Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Dare to Stay
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Alberts, Diane
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.jenmclaughlin.com/
CITY:
STATE: PA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin * http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2061467/jen-mclaughlin
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2016011574
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2016011574
HEADING: McLaughlin, Jen
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670 __ |a McLaughlin, Jen. Dare to run, ©2016: |b title page (Jen McLaughlin)
PERSONAL
Married; children: four.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Jen McLaughlin is a best-selling author of steamy romances. She has also hit the best-seller lists writing as Diane Alberts. While many of her books have been published by traditional publishers, she has self-published many as an independent author. In fact, McLaughlin is one of the best-selling independent authors in the United States.
In an interview for Publishers Weekly, Jennifer McCartney described McLaughlin’s decision to go the independent route with her publishing: “While McLaughlin has had previous success publishing with e-publisher Entangled under the name Diane Alberts, she wanted to try her hand at writing a new adult military romance and ‘just had a feeling that self-publishing was the way to go.’ Publishing both with a traditional digital publisher and as an indie author, she considers herself a hybrid. ‘I think it’s good to have your name in different places,’ she says.” McCartney added, “Once she’d decided to go the indie route, she took the publishing process seriously and hired an editor, a cover designer, and a publicist. ‘It paid off,’ McLaughlin says. ‘I wasn’t going to put out a book that was mediocre.'”
McCartney continued: “McLaughlin’s ‘Out of Line’ series … began with her belief that there was a gap between the kinds of romance books that were being published and the kind she herself would want to read–a gap she felt she could help to fill. … She decided to focus on the burgeoning category of military romance. Over 2 million American soldiers have served the United States in both Iraq and Afghanistan, so McLaughlin felt there was a large audience of younger women–first and foremost the wives and girlfriends of veterans–who would want to read about what it was like to date, fall in love, or be married to someone who had served overseas.” McCartney concluded: “As a result of the younger age group she was trying to reach, she says ‘I was nervous of how steamy to make it. But you don’t have to dumb it down. [The readers] like steamy.’ She wrote the book with the same level of sex that she includes in her adult titles–although she does post a warning to potential readers that the series contains adult content and advises readers that they should be over seventeen to read her books.”
“Sons of Steel Row”
Among McLaughlin’s numerous series, her “Sons of Steel Row” books are set in Boston. In Dare to Run, gang member Lucas Donahue saves the life of his neighbor, Heidi Greene, when she is assaulted by rival gang members. In the process of saving her, he kills two of the assailants. The only way to avoid a gang war is to convince everyone involved that Heidi is his girlfriend and he was only protecting her. This requires Lucas and Heidi to pose as lovers. Since they are attracted to each other, the task turns out to not be as hard as they might have thought. A Publishers Weekly reviewer commented: “McLaughlin’s well-crafted characters are relatable, sympathetic, and appealing.”
Dare to Stay is about the love that develops between a gang member and a kindergarten teacher. Chris O’Brien is a member of the same gang his father once belonged to. When kindergarten teacher Molly Lachlan–who is an old friend of Chris’s–find him half-dead in an alley, she takes him home to recuperate. As he heals, they discover a love for each other, but Chris knows that his presence there will put Molly in danger from other gangs. Molly refuses to be deterred in her love for him, however, even as she becomes a target herself. “The action is heart-stopping, and reformation occurs at a believable pace without diminishing the unpleasant truths of gang life,” wrote a Publishers Weekly reviewer.
An undercover DEA agent is the hero of Dare to Lie. Scott Donohue has infiltrated the Sons of Steel Row gang, a mission that brings with it many dangers. When Scott is asked by the leader of the gang to take his place at a bachelor’s auction sponsored by his sister’s sorority, Scott agrees. The only stipulation is that the leader’s sister, Skylar, is off-limits. When Scott and Skylar fall in love, it places him directly in the path of danger. Though Skylar knows little about him, she feels he is worth pursuing, but at the same time, Scott knows that the man she thinks she is in love with does not really exist. A Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote: “Life-changing truths are revealed, sexual tension cuts like a blade, and complex characterization and expert dialogue enhance the winning plot. This novel will leave readers breathless.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, December 21, 2015, review of Dare to Run, p. 139; July 4, 2016, review of Dare to Stay, p. 48; January 2, 2017, review of Dare to Lie.
