This woman is one of my favorites and this book takes the cake! Staci Hart dominates with her latest release, Tonic. Check out more about this brilliant new release, read Tina’s Thoughts, and get a glimpse into the story with an excerpt. Don’t miss it!
Tonic
Staci Hart
Release Date: October 13, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Joel Anderson doesn’t take anything seriously.
Not his relationships, which have been few and far between since his brutal divorce. Not the drama of working in a tattoo parlor, which seems to be around every corner. When things get him down, he smiles and cracks a joke. But he’s not the kind of man you cross, or you’ll find yourself at the wrong end of his fists.
Annika Belousov takes everything seriously.
Like her job as a reality television producer, given that she typically has something to prove. Or her love life, which is defined by a series of requirements — affluent, ambitious, accomplished, to name a few. Definitely her family, who worked their whole lives to afford her every opportunity, a sacrifice she doesn’t take lightly. When she’s tapped to produce a reality show at Joel’s shop, she doesn’t think twice, just goes in for the kill, as if there were any other way.
The second Annika walks into Joel’s shop, he makes it his mission to crack her open, but she’s not having it. He’s all wrong — too crass, too hairy, too un-serious. But it doesn’t take her long to find out there’s more to him than smirks and tattoos. And what she finds could put her career and his heart on the line.
Not that Joel cares. Because for the first time in a long time, he’s found his tonic.
You can grab your copy of Tonic from Amazon today! This title is FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Don’t miss this incredible new release!
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Tonic is just what I wanted and needed. Staci Hart is a brilliant writer, so I expect quite a bit from her books. And each book she sets free into the wild seems to be better and better. Where people thought she couldn’t beat out Conner and Tricky as the ultimate book boyfriends, she introduces us to Joel. This man wins it all. I don’t know if it is just my preferences or what but this man is the perfect blend of dominating and kind, sweet and hardworking, everything a girl’s heart longs for. Add in his creativity and bearded, sexy glory and you have a man that will knock all book boyfriends out of the park.
It is know that a book boyfriend is nothing without his counterpart and Annika is brilliant in her own way. When you read this woman, you are both intrigued and a bit shocked. Annika is a brand all her own and her flaws are highlighted by her incredible strengths. These two seem to be so opposite: fire and ice, milk and ink. But when they mix, it is a beautiful canvas that you cannot look away from. There is passion and raw emotion. Two such strong-headed people can create something beautiful or wreak havoc in their path. We see a bit of both in this book. These two main characters bring such different ideals, and strengths to the table. They both also possess shortcomings that will take them down a notch, allowing readers to identify with their personalities and reactions. The way Staci shares their story will give this book a modern day fairytale edge that is dipped in reality and heartache.
Everything about this book was a win for me. The writing is top notch, and the characters are brilliant and alive. The backdrop of a tattoo parlor set in the intensity of a reality shows gives the story an edge that makes it a step above what you might have read before. The raw emotion and grief that you read is an arrow straight to the heart. The balm of hope and second chances is the sweet moment you cling to in the end. I could go on and on but this book is, in my opinion, one of Staci’s best books yet. She keeps raising the bar and I cannot wait to see what is coming on the horizon.
“Let me see it.”
“What?” I blustered, caught off guard.
“Stand up and turn around. I want to see it.” I was too surprised and caught up in the moment to refuse, so I stood and turned, laying my palms on the armrests as I faced the back of the chair.
One hand rested on my hip.
My heart stopped as I wondered what the hell I’d gotten myself into.
I glanced over my shoulder, my gaze bouncing between his face —turned down too much to read —and his reflection in the speckled, antique mirror, which I couldn’t see much of either. His free hand moved to the waistband of my tailored pants, and his fingers hooked and tugged, pulling the band down low.
His thumb ran over where I knew the tattoo was, and I felt his breath. Every place where we connected spoke to me of ownership.
“You got this done here? In New York?” His voice was rough.
Mine wasn’t much better. “Yeah. In Brooklyn.”
“Let me cover it up for you. Give you something you’re proud of. Your skin …” He paused, and I wished I could see his face, read his mind. “This shouldn’t be here, not on you. Let me … I want to …” He had moved closer, his hand on my hip pulling me back into him slightly enough for me to not have noticed that the backs of my thighs were touching his, my back arched just enough, his breath hot.
And then, he disappeared. I stood, finding my hands were trembling, wondering where I was and how I’d gotten there. The shop was mostly empty —no one had seen, not that it would have looked like much from the outside. But from where I stood, I felt every single deliberate move like a telegraph, telling me exactly what he wanted to do without him having to finish the sentence.
His back was to me when I turned around, his face down —I couldn’t see it in the mirror over his cabinet of ink and needles as he dug around in the drawers, seemingly for nothing in particular.
“Let me know if you want me to draw something up.”
“Okay, I will.” I paused, not knowing what else to say, feeling like I should say something. But there was nothing that I could say. “Well, have a good night, Joel. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He nodded, glancing at me in the mirror. “See you, Annika.”
I tried not to bolt out of the shop, but once outside, I admit it —I took off. I hauled up the stairs and into the office to grab my bag, grateful that Laney was already gone, and I texted my driver, asking him to pick me up a few blocks away so I could walk, put some distance between me and Joel, get the energy out of my body, through my legs and feet, into the pavement.
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey.
From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.