Today I am so pleased to welcome Charlie Cochet to Joyfully Jay. Charlie has come as part of the Coastal Magic Blog Tour to talk to us about her latest release, Gone But Not Forgotten, TIN Book 1. She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!
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Hello, all! I’m super excited to be here as part of the Coastal Magic tour! I’m super excited to once again be attending this wonderful conference in February. It seems fitting that I’ll be back there after the release of Gone But Not Forgotten, the first book in my TIN series, since my first time attending Coastal had been after the release of Hell & High Water, Dex and Sloane’s first adventures. The fellas are back, and this time they’re taking on the world as spies for the Therian Intelligence Network. Expect humor, shenanigans, shifters, sexy times, and plenty of action as they go undercover on one of their toughest missions to date.
I had a lot of fun writing this book, but it was also one of the more challenging stories I’ve written. Things get pretty intense for Dex and the gang, and our blond menace comes face to face with the most terrifying force he’s ever encountered: himself.
Join Dex and Sloane as they take on the world! To celebrate Coastal Magic and the release of Gone But Not Forgotten, I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card!
I’ve also got an exciting excerpt for you! Happy reading!
Check out Gone But Not Forgotten on Amazon and KindleUnlimited: https://readerlinks.com/l/2122174
Coastal Magic Convention is a casual reader weekend in Daytona Beach and takes place February 24-27, 2022. You can check out the website at http://CoastalMagicConvention.com if you want to learn a little more about the event. And if you are interested in signing up, you can register here.Â
Excerpt
[Location: Redacted, SPAIN]
Warrior. Weapon. Hunter.
The names were many, but none changed who he was or what he was inside. Trained in the art of invisibility, master of the hunt, a terrifying force to be reckoned with. His expertise in various forms of lethal combat made him an agent of destruction. By the time his prey discovered his presence, it would be too late.
Silence engulfed him as he lay in wait beneath the waterâs surface, his mind and body a study in absolute control, his heartbeat a steady rhythm as he counted the seconds.
It was time.
Slowly he emerged, water sluicing over his bare chest, his muscled body toned and sculpted from years of intense training. Knife between his teeth, he waded through infested waters, aware of the beast floating nearby, eyeing him, hoping to make him its next meal. Gingerly he approached the waterâs edge and took his knife in hand, his breath controlled as he crouched low, eyes locked on his quarry.
Youâre mine now.
One step closer. Two. Three.
His prey lay motionless, completely unaware.
Four. Five.
âWhat are you doing?â
He stilled.
âI know you can hear me.â
At the low grumble, Dex straightened, his voice a hoarse whisper. âYouâre ruining the moment.â
âWhich is?â his quarry murmured, not so much as glancing in Dexâs direction from where he lay, long legs crossed at the ankles and fingers laced on his flat, muscular abdomen. The giant beach umbrella provided shade from the intense heat and glaring sun, his eyes undoubtedly closed behind the dark sunglasses.
âHunting.â
Blue-green waves crashed gently against the shore, the sand beneath Dexâs feet hot as he crossed the short distance to the sexy Therian stretched out on the blue beach towel.
âIs that what that was? Because from here, it looked like you were swimming around with a cocktail umbrella between your teeth.â
Dex sniffed and lifted his chin. âItâs a knife.â
âAnd the giant donut float?â
âAn alligator ready to attack.â
âYouâre adorable.â
Dex chuckled as he dropped to his knees beside Sloane, then straddled his lap. He leaned in for a kiss. âMust be why you married me.â
Sloane slid his hands up Dexâs thighs to rest on his hips. âSomeone had to keep you out of trouble.â
âAnd howâs that working out for you?â Dex teased, smiling against Sloaneâs lips.
A laugh rumbled up from Sloaneâs expansive chest as he wrapped his strong arms around Dex and brought him in for a deeper kiss. The scent of saltwater, coconut sunscreen, and Sloane made Dex moan. At times he still couldnât believe he was married to this amazing man. How had it been almost four years already? And how was it possible his husband seemed to get even more handsome with age? Sloaneâs pitch-black hair had white strands interspersed, the same white that connected to a neatly trimmed beard on his chiseled jaw. Dex had a few silver strands of his own, but they were harder to see in his dirty-blond hair. It seemed like a lifetime ago that theyâd first met.
Dex savored Sloaneâs kiss, melting against his sinfully gorgeous body. He was everything to Dexâhis partner in crime, his mate, a sleek black jaguar Therian with amber eyes that could reach into the depths of Dexâs soul. They shared a bond most couldnât fathom, one only those closest to them knew of.
âNo, really, what were you doing?â Sloane asked with a hum as Dex trailed kisses down his jawline, ignoring the feel of eyes on them. The beach might be Therian-friendly, but that didnât mean everyone occupying it was.