ONLINE
Diane Alberts Home Page, http://www.dianealberts.com (April 7, 2017).
Jen McLaughlin Home Page, http://www.jenmclaughlin.com (April 7, 2017).
Publishers Weekly Online, http://www.publishersweekly.com/ (April 11, 2014), Jennifer McCartney, “Indie Success Story: Jen McLaughlin’s Shot to the Heart.”
USA Today Online, http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/ (June 2, 2016), review of Dare to Lie.
Dare to Lie: Sons of Steel Row #3
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A Wedding in Maine: A McCullagh InnBook
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Dare to Stay: Sons of Steel Row #2
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The McCullagh Inn in Maine
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Lust is the Thorn: Love is the Rose
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Dare to Run: Sons of Steel Row #1
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Bad Romance
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Losing Us: Sex on the Beach #2
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Blurred Lines: Out of Line #5
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Fractured Lines: Out of Line #4
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Out of Line: Box Set 1-3
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Out of Mind: Out of Line #3
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Out of Time: Out of Line #2
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Between Us: Sex on the Beach #1
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Out of Line: Out of Line #1
Professional Bio:
Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of sexy books with Penguin Random House. Under her pen name, Diane Alberts, she is also a USA TODAY bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, hit the New York Times, USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Jen 2 small
Longer Bio:
Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of sexy books with Penguin Random House. Under her pen name, Diane Alberts, she is also a USA TODAY bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, hit the New York Times, USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and four cats. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
*Author Photos by Salena Borsuk*
High Resolution Links to photos on Press Page
Professional Bio:
Diane Alberts is a USA TODAY bestselling Contemporary Romance author with Entangled Publishing. Under the name Jen McLaughlin, she also writes New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling books with Penguin Random House. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Diane 2 smallLonger Bio:
Diane Alberts is a USA TODAY bestselling Contemporary Romance author with Entangled Publishing. Under the name Jen McLaughlin, she also writes New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling books with Penguin Random House. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and four cats. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
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Broken
Jen McLaughlin
Photo of Jen McLaughlin
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous books including the Out of Line Novels and Dare to Run and Dare to Stay in the Sons of Steel Row series. She has also written under the name Diane Alberts.
Jen McLaughlin
USA flag
Jen McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, came out September 2013. She also writes bestselling Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts.Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when shes not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name
New Books
January 2017
(paperback)
A Wedding in Maine
(Bookshots : McCullagh Inn, book 2) January 2017
(paperback)
Kisses at Midnight
(BookShots Omnibus) February 2017
(paperback)
Dare To Lie
(Sons of Steel Row, book 3)
July 2017
(paperback)
A Princess in Maine
(Bookshots : McCullagh Inn)
Series
Out Of Line
1. Out Of Line (2013)
2. Out of Time (2013)
3. Out of Mind (2014)
4. Fractured Lines (2014)
5. Blurred Lines (2015)
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Stepbrother
Bad Romance (2015)
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Sons of Steel Row
1. Dare to Run (2016)
2. Dare To Stay (2016)
3. Dare To Lie (2017)
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Love Is the Rose
1. Lust Is the Thorn (2016)
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Series contributed to
Sex on the Beach
1. Between Us (2014)
2. Losing Us (2015)
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BookShots
The McCallugh Inn in Maine (2016)
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Bookshots : McCullagh Inn
1. The McCullagh Inn in Maine (2016)
2. A Wedding in Maine (2017)
A Princess in Maine (2017)
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BookShots Omnibus (with Tabitha Ross and Samantha Towle)
Kisses at Midnight (omnibus) (2017)
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Indie Success Story: Jen McLaughlin's Shot to the Heart
Self-published author hits the mark with military romance
By Jennifer McCartney | Apr 11, 2014
Comments subscribe by the month
Photo: Courtesy of the author.
Jen McLaughlin.
Jen McLaughlin knew something special was happening with her book the first week after its publication.
“I’m very slow to get excited about things. Once I hit [The New York Times bestseller] list I had to sit down for a minute,” says the indie author. McLaughlin’s first self-published romance novel, Out of Line, went on to sell over 150,000 copies and hit number nine on The Times e-book bestseller list, number 16 on The Times combined e-book and print bestseller list, number 28 on the USA Today bestseller list, and number one in Amazon’s Contemporary Romance category. It’s the kind of success that indie authors dream about -- but it didn’t happen without a lot of hard work.
