Book Spotlight: Bruised (Book 1 in the Bruised Series) Stacy-Deanne

Posted on February 6, 2014

Hi All,
Thanks everyone for joining me today. I’d like to thank Deatri for letting me appear on her lovely blog again. My next release, Captivated (Book 2 in the Bruised Series) comes out March 1 from Sugar and Spice Press! So get ready! Bruised (Book 1) is available now!

Bruised:

When Baltimore Homicide Detective Lisa Swanson and her partner Dee Quarter are called to investigate the murder of Ernest Juarez, Lisa meets wheelchair bound Jake Jenson, a man determined to find his best friend’s killer at all costs. Jake is instantly attracted to the standoffish Lisa yet can’t understand why Lisa keeps him at arm’s length.

What Jake feels is resistance toward him, is really Lisa’s distrust of men caused by a previous relationship centered on domestic violence. Lisa desperately searches for Ernest’s killer while fighting her feelings for Jake and trying to mend the pain from her past.

Jake just might be the man of Lisa’s dreams, but will she let shame and fear stand in the way of a new love?

Genre: Interracial Romantic Suspense

Length: Novella

What Makes the Bruised Series Different?

Genre:

Bruised is an interracial romantic suspense series and there are not a lot of suspense books in the interracial genre.

Characters:

The characters in the series have a lot of baggage but they face their demons together. Lisa and Jake fall in love in the first book. They bond because they’ve both struggled with horrific issues that continue to haunt them. They find solace together and this is the basis of their relationship.

Lisa is a homicide detective who is also a domestic violence victim. The scars on her back and the memories of that relationship are a constant reminder of the past, but with Jake’s help she finally moves on.

One of the unique things about Bruised is that the hero is in a wheelchair. Jake is an alcoholic who became handicapped after having an auto accident. Even though Jake accepts that he will forever be confined to a wheelchair, he too struggles with painful memories of the past and sometimes even his confidence as a man.

What Message Will Readers Get from This Series?

I usually don’t write with messages in mind. I believe that readers find their own message but with Bruised I wanted to educate those ignorant to domestic violence. One of the most disturbing misconceptions concerning domestic violence is that people think there is a certain type of person who is abused and that abuse discriminates. Abuse does not discriminate and people from all walks of life and in different professions fall victim to domestic violence. I wanted to show this through Lisa. She is a cop and because of that people see her as invincible but I thought it was important to give her this battle so people could really see that domestic violence can happen to everyone and that it has nothing to do with a person’s strength or weakness. So if a reader was going to get any message from Bruised, I hope it’s that one.

Excerpt of Bruised:

“Why are you always sniffing me?” She picked up the photo of Jake standing in a tuxedo with a petite blonde-haired woman.

“Why are you always wearing that perfume?”

“Wow.” Lisa moved her hand over Jake and the blonde woman. “You look so different standing. I didn’t realize you were so tall.”

“I’m six-three.”

Mmm.

“I know this sounds ridiculous but seeing this picture of you is so weird. I mean, I only know you from the chair.” She stared at the photo. “I guess I never pictured how you would look standing and walking.”

“Does seeing that picture make you see me differently?”

“No, it just…” Her heart fluttered. “It’s just—”

“Arousing?” he whispered. “To see me standing? To see me in a position of strength opposed to being a cripple?”

“You’re not a cripple. I’ve never thought of you like that.”

“Lisa.” He chuckled. “You’ve gotta get a sense of humor where I’m concerned.” He hit her thigh. “I’m just fucking with you. But seeing me standing does something to you, right?”

She swallowed. “Not the way you’re taking it.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” He parked his wheelchair against the bookshelf.

“What are you doing?”

He put one hand on the shelf and the other on his chair. “Ah.” He brought himself up.

“Jake.”

Oh, God, this is so arousing.

Just seeing Jake at full-height with that intense glare focused on her made her wetter than Niagara Falls.

He placed his feet firmly on the carpet. “Mmm.” He closed his eyes.

“Wait.” She set the picture down and grabbed him around the waist. “I don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself.”

“No, it’s okay.” He gently pushed her away. “I wanna show you.”

“You don’t have to show me anything.”

He took delicate steps. “I want…to show you that I’m a man.”

“Come on, this is silly. I know you’re a man.”

“But you like what you see in that picture, don’t you?” He inched toward her. “I see how you looked at that picture just now. I want you to look at me like that.”

“Jake.”

“See?” He chuckled between breaths. “I still got it.” He continued toward her.

“Please. I’m nervous you’ll hurt yourself.”

“It’s just a little pain.” He made it to her. “It’s worth it to see the look on your face.” He sniffed her neck. “To hold you and show you that I can do anything any man can. I just need a little more time to do it.”

Captivated Releases March 1 from Sugar and Spice Press

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