For today’s release day spotlight, MRN is bringing you an author whose work I L-O-V-E! Today, we celebrate LaQuette’s release, Lies You Tell. Happy Book Birthday!! 🍾🍾🍾🍾
LaQuette has graciously shared an excerpt and the inside scoop on this release, and future books to come, with us. Check it out!!
Blurb
A mob boss finding his dead lover alive six years after her death, shocking. Learning they’ve got a five-year-old son…deadly.
Six years ago Sanai Ward fled her life in Florida when her lover’s infidelity nearly brings her life to a fiery end. Scared and devastated, Sanai starts over from nothing, determined to create a safe and happy life for the child she discovers she’s carrying.
Single parenthood isn’t easy. But the joys of watching her beloved Nazario thrive is more than enough motivation to ignore the ache in her heart for the man that shattered her soul.
Dante De Luca is a passionate man who’s had his life stolen from
him. Six years ago he was in love and happy, until his woman was killed
in a fire. Sanai was gone. There was nothing left in the ashes but the
locket he’d placed around her neck. Too angry to deal with his loss,
Dante seeks to make the rest of the world pay for his broken heart by forming
an unholy covenant with an unspeakable ally. He knows he’ll live to
regret it, but signing away your humanity to the devil seems meaningless when
your soul is already gone.
him. Six years ago he was in love and happy, until his woman was killed
in a fire. Sanai was gone. There was nothing left in the ashes but the
locket he’d placed around her neck. Too angry to deal with his loss,
Dante seeks to make the rest of the world pay for his broken heart by forming
an unholy covenant with an unspeakable ally. He knows he’ll live to
regret it, but signing away your humanity to the devil seems meaningless when
your soul is already gone.
When an accident involving a family member draws Dante to New
York, and forces an unexpected meeting between he and Sanai, Dante has to
decide what’s more important. His rage and revenge, or the safety of the
woman he once loved and the health of their son?
York, and forces an unexpected meeting between he and Sanai, Dante has to
decide what’s more important. His rage and revenge, or the safety of the
woman he once loved and the health of their son?
Just when Sanai’s deception is beginning to sting less, Dante is
faced with the fallout of his own lies. Will she forgive him? Will
they survive them, or will their lives become tragic casualties of the
dangerous lies he told?
faced with the fallout of his own lies. Will she forgive him? Will
they survive them, or will their lives become tragic casualties of the
dangerous lies he told?
Available on Loose Id
“How did you—”
“Know? Bernie was the good neighbor that helped you escape? I grew up in Brooklyn, Sanai, with Big Tony and Bernie. Where do you think we spent time as kids? Downstairs
eating at Mrs. Rossi’s table. If you’re gonna lie, be sure your audience has no
way of finding you out.”
eating at Mrs. Rossi’s table. If you’re gonna lie, be sure your audience has no
way of finding you out.”
He said nothing further, simply pulled his phone from the nightstand on the opposite
side of her bed, tapped a few times, and then shoved the phone in her face.
side of her bed, tapped a few times, and then shoved the phone in her face.
It was an old picture. Even though this copy was digital, she could tell from the
faded colors and the faint lines that marred the photo where someone had
apparently bent it in half. He’d probably scanned it to create this digital
copy she was now staring at.
faded colors and the faint lines that marred the photo where someone had
apparently bent it in half. He’d probably scanned it to create this digital
copy she was now staring at.
There was a young woman, dark-chocolate eyes and hair the color of midnight cut into
a short bob around her chin. On her lap was a smiling boy with his hands thrown
in the air. The face, the nose, the lips, eyes—everything was a match for her
son. She’d always known Nazario favored his father, but never had she
understood just how much. They were twins born more than a quarter century
apart. One with raven curls, the other with raven cornrows, both holding equal
parts of her heart hostage.
a short bob around her chin. On her lap was a smiling boy with his hands thrown
in the air. The face, the nose, the lips, eyes—everything was a match for her
son. She’d always known Nazario favored his father, but never had she
understood just how much. They were twins born more than a quarter century
apart. One with raven curls, the other with raven cornrows, both holding equal
parts of her heart hostage.
Quick movements next to her jostled her, forcing her to look up at his naked form. Strong back, carved in thick muscle. A high curved ass. Its lack of jiggle told her
how firm it was, even without the benefit of touching it. Ropes of corded
muscle contracted and flexed as his thighs moved him to the center of the room.
He picked up his boxer-briefs, pulled them on, and snapped the waistband in
anger.
how firm it was, even without the benefit of touching it. Ropes of corded
muscle contracted and flexed as his thighs moved him to the center of the room.
He picked up his boxer-briefs, pulled them on, and snapped the waistband in
anger.