While McLaughlin has had previous success publishing with e-publisher Entangled under the name Diane Alberts, she wanted to try her hand at writing a new adult military romance and “just had a feeling that self-publishing was the way to go.” Publishing both with a traditional digital publisher and as an indie author, she considers herself a hybrid. “I think it’s good to have your name in different places,” she says.
Once she’d decided to go the indie route, she took the publishing process seriously and hired an editor, a cover designer, and a publicist. “It paid off,” McLaughlin says. “I wasn't going to put out a book that was mediocre.”
Finding an Audience
McLaughlin’s Out of Line series (which now includes Out of Line, Out of Time, and Out of Mind) began with her belief that there was a gap between the kinds of romance books that were being published and the kind she herself would want to read -- a gap she felt she could help to fill. The married mother of four had been writing contemporary romance for two years as Diane Alberts and had published 18 books since the release of her first, Kill Me Tomorrow, in October of 2011.
But in 2013, the Pennsylvania-based author wanted to try something new and she decided to try writing under her own name for a new adult audience -- a quickly growing category that straddles the line between young adult and adult fiction and usually features characters in their late teens or early 20s.
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She decided to focus on the burgeoning category of military romance. Over 2 million American soldiers have served the United States in both Iraq and Afghanistan, so McLaughlin felt there was a large audience of younger women -- first and foremost the wives and girlfriends of veterans -- who would want to read about what it was like to date, fall in love, or be married to someone who had served overseas.
As a result of the younger age group she was trying to reach, she says “I was nervous of how steamy to make it. But you don't have to dumb it down. [The readers] like steamy.” She wrote the book with the same level of sex that she includes in her adult titles -- although she does post a warning to potential readers that the series contains adult content and advises readers that they should be over 17 to read her books.
The first book in the Out of Line series and the book that catapulted McLaughlin onto the bestseller lists features Carrie, a senator's daughter, who is off to college in California and just wants to be a normal girl living her life without a bodyguard. Unbeknownst to Carrie, her father enlists US Marine (and avid surfer) Finn Coram to watch out for her -- and they fall in love. When she finds out who he really is “all hell breaks loose,” says McLaughlin.
It was a “new and novel idea” and she had a feeling it might do well. But first, McLaughlin needed to make sure she went about self-publishing the book in a professional manner. Once the manuscript for Out of Line was completed she plotted her next steps.
Preparing to Launch
While there’s no guaranteed formula for creating a bestseller, McLaughlin says her indie-publishing success required the following components: “Good writing, good editing, followed by a pretty cover, followed by publicity.”
Step One: Hire an Editor
To help edit the book she enlisted the services of a content editor at Coat of Polish Edits who helped her to shape the narrative and fine tune the plot. Next, she hired a copy editor. Readers who review on Amazon, Goodreads, or their own blogs, expect to have a clean reading experience when they purchase an e-book and finding one too many typos or grammatical errors can earn an author a bad review -- whether the reader enjoyed the plot and characters or not.
“If you’re going to [be an indie author] make sure that you hire editors,” McLaughlin says.
Step Two: Hire a Designer
Once the editorial process was complete, she concentrated on the design of the interior and cover. E.M. Tippets Book Design typeset the manuscript, and cover artist Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations designed a cover in keeping with the romance genre. The final design features a bold title treatment in crimson along with a photograph of a reclining long-haired woman and a young, clean-cut man locked in an embrace.
Step Three: Hire a Publicist
The last step in McLaughlin’s plan was to hire the literary publicity firm InkSlinger. To help McLaughlin attract media attention for Out of Line, InkSlinger offered publicity services such as press releases, blog tours, and book signings. Working with publicist Jessica Estep (a former publicist with Entangled Publishing) they began by setting up a Goodreads contest a few weeks before the September 2013 publication date. Over 1,000 readers added the book to their “to-read” shelf in the lead up to publication, and seven months after publication Out of Line has close to 4,000 ratings on Goodreads. McLaughlin and Estep also set up a “publicity blitz,” rallying readers to sign up on the author’s website and win a bonus scene from the book by participating in a social media campaign. Estep also planned a blog tour that would commence as soon as the book published. McLaughlin secured a blurb from New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy for the cover. “We had a huge cover reveal,” recalls McLaughlin. “There was a lot of interest in it immediately.”