âRemember last night when you were galivanting about the city?â
Sloaneâs lips lifted at the corners in a smirk. âYou mean when I was out working and you stayed in our hotel suite binge-watching old eighties TV shows and eating your weight in desserts?â
âI think what you meant to say was while I was fueling this weapon of mass destructionââDex motioned to himselfââand researching undercover techniques.â
âFrom an old eighties spy show.â
âHey, that show was based on real spy craft.â
âNo, it wasnât.â
âBut it could have been.â
âIt could have,â Sloane said, then popped a kiss on Dexâs lips. âBut it wasnât.â He smiled at Dexâs pout and tapped his flank. âAs much as I love debating the factual validity of your eighties movies and TV shows, Iâm thirsty. How about you get me a frosty drink?â
âAlready on it, amor de mi vida.â
Sloane hummed. âTe amo, cariño.â
âTe amo, mi conejito.â
âLittle bunny? Really?â
Dex booped the tip of Sloaneâs nose. âBecause youâre so cute and fluffy.â
âAh, yes. That must be why that guy jumped out of the moving bus we were on last week. Clearly, my fluffy cuteness overwhelmed him.â
Dex laughed as he sat up. âSit tight, Daddy, while I get you that drink.â
âIâll just stay here and look pretty, then,â Sloane drawled. âAnd donât call me Daddy.â
With a chuckle, Dex stood. He tugged his slip-ons onto his feet and grabbed the button-down flamingo-patterned shirt off his towel, the fabric heavier than it should have been, thanks to the lightweight holster sewn into it and the Sig P365 with suppressor discreetly tucked inside. Shirt on and unbuttoned, he removed his sunglasses from the front breast pocket and slipped those on, then pressed the metal center bridge as he pushed them up his nose. He headed for the plaza and the giant metal sculpture ofâhe wasnât entirely sure what it was. Modern art was not his thing. Something to do with swimming.
A cougar Therian pushed a drink cart over to the base of one of the sculptureâs legs. Joining the small line that formed, Dex pulled a couple of Euros out of his pocket, aware of the small tourist group of Therian college kids who stopped to ogle him. They murmured and giggled among themselves. One of the young Therians, a wolf, playfully waved at Dex, who smiled and waved back. The wolf Therian licked his full bottom lip and motioned Dex over.
Dex put his left hand to his heart in apology while showing his wedding ring. The young wolf Therian pouted before the group moved on, laughing and teasing their friend. With a chuckle, Dex stepped forward in line. He finally reached the vendor and smiled.
âTienes refresco de cereza?â
The cougar Therian shook his head. âNo cherry, solo limón.â
âEsta bien. Dos refrescos de limón, por favor.â
The guy reached into a separate compartment on his cart and pulled out two frosty cans of fizzy lemon soda.
âThanks.â Dex paid and took the cans. He popped open the can that was slightly lighter in color and took a long gulp of the lemon drink as he headed back toward the beach. A quick scan of the ingredients revealed the intel heâd been waiting for. He tossed the can into the trash as the chemicals started melting the aluminum.
A shrill scream pierced the air, and on instinct, Dex ducked and turned while tourists and locals scrambled in panic, several removing their phonesâwhether to call the authorities or take video was anyoneâs guess. The vendor lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath his head.
Dexâs earpiece came to life, Sloaneâs growl on the other end. âWhat the hellâs going on?â
âAsset is down.â
âDo you have the intel?â
âTarget has been confirmed.â He scanned the area for a shooter and found a leopard Therian on a dirt bike, a gun with a suppressor in his gloved hand. His amber eyes met Dexâs from behind his helmetâs clear visor before he burned rubber and sped off.
Blurb
Justice Wears a New Suit
Codename: Chaos.
Former THIRDS agent turned TIN operative Dexter J. Daley is a legend. Just ask him, heâll tell you. Chaos isnât so much a codename as it is Dexâs state of being. As a spy for the Therian Intelligence Network, Dex has spent the last four years bringing down the bad guys. Hell, his middle name is literally Justice. But a new mission brings him face-to-face with a different kind of monster, one with a weapon that can alter the course of history. Failure is not an option, but as the mission goes from dangerous to deadly, Dex finds himself up against a far more terrifying force, and this time, thereâs no escape.
Codename: Atlas
As former team leader for Destructive Delta and now a TIN operative, Sloane Daley knows what it feels like to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. But no matter the challenge, Sloane knows that together, he and his husband, Dex, can overcome anything. When their latest mission takes a personal turn, Sloane is forced to confront the very thing that created him. Looking back to a past he thought heâd left behind is the least of Sloaneâs problems, because the greatest threat heâs about to encounter⊠is his own husband.
Bio
Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.
Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isnât writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge-watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.
If youâd like to connect with Charlie, just drop her an email at charlie(at)charliecochet(dot)com, or find her on: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Giveaway
Charlie has brought a $10 Amazon gift card to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Tuesday, November 2nd at 11:59 pm ET.
- By entering the giveaway, youâre confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Â Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
So exciting to see Dex and Sloane again! Thank you for sharing!
This was a great story that really pushed Dex and the team. Canât wait to see whatâs next for them.
So excited to catch up with the boys!! Can’t wait!
Loved this book! I canât wait for more!
I can’t wait to read this. Sounds so good.
Welcome, Charlie, and thanks for the excerpt and giveaway chance. Best wishes as you release Gone But Not Forgotten!
So glad to see the new installment!
So excited to read this – missed all the guys!
Great book, as all the THIRDS universe books are.
Yay for the return of Dex and Sloane!
I love Dex and Sloan… so much. Always waiting for more on them!
I loved the blurb. I could envision the stealthy attack perfectly! So much fun! Thank you for sharing.
You’ve written so many wonderful books in this series. I’m happy more are headed our way.
Dex and Sloane sound like intriguing characters. Well developed characters and a suspenseful plot guarantee the reader a page-turner!!
I’m such a fan of established couples in series. Thanks for sharing the excerpt and for the giveaway!