“Where the fuck is my son, Sanai?”
She didn’t say anything. First, because it was so strange to hear someone else refer to
Nazario as their son. He’d been hers and hers alone from the moment she’d
learned she’d conceived. Second, she didn’t particularly like his tone. Yeah,
he’d given her some bullshit-ass excuse for why that mystery lunatic had come
for her, but nothing so definitive that it kept the blame from resting on his
shoulders.
Nazario as their son. He’d been hers and hers alone from the moment she’d
learned she’d conceived. Second, she didn’t particularly like his tone. Yeah,
he’d given her some bullshit-ass excuse for why that mystery lunatic had come
for her, but nothing so definitive that it kept the blame from resting on his
shoulders.
“Sanai!”
She trembled, not from his yelling, but because she suddenly remembered why her son
wasn’t at home.
wasn’t at home.
“He’s in the Bronx with my friend, Becca. She watches him sometimes when I work back-to-back shifts.”
“When are we going to get him?”
The word “we” felt like hot metal slicing through her skin.
“Dante, my son doesn’t know anything about you. You can’t just roll up to him tonight
and tell him who you are.”
and tell him who you are.”
“The hell I can’t.”
He was filling the space in her bathroom doorway. Chest expanding and contracting in angry swells, making him appear more beast than man. She needed to slow this down;
pouring fire on the situation was only going to cause her more problems.
pouring fire on the situation was only going to cause her more problems.
“Dante, please,” she begged. “Right now isn’t a good time. Learning he has a father
could do more harm than good.”
could do more harm than good.”
“Sanai—”
“He’s sick, Dante,” she countered. The throbbing ache she’d been swallowing since
Nazario’s diagnosis lodged in the middle of her chest and spread to her throat,
making breathing an almost impossible task. She closed her eyes, determined to
keep the tears that threatened away. Tears were for the weak, and she refused
to be weak in front of this man.
Nazario’s diagnosis lodged in the middle of her chest and spread to her throat,
making breathing an almost impossible task. She closed her eyes, determined to
keep the tears that threatened away. Tears were for the weak, and she refused
to be weak in front of this man.
“What do you mean he’s sick?”
The closeness of his voice forced her to open her eyes. He was at her side of the
bed, sitting down close to her on its edge.
bed, sitting down close to her on its edge.
“Sanai?”
His deep voice was filled with a strange mix of confusion and fear. It was a
foreign experience to hear that tone in anyone else’s voice but her own.
His deep voice was filled with a strange mix of confusion and fear. It was a
foreign experience to hear that tone in anyone else’s voice but her own.
“He has leukemia,” she struggled. The coarse word scraped her throat as the words
climbed out of her mouth. “Becca is his pediatrician. She diagnosed him around
the time I ran into you in the PICU . He’s going for his first round
of treatment tomorrow in the oncology department where I work.”
climbed out of her mouth. “Becca is his pediatrician. She diagnosed him around
the time I ran into you in the PICU . He’s going for his first round
of treatment tomorrow in the oncology department where I work.”
She looked up at him, watching the creases on his brow. Watching as her words
penetrated his mind and formed meaning behind his eyes.
penetrated his mind and formed meaning behind his eyes.
“How bad is it?” he whispered.
“Early stage, thank God. But it’s still serious. We’ve decided to go full speed ahead
with chemo and radiation. He’s going to be in the hospital for a while. The
treatment is just as hard on the system as the disease. But if we can stop it
now…”
with chemo and radiation. He’s going to be in the hospital for a while. The
treatment is just as hard on the system as the disease. But if we can stop it
now…”
She couldn’t even finish the rest of that sentence. Her mind wasn’t in a space yet
where she could think about the alternative to the decided therapy not working.
where she could think about the alternative to the decided therapy not working.
“I worked my last shift last night. I’m technically on family medical leave for
the foreseeable future, so I can be by his side every moment he’s going through
this. This battle is gonna be a difficult one. Becca thought he could use some
fun and I could use some rest before it all begins. She asked to keep him to
give us both what we needed before we walk into hell.”
the foreseeable future, so I can be by his side every moment he’s going through
this. This battle is gonna be a difficult one. Becca thought he could use some
fun and I could use some rest before it all begins. She asked to keep him to
give us both what we needed before we walk into hell.”
He nodded, his eyes still dancing with questions he seemed either too stunned or
too polite to ask. Since polite had never been Dante’s strong suit, she figured
he was still trying to process everything she’d told him.
too polite to ask. Since polite had never been Dante’s strong suit, she figured
he was still trying to process everything she’d told him.