All told, McLaughlin estimates she invested about $1,200 of her own money to publish and publicize her book. She admits it was a team effort. “I don’t really consider myself self-published,” McLaughlin says. “I have so many people helping me.”
After conferring with her agent, Louise Fury of the Bent Agency, McLaughlin decided to release the book across all e-book platforms at once. They also decided to price the book at 99 cents for the first week before raising it to the current price of $2.99. McLaughlin figured the downside to a low price point was minimal. “What do I have to lose, so why not? It came out very strong,” she says. She spent the first few days watching the Amazon ranking climb towards number one in its category. “I would text my agent the numbers. She said I was going to hit the [New York Times bestseller] list.” It was her first book as a new adult author and after its immediate success she quickly published the second book in the series to keep the momentum going.
Capitalizing on the Success of an Indie E-Book
Unlike traditional publishing where an author must often wait over a year to see her book published, McLaughlin was able to keep control of the publishing schedule and release the next book in the series just months after Out of Line was published. Out of Time was released in December 2013 and Out of Mind, the third title, publishes in April of 2014. McLaughlin is following the same editing, design, and publicity plan as she did for her first two titles. The third book explores the challenges that many couples face in attempting to have a normal, healthy relationship when one partner is a veteran who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. “My goal all along was to show how Marines change over time,” McLaughlin explains. “They go over there and they come home and have to deal with what they’ve seen and blend in when they get home.” With an estimated one in five veterans returning from war suffering from some form of PTSD, it’s a message McLaughlin hopes will resonate with her existing readers and also one that might attract a new audience.
At the end of March, McLaughlin’s agent concluded a deal with Italian publisher Newton Compton for print and digital rights to all three books in the Out Of Line series. She acknowledges that foreign rights deals for indie authors are rare and is thrilled with the development. “We've kept our options open for print,” McLaughlin says. “If it was the right offer [from a traditional publisher] then absolutely.”
Meet Jen McLaughlin
Posted May 13, 2015 in Community Featured, Email blast, West Des Moines
Addressing the needs of high-ability learners
By Dawn Sagario Pauls
Sometimes, students who excel don’t get the attention they deserve.
“The high-ability kids and their needs are the last kids whose needs are going to be thought about,” says Jen McLaughlin, extended learning teacher at Jordan Creek Elementary School in West Des Moines. “But they’re just as important.”
Jen McLaughlin is an extended learning teacher at Jordan Creek Elementary School. Photos by Dawn Sagario Pauls.
Jen McLaughlin is an extended learning teacher at Jordan Creek Elementary School. Photos by Dawn Sagario Pauls.
McLaughlin has been working with gifted learners for nine years. She’s teamed up with teachers and families to ensure kids are receiving not just the necessary educational, but also emotional and social support.
In the lower elementary grades, McLaughlin goes into classrooms to focus on different kinds of thinking with students. For example, they may talk about what it’s like to think like an inventor or a detective. Students who show a strength in that particular type of thinking will meet in a small group with McLaughlin.
In fourth through sixth grades, students are formally identified as participating in the extended learning program, and they begin seeing McLaughlin for two hours a week. They develop their passions, and also talk about the social and emotional aspects associated with being a gifted learner.
They discuss topics such as perfectionism and how to deal with friendships, high expectations, being on a schedule and organization.
Over the years, McLaughlin has seen gifted learners benefit from the greater emphasis on differentiation in education – students are tested to determine what level they’re at, and educators meet them at that level.
One service they were able to offer students this year is a Google+ Hangout for math. It’s enabled students at Jordan Creek to take junior-high level math via live video versus busing them to Stilwell Junior High, she says.
McLaughlin recommends that parents of high-ability learners consult resources such as books and websites to learn more about how to raise their child. They should also help kids find a balance between academics, activities and friendships, and build a relationship with their child’s teacher so they can work together to meet the student’s needs.
McLaughlin enjoys the challenge of her job, along with the opportunity to form relationships with kids and families, and to see students’ passions develop.
“They amaze me and put me in awe all the time about what they can do,” she says.
Jen McLaughlin
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Jen McLaughlin
Websitehttp://jenmclaughlin.com
GenreRomance, Young Adult
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Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of sexy books with Penguin Random House. Under her pen name, Diane Alberts, she is also a USA TODAY bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, hit the New York Times, USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and three cats. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name. (less)
3/10/17, 3:13 PM
Print Marked Items
Hachette Audio
The Bookwatch.
