Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Never Give Up

There are many kinds of heroes, and yesterday there were quite a few of them trying to help the victims of another despicable, cowardly attack on this country. I actually wrote the following giveaway post (and the title of it, too) this past weekend; as soon as I heard about the bombings I considered holding off on it until next week. But if I can share a book like this, with a story of such hope and heroism in the face of great despair and loss, then it may help someone else who needs that right now. My heart and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and all the people of Boston.

Stephanie Tyler's Surrender, the first novel in her new Section 8 series, is an action-packed romantic suspense novel featuring Dare O'Rourke, a former Navy SEAL and the son of a CIA black ops specialist. Dare is still trying to put his life back together after being tortured and nearly killed during a ruinous mission, but his recovery ends when he's sent to rescue Avery, a half-sister he never knew. By the time Dare finds Avery he realized someone is systematically executing his father's old team as well as their families. To stop the killing, he must find his missing father and take out the traitor -- and the only way to do that is to kidnap his enemy's daughter, Grace. What Dare doesn't know is that Grace barely escaped from her murderous stepfather with her life -- and she's already been warned that Dare is coming for her.

Surrender is a dark, edgy story with lots of twists and turns to be navigated by its unusual cast of characters. Dare and the boys aren't simply unsung heroes trying to get past the ways they've been unfairly judged and treated; they operate in that shadow zone where nothing is black or white. The evolution of the relationship between Dare and Grace was fascinating to follow as it bloomed. Oh, and I'll warn you now, there's a marvelous secondary character named Gunner who will not only steal your heart but he'll probably tattoo something beautiful on it to boot.

As always you don't have to take my word for it. In comments to this post name a series with a first novel you loved (or if you can't think of any, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Friday, April 19th, 2013. I'll draw four names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners an unsigned copy of Surrender by Stephanie Tyler. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

One final note -- I'm also holding another giveaway over at the Disenchanted & Co. blog; stop in if you have a chance.

23 comments:

  1. I can't think of another series after reading "...action-packed romantic suspense novel featuring Dare O'Rourke, a former Navy SEAL and the son of a CIA black ops specialist ..." My favorite kinda bed-time reading! ;p

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  2. I'm a huge fan of Laura Griffin's Tracers series and the first book "Untraceable."

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  3. The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann. Loved the stories within the story, kick butt SEALs, and just the whole thing. I ended up loving the series and can't wait for the next one.

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  4. Fran K4:15 AM

    I don't want to sound like a crawler but at the moment I can't get past Stardoc which I started with coffee and toast on Sunday morning, and finished before I keeled over at midnight. I'm now a third of the way through Beyond Varallon and I'm really enjoying it. Got book 3, now need the rest. OK I just thought of another one, Dark Prince by Christine Feehan - loved it and can't wait for books 24 & 25.

    I'll put Surrender on by TBR list just in case I don't win. Oh and my prayers go out to all those affected by the events in Boston.

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  5. This is so going to date me and tell you what I love, but - Tarzan of the Apes. And yes I have read just about every single book ERB ever wrote. ~grins~

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  6. Anonymous7:22 AM

    Doris Egan's Gate of Ivory. It is more fantasy than sci fi and probably out of print. But I loved the main character and her adventures on Ivory.

    SandyL

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  7. Positively loved Patricia Briggs' first Mercy Thompson book "Moon Called". I was hooked immediately and still am. Only a year to go until the next one. . .

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  8. Anonymous8:28 AM

    Skinwalker by Faith Hunter! She took the urban fantasy standby of a shapeshifter and turned it on its ear. Jane Yellowrock is a Cherokee who can shapeshift into animals, mostly big cats. It is a fantastic series and I look forward to each and every one. :)

    Leslee

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  9. I know it's lame, but I'm going to have to go with my old stand-by answer of the Harry Potter books. Totally sucked me into the world.

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  10. Anonymous12:15 PM

    First book in the series -- hmmm. I suppose I'd have to say "The Curse of Chalion" by Bujold, or perhaps "Foreigner" by Cherryh (what is it? 15 books in and I'm STILL mesmerized by Bren Cameron and the atevi!)

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  11. Anonymous1:11 PM

    I'd have to go with the other series by Bujold - "Shards of Honor" hooked me and I've devoured every Vorkosigan book since.

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  12. Andrea Kane's Forensic Instincts series with The Girl Who Disappeared Twice and The Line Between Here and Gone.

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  13. Peggy8:14 PM

    Heather Graham's Krewe of Hunters. Too-cute spelling, I thought (until I looked it up), but a casual world that I love.

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  14. I have read a lot of great books recently, but the winner for first in a series has to go to Written in Blood by Anne Bishop

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  15. A series that drew me in and continues to captivate me is the detective duo created by Deborah Crombie. Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James books.

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  16. There are really too many to name. But to randomly pick one - Naked in Death

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  17. Surrender sounds amazing. Let's see...I recently read Need by Carrie Jones and have been reading the rest of the books like mad.

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  18. Anne V.9:32 AM

    One of the first books I loved? The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks. I stole it from my dad's shelf and never gave it back again.

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  19. Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I was hooked on her books after reading it. :)

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  20. I love series and read tons of them so to pick one is liking asking who your favorite child is. Always on the lookout for new series

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  21. So many options to choose from and I am notorious for not knowing which is the first in the series as I tend to pick up one in the middle first. I swear I don't do it on purpose. :) The first I did this with was the first trilogy of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books. Specifically I picked up Arrow's Flight, book 2, and Arrows of the Queen, book 1, less than a week later. That was 25 or so years ago and I still have them.

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  22. I just finished Daughter of Smoke & Bone and I'm halfway through the sequel, Days of Blood & Starlight.I can hardly put it down! I love it when you ask us to name books. It always gives me some great ideas for the next "new author" I want to read!
    Jennifer

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  23. bn1003:51 PM

    Can't think of any

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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