“I’m supposed to join them tonight for pizza, and we’re all going to have a
sleepover at Becca’s tonight. We’ll leave first thing in the morning for his
first chemo appointment.”
sleepover at Becca’s tonight. We’ll leave first thing in the morning for his
first chemo appointment.”
He placed a gentle hand around hers. “Call your friend and let her know you’re
bringing company with you.”
bringing company with you.”
“Dante, I can’t just walk in there with you. I just told you he’s sick.”
“Yes, Sanai, he’s sick. And if you think for one moment I’m not going to be there every step of the way you’re crazy. I’ve missed your pregnancy, watching you grow with
him. I’ve missed every second of his life for the five years he’s been on this
earth. I’ll be damned if I miss another moment. You don’t have to introduce me
as his father, but I will be there tonight, Sanai.”
him. I’ve missed every second of his life for the five years he’s been on this
earth. I’ll be damned if I miss another moment. You don’t have to introduce me
as his father, but I will be there tonight, Sanai.”
He moved toward her bathroom, turning halfway to look back at her. “What’s his name, Sanai?”
She swallowed, trying to push the gravel in her mouth down in order to speak.
“Nazario Michael Ward.”
She watched sadness darken his eyes, his jaw twitching briefly.
“You named him after me but never planned to let me know he existed?” He didn’t wait for an answer, just shook his head. “Tonight, you’re going to take me to meet
my son.”
my son.”
Describe Lies You Tell in six words.
Intense, endearing, edgy, titillating, fulfilling, and intriguing.
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
I love mob movies and stories. The Godfather is one of my favorite film series of all times. Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital is probably one of my favorite characters. Both Michael and Sonny had first wives who were killed in mob hits. I wondered what would happen if Michael and or Sonny ever found out that the women they loved and buried, were still alive.
What was the hardest thing about writing this book?
Dante and Sanai have a five-year-old son that faces some serious health concerns. As a mother, I know what it’s like to have a sick child. It was difficult at times to balance the romance with Sanai’s responsibilities as a mother. Sometimes I fought not to go too far over the edge in either direction. I’m happy with the final result, and I hope readers are happy with the medium I attempted to provide.
If you were casting Dante and Sanai in a movie, who would play them?
Nyle DiMarco & Teyonah Parris. Lord, what those two could do on screen together.
Lies You Tell is book 1 in St. Jared’s Memorial Hospital series, what next can we expect from this series?
The thing about a hospital is that it can be the great equalizer. St Jared’s is based on a hospital I worked in for nearly a decade. When a trauma comes in, the medical team doesn’t care how much money have, what your sexual orientation is, what your faith is, or your ethnicity. What they care about it saving your life. The moment someone comes in with a gunshot would, everything is about skillfully practiced reactions to the traumatic injury. All that other stuff might come later, but in the moment, it’s about doing everything to save the individual’s life.
I wanted a world where race, and other social constructs that are often used to divide people, were acknowledged, but not used as the source of conflict. Keeping that in mind, the next book will focus on Dante’s best friend, Big Tony and one of the doctor’s in the story, Dr. Linaris.
This series is all about diversity as the status quo. You won’t find diversity as the conflict in these stories. It is the standard, the expectation in this world at St. Jared’s. Gay, straight, Christian, Muslim, this series is about seeing people out of the fishbowl, and just in their everyday lives, living and loving.
Author Bio
LaQuette is an erotic, multicultural romance author of M/F and M/M love stories. Her writing style brings intellect to the drama. She often crafts emotionally epic, fantastical tales that are deeply pigmented by reality’s paintbrush. Her novels are filled with a unique mixture of savvy, sarcastic, brazen, and unapologetically sexy characters who are confident in their right to appear on the page.
This bestselling Erotic Romance Author is the 2016 Author of the Year Golden Apple Award Winner, 2015 Swirl Awards Bronze Winner in Romantic Suspense, and 2015 Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award Finalist in Erotic Romance.
LaQuette—a native of Brooklyn, New York—spends her time catering to her three distinct personalities: Wife, Mother, and Educator.
Writing—her escape from everyday madness—has always been a friend and source of comfort. At the age of sixteen she read her first romance novel and realized the genre was
missing something: people that looked and lived like her. As a result, her characters and settings are always designed to provide positive representations
of people of color and various marginalized communities.
She loves hearing from readers and discussing the crazy characters that are running
around in her head causing so much trouble. Contact her on Facebook, Twitter,
her website, NovelsbyLaQuette.com, Amazon, and via email at LaQuette@NovelsbyLaQuette.com.
around in her head causing so much trouble. Contact her on Facebook, Twitter,
her website, NovelsbyLaQuette.com, Amazon, and via email at LaQuette@NovelsbyLaQuette.com.
My Reading Nook 