(Oct. 2016): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2016 Midwest Book Review http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bw/index.htm
Full Text:
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 www.hachetteaudio.com
James Patterson 'Bookshots Flames' offers a series of original romance novels which can be listened to in just a few hours of passionate, compelling action, and four new arrivals to the series are wonderful additions to any romance listener's collection. Jen McLaughlin's The McCullah Inn in Maine (9781478967613, $10.00) documents Chelsea's determination to begin her life and love again, until she bumps into her old flame, who helps her fix up her inn. Erin Bennett's narration brings the passion and drama to life. Erin Knightley's Learning to Ride (9781478967590, $10.00) is narrated by Courtney Patterson, who perfectly captures the drama in a rodeo master who doesn't want love to limit his world. When he sees Madeline at a local honky-tonk, at first he's not impressed; but her worldly ways belay a heart that is surprisingly resistant to his wiles. 'Bookshots' also offers non-romances such as Maxine Paetro's Women's Murder Club: The Trial (9781478967352, $10.00), narrated by veteran reader January LaVoy who adds spice to the story of an accused murderer able to threaten lawyers, jurors and police involved in his case before he goes to trial for murder. A powerful saga is hard to put down. Little Black Dress, with Emily Raymond (9781478967576, $10.00), is narrated by Helen Wick and documents the life of a lonely magazine editor who spends her nights alone until a dress changes her life and loosens her inhibitions. All are engrossing listens, perfect for busy readers who seek high drama packed into a minimum of time.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Hachette Audio." The Bookwatch, Oct. 2016. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA469849537&it=r&asid=1185f3148d913684c80645dae19ae208. Accessed 10 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A469849537
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3/10/17, 3:13 PM
Dare to Stay
Publishers Weekly.
263.27 (July 4, 2016): p48. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Dare to Stay
Jen McLaughlin. Signet, $7.99 mass market (336p). ISBN 978-0-451-47760-6
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The mean, gritty streets of Boston's Steel Row provide the setting for McLaughlin's tumultuous, compelling tale of love between an unyielding gang member and a tenacious kindergarten teacher. Chris O'Brien is a member of the same gang that his abusive father belonged to, and he fights for his life on a daily basis. It's all he's ever known. When his old friend Molly Lachlan finds him half-dead in an alley, she brings him to her home, understanding that going to a hospital will raise questions better left unanswered. While he's recuperating, Molly uncovers his softer side, and her nonjudgmental attitude encourages his romantic feelings for her. However, his presence is a threat to her safety, so he tries to stay away. When she refuses to give up on him, she becomes the perfect pawn for rival gang members and is 'thrust into his dark, dangerous world. As love blurs the line between privilege and misfortune, readers will root for this unlikely duo. The action is heart-stopping, and reformation . occurs at a believable pace without diminishing the unpleasant truths of gang life. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Dare to Stay." Publishers Weekly, 4 July 2016, p. 48+. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA457302897&it=r&asid=1cb52acbe5d0c36d0474d56c69b86fdd. Accessed 10 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A457302897
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3/10/17, 3:13 PM
Dare to Run
Publishers Weekly.
262.52 (Dec. 21, 2015): p139. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Dare to Run
Jen McLaughlin. Signet, $7.99 mass market (336p) ISBN 978-0-451-47759-0
McLaughlin's Sons of Steel Row series opens with this dark, edgy contemporary. Ex-con Lucas Donahue, a high- ranking gang member, is back to smuggling weapons after doing his time. When he sees Heidi Greene, his neighbor, about to be assaulted by a rival gang behind her Boston tavern, Lucas kills two of the assailants. To avoid a gang war, Lucas claims that he was just protecting his girlfriend, but this ruse requires Lucas and Heidi to demonstrate publicly that they are, in fact, lovers. They discover that their phony relationship isn't hard to fake given their strong attraction to each other. Subplots involving Lucas's brother and political tension within the gang provide more insight into Lucas; Heidi learns that his life of crime began with noble intentions. Despite the violence, McLaughlin's well-crafted characters are relatable, sympathetic, and appealing. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Dare to Run." Publishers Weekly, 21 Dec. 2015, p. 139+. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA438563359&it=r&asid=801b27e486e4db44a134f2d8b8c7b924. Accessed 10 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A438563359
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Exclusive cover reveal: ‘Dare to Lie’ by Jen McLaughlin
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By: Joyce Lamb | June 2, 2016 12:00 am
HEA unveils the cover of Jen McLaughlin’s Dare to Lie (book three in The Sons of Steel Row), arriving Feb. 7, 2017.
