “What’s wrong?” she asked perceptively reading him.

He glanced around.  Once assured they were alone at the end of the aisle, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, her back facing the wall.  “What’s wrong is you wearing barely there underwear beneath that skirt.”

“What? It’s a full bikini!”

He slid his hand around her thigh and inched his fingertips upward until he cupped her thinly covered cheek.  “The color of your skin,” he said thickly.

“It’s light mauve,” she whispered on a sigh as he glided his finger over the damp spot between her legs.

“Do not wear these things with a skirt ever again.”  He barely recognized his voice.

“Would you prefer I wear armor?”

He punished her sarcasm with a glide of his finger over her mound.

At his touch, she shuddered and let out a soft moan.  “I forgot all about the skirt when I reached up for the comforter.”

He’d never forget the sight or the feel of them in his hand.  Knowing he’d gone as far as he could in public, he freed his hand, then sucked in a ragged breath, attempting to relax his body.

“What else do we need to buy?” he managed to ask, all the while wondering when he could have her.

How he could possibly carve out time for them alone.

“I have a list,” she said as she adjusted her outfit.

For the rest of the day, they shopped up a storm, accessorizing Tess’s purple and black room.  Faith managed to get him to let her order black lacquer furniture for the teen because it would help convince Tess that Ethan actually heard her when she spoke.  That he cared about what she wanted.  And they never mentioned the incident in the aisle.

But some how, some way, Ethan was determined to finish what he started with Faith.

Carly Phillips is the New York Times Bestselling author of over 30 romance novels with contemporary characters and plotlines that today’s readers identify with and enjoy.  Carly is a stay at home mom of 2 daughters (now almost old enough to read her books!), one soft coated wheaten terrier and a brand new Havanese puppy.  She’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers.  More information on Carly can be found at www.carlyphillips.com.

So what’d you think? Have you read anything by Carly Phillips before?

**ETA: I was just informed a box of Destiny ARCs arrived at Ms. Phillips’s doorstep today! She, being the generous soul she is, is offering up a copy! So, to enter, tell me something – anything – about serendipity, or destiny. Have you experienced it? Is there some old wives tale? A fun fact? Go go go!


Guest: Carly Phillips

Hi everyone! Today we have the famous Carly Phillips guesting with us! Now, you know normally I don’t do author interviews except for my Guest Author & A Giveaway feature that happens the first Tuesday of each month. But Carly asked for one, and well, at the point where a super star author makes such a request, who am I to refuse? 😉 She’s also here because she had a new book out this past Tuesday, Serendipity! It’s the first in her new Serendipity series – the second book is Destiny, and the third, Karma.

1. What language do you most wish you could speak, but can’t? Why? How many languages do you speak fluently now?
I love this kind of Q and A 🙂 I can speak one language fluently – English – and as I get older I even question my fluency on that!!! I wish I could speak French fluently as I learned it in school but could only stutter through.

2. Would you rather have a broken finger, broken toe, or broken nose? Why?
Broken Toe  – I’m vain – save my face; I write for sanity – save my finger!

3. What is your favorite type of food? Your favorite meal? Would you rather host a dinner party at home, or take people out for dinner at a restaurant? Where would you go, if the latter?
Favorite foods – Pizza and Chocolate  Translation – carbs and sweets.
Favorite meal – chicken parm made by my mom!
I’d much rather take people out for dinner at a restaurant – I can’t cook, have no desire to cook, hate to entertain, because I hate stress.  That equals stress.  I love taking friends out for dinner.  My pleasure! Any restaurant where it’s on the quieter side and we can talk.

4. If you had to choose between electricity and running water, which would you go with? Why?
Electricity – I hate being too hot or too cold.

5. Imagine you’re forced to travel to your past. Which grade – any level of school/education – would you like to re-live? 
NONE  but since you are making me choose – sophomore year of college!!! Fun, fun, fun. (Ok, now I have to ask – why that one in particular? C’mon, Carly… spill! :P)

6. How many US Supreme Court Justices can you name without looking them up?
You’re asking an ex-lawyer to humiliate herself. Here goes and I’m betting some are off the bench or dead <g> -Ginsberg, Thomas, Stevens (retired?), … hubby said to cheat for more. <g> I didn’t.  I looked it up – Stevens IS gone and I blanked on the rest.  I got two. 🙁

7. What is the most exotic place you’ve ever been to? Where is the most exotic place you’ve never been to but would like to visit?
I’ve been to Greece.
I’d love to go to Israel.

8. If you could be any character in any movie or television series, who would you be? Why?
Easy – Sydney Bristow – Alias – because she’s gorgeous, can kick @$, is intelligent and married Vaughn (Michael Vartan). 🙂

Carly Phillips is the New York Times Bestselling author of over 30 romance novels with contemporary characters and plotlines that today’s readers identify with and enjoy.  Carly is a stay at home mom of 2 daughters (now almost old enough to read her books!), one soft coated wheaten terrier and a brand new Havanese puppy.  She’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers.  More information on Carly can be found at www.carlyphillips.com.

And isn’t Carly cute? She said, “Thanks for so much fun! LOL.” Carly is giving away a backlist book of the winner’s choice to one lucky commenter! Sadly, open to US residents only, due to shipping and hassle.

Anyway, I think we should continue the fun. I’m sure the interview with Larissa Ione earlier this week got the wheels turning for creative questions. So – what do you want to ask Carly? The sky’s the limit!