Monday, August 15, 2016

The Russian Tattoos {+ Giveaway}


It’s my pleasure to be a part of the Xpresso Book Tours for THE RUSSIAN TATTOOS: PRISONER by Kat Shehata.

As part of the tour, Kat is sharing an excerpt from her book and a tour-wide giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Please see the end of the post for more details on the giveaway.

◊Russian Tattoos: Prisoner
◊by Kat Shehata
◊(Russian Tattoos, #2)
◊Published by: Limitless Publishing
◊Publication date: August 2nd 2016
◊Genres: New Adult, Romance, Suspense

American tennis player Carter Cook is being held prisoner by the Russian mafia…

Carter is the obsession of mob boss Vladimir Ivanov, a man she once loved. Now a mafia war has erupted on his home turf, and Vladimir’s enemies have put a bounty on her head to force him to surrender. If she is captured, his rivals will deliver a deadly ultimatum—his life in exchange for hers. The price for Carter’s freedom is Vladimir’s blood.
Vladimir holds ultimate power as godfather of the Ivanov Bratva…
He spent five years in a Siberian prison camp and has earned every tattoo inked into his skin. He is a powerful man who rules his crew with an iron fist.
But his enemies have discovered his only weakness—Carter. Vladimir knows if she stays in his world, he is handing her a death sentence, so he vows to get her home and never interfere in her life again. Giving up the woman he loves is the only way to protect her from the bad guys—including himself.
Vladimir’s rivals have a different plan for the ill-fated couple…
Some punishments are worse than death, and the head of the Ovechkin Bratva will go to any length to seek vengeance and inflict maximum suffering on Vladimir.
Carter may be Vladimir’s weakness, but she is also his only hope for survival. When the boss of the Ovechkin family threatens the man she loves, she must fight for Vladimir’s freedom before their rivals can deliver the fatal blow.
Love is blind—but it could also be deadly.

THE RUSSIAN TATTOOS: PRISONER can be found on Goodreads and can be purchased on Amazon.

Now here’s an excerpt from THE RUSSIAN TATTOOS: PRISONER for your reading pleasure.

It was a bumpy ride in the back of the Range Rover as Boris drove down a dirt road that would eventually take us into the city of Ekaterinburg. The sun was setting, and all I could see for miles was farmland and an occasional roadside produce stand or a dilapidated shack that housed vendors selling hats, blankets, and handmade baskets.
Using my coat as a pillow, I rested my head against the window and closed my eyes. It would take a couple hours to get to town, and it would do me well to get some rest. I wanted to sleep, but the rocky terrain made it impossible. My head bobbed every time Boris hit a bump, and there was no room for me stretch out on the bench without using Vladimir as my body pillow. 
Sensing I was uncomfortable, Vladimir pulled me over to his side, rested my head on his chest, and draped his coat over me like a blanket. I aligned my body against him, snuggled into the crook of his neck, and inhaled the intoxicating scent of his cologne. He caressed my shoulder and I hugged him tighter, snaking my hand under his suit jacket and lightly scratching his back.
His chest heaved and he released a primal growl. I recognized that sound. It was a telltale little noise he made when I turned him on. I combed my fingers through his tousled hair and pulled him to me so I could reach his lips. I slid my tongue inside his mouth and groaned as we made out and his beard scratched against my skin.
My body was humming down there. Our bodies were hidden under his coat, and I slid my hand below his belt and rubbed his erection. I loved messing around with Vladimir, holding him, kissing him, touching his body, but I felt the urge to give him more. I wanted Vladimir to be my first. I had vowed to wait until my wedding night, but I wanted to lose my virginity with him.
One day I would get married to a man I could love without life-threatening consequences. Would I regret that I hadn’t saved myself for my future husband? Never. Spending the night with my sexy Russian would be the single greatest moment of my life. The thought of having all of him inside me made me flush with desire.
The terrain had gotten rougher since our scandalous make-out session broke out, and the truck bounced as Boris hit every dip in the road, probably on purpose, as he drove down the country road. Vladimir squeezed my ass as I touched him, and we made out with a sense of urgency like it was our last night on earth. Maybe it was.


Author Kat Shehata
Kat Shehata’s first career involved caring for exotic, dangerous, and adorable animals as a zookeeper. As an author, Kat weaves her love of animals into her work. She is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling children’s book Animals on the Other Side written with Sylvia Browne.

She is an avid tennis player and spends her free time playing matches in a recreational league in Cincinnati, Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Wilmington College, a professional writing certificate from the University of Cincinnati, and a master’s degree in creative writing from Spalding University.

For more on Kat and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.


You can also find out more about Kat and her fascinating release by visiting the following blogs participating in her tour.

August 15th
It’s All About the Romance >> Excerpt
Thoughts in Progress >> Excerpt
August 16th
Read to My Heart’s Content  >> Review
Cafinated Reads >> Excerpt
August 17th
BooksChatter >> Interview
Amy’s Review Obsession >> Review
August 18th
Evermore Books >> Playlist
Book Addict >> Review
August 19th
Lisa Loves Literature >> Excerpt
Addicted to Reviews >> Review
The Avid Reader >> Interview
August 22nd
Book Reviews & More by Kathy >> Excerpt
Liz Gavin’s Blog >> Review
August 23rd
Becky on Books >> Interview
The Book Nerd >> Review
August 24th
Mello & June, It’s a Book Thang! >> Excerpt
Sweet Spot Sisterhood >> Review
August 25th
The Avid Book Collector >> Excerpt
Princess Reads >> Review
August 26th
The Starred Review >> Review
The Bookery Review >> Review
August 29th
Lynchburg Mama >> Excerpt
NightWolf Book Blog >> Review
August 30th
Share My Destiny >> Excerpt
Bloodthirsty Muses >> Review
Padme’s Library >> Interview
August 31st
Quesarasera Book Reviews >> Review
My Book Filled Life >> Review
September 1st
A British Bookworm’s Blog >> Excerpt
LYLY 5 STAR BOOKS >> Review
BB’s Book Reviews & Promotions >> Review
September 2nd
Romantic Fanatic >> Review
TBR Book Blog >> Review

This is a tour-wide giveaway (International) for a $25 Amazon Gift Card. The giveaway ends Sept. 8th.

To enter this giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Kat’s visit. Do you like books where genres (suspense and romance) are blended together or had you rather keep the genres separate?

14 comments:

  1. Congratulations Kat.
    I much prefer books which cross/blur the genre divide.

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  2. Looks like a good romantic novel; thanks for the chance :)

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  3. A tennis player and the mafia - now that's a unique combination.

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  4. Blending genres is the way to go these days. I love that she was once a zookeeper. I would've loved that job.

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  5. I really give authors credit who cross genre lines, or blend them a bit. When it's done well, it can make for a rich reading experience. Thanks for sharing, Mason.

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  6. I love suspenseful books, and this one sounds like an intriguing read!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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  7. This novel sounds captivating and unique. Thanks.

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  8. Congrats! I still need to read or listen to the first one But I'm excited! :)

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  9. I definitely prefer mixed genres. I think the story and even the author can suffer by sticking too closely to the limits of one genre and goodness knows authors suffer enough. Thanks for the great prize.

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  10. I, too, am a fan of crossing genres. So much more fun than playing by the rules. :)

    Congrats, Kat! (What a perfect name for a former zookeeper!)

    VR Barkowski

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's post. Thanks for dropping by.