Dare to Lie by Jen McLaughlin
About the book:
Surviving means living a lie, but loving means facing the truth…
As an undercover DEA agent in the most powerful gang in Boston, Scott Donahue accepts the risks of living a double life. But when Tate Donovan, leader of the Sons of Steel Row, assigns Scotty to take his place in a bachelor’s auction sponsored by his sister’s sorority, he’s exposed to a whole new level of danger.
Even though Tate makes it very clear—Skylar is off-limits— the second Scotty sees her, he’s a goner. But how does he tell Sky she’s falling for a man who doesn’t exist?
Sky can’t resist Scotty’s cool confidence or the raw, edgy power oozing from his perfect body. She’s always been the good girl, but he brings out the bad in her.
And even though she knows so little about who he really is, Sky’s willing to take the biggest risk of all. But putting her heart on the line is no guarantee that Scotty won’t slip through her fingers…
Dare to Stay
Jen McLaughlin. Signet, $7.99 mass market (336p) ISBN 978-0-451-47760-6
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The mean, gritty streets of Boston’s Steel Row provide the setting for McLaughlin’s tumultuous, compelling tale of love between an unyielding gang member and a tenacious kindergarten teacher. Chris O’Brien is a member of the same gang that his abusive father belonged to, and he fights for his life on a daily basis. It’s all he’s ever known. When his old friend Molly Lachlan finds him half-dead in an alley, she brings him to her home, understanding that going to a hospital will raise questions better left unanswered. While he’s recuperating, Molly uncovers his softer side, and her nonjudgmental attitude encourages his romantic feelings for her. However, his presence is a threat to her safety, so he tries to stay away. When she refuses to give up on him, she becomes the perfect pawn for rival gang members and is thrust into his dark, dangerous world. As love blurs the line between privilege and misfortune, readers will root for this unlikely duo. The action is heart-stopping, and reformation occurs at a believable pace without diminishing the unpleasant truths of gang life.
Dare to Lie: The Sons of Steel Row, Book 3
Jen McLaughlin. Berkley, $7.99 mass market (336p) ISBN 978-0-451-47761-3
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McLaughlin’s superlative, powerful, fast-paced third Sons of Steel Row contemporary (after Dare to Stay) follows undercover DEA agent Scotty Donahue on his years-long case to rid Boston’s Steel Row neighborhood of the Bitter Hill gang. After he participates in a charity auction event, Scotty is unexpectedly enthralled by smart, beautiful med student Skylar Daniels, who likewise wants to give him all her attention. She’s the sister of the gang’s leader, so Scotty tries his best to stifle his attraction, but she’s a determined woman who goes after what she wants, and she wants him. His restraint is put to the ultimate test when his bosses order him to keep a watch on her. McLaughlin continues to capture the harshness of gang and undercover life, and cleverly follows up with previous characters while introducing new ones. As the stakes rise, Scotty has to decide where his loyalties lie, and Skylar struggles with a secret of her own. Life-changing truths are revealed, sexual tension cuts like a blade, and complex characterization and expert dialogue enhance the winning plot. This novel will leave readers breathless. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (Feb.)
Dare to Run
Jen McLaughlin. Signet, $7.99 mass market (336p) ISBN 978-0-451-47759-0
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McLaughlin’s Sons of Steel Row series opens with this dark, edgy contemporary. Ex-con Lucas Donahue, a high-ranking gang member, is back to smuggling weapons after doing his time. When he sees Heidi Greene, his neighbor, about to be assaulted by a rival gang behind her Boston tavern, Lucas kills two of the assailants. To avoid a gang war, Lucas claims that he was just protecting his girlfriend, but this ruse requires Lucas and Heidi to demonstrate publicly that they are, in fact, lovers. They discover that their phony relationship isn’t hard to fake given their strong attraction to each other. Subplots involving Lucas’s brother and political tension within the gang provide more insight into Lucas; Heidi learns that his life of crime began with noble intentions. Despite the violence, McLaughlin’s well-crafted characters are relatable, sympathetic, and appealing. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (Feb.)