First I’d like to thank Donna for allowing me to unveil my Always Cambridge saga series here. I’m beyond excited to finally see this series published.
The Cambridge idea started with a dream; a boy and a girl on a rooftop. I jotted down that one scene when I woke up and then the story expounded in all directions from there. So much so, that the rooftop scene does not actually take place, until book four and it only vaguely resembles the scene that I originally dreamt.
I wrote the entire first book thinking it was a stand-alone. Just Always Cambridge, and nothing more. But every time I went to bed—that’s where I do most of my thinking; my tales are like bedtime stories for me—it wouldn’t leave me in peace. I still had unanswered questions and more story began to unravel. I had to go back and tie up the details; until I was satisfied that Holly’s story was complete. Several years, and six books later, I’m confident that the entire story has been told. And I just can’t wait to share it. The characters have come to mean so much to me; they’ve been with me so long.
The first book is narrated in first person, from the point of view of two of the main characters; Holly Cambridge and her bodyguard, Randy Phillips. And as the series unfolds, a few different voices and views are incorporated as new characters are introduced.
This series ultimately follows Holly from age nine well into her forties.It is violent and angsty, but sweet and romantic in parts too. This is not like some of my other material. The first took is quite tame and appropriate for Holly’s age. The sexual content and violence amps up as the saga continues. And books three and four, get downright explicit, as Holly matures. The AC series comes many unexpected twists and turns, that I hope readers might not anticipate. And my fondest wish is that people fall in love with the players and the story, as I did in the creating of it.
Thanks again, Donna.
Cheers!
The Always Cambridge Series chronicles the life of Holly Cambridge through her tumultuous childhood and violent teen years and the consequences that stem from being the daughter of mob boss, Bill Cambridge.
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Always Cambridge Book One
He is her guardian, but she’ll do anything within her power, to protect him.
His only duty is to keep her safe, but he can’t save her.
Holly Cambridge is just a typical kid, or so she thinks, until one day, she takes a good look around and realizes her friends don’t have bodyguards dogging their every step.
At the age of sixteen, Holly is assigned a new bodyguard, Randy Phillips. He is a tall, muscular, God-like force in the young, impressionable and lonely girl’s life. He is her friend, her confident, her conscience, and the older man she adores beyond reason.
Randy Phillips is fully aware of his young charge’s adolescent crush on him. Although he is flattered by the adulation, he maintains a safe distance and professional demeanour until Holly is wounded in a rival family blood feud, and the course of both their lives is changed forever.
Advisory : This book is the first of a series. It ends with a ‘to be continued’.
But the good thing about this series is you won’t have to wait years between instalments. eXtasy Books will release a new book, the first of every month until the conclusion in September.
Excerpt:
“Randy!”
Patrick appeared in the doorway of Cambridge’s office. I’d been sitting here all goddamn afternoon trying to figure out what was up with the computer system when all I wanted to do was get back to Holly. It was times like these that I realized I still had a lot to learn. Maybe I should have let her come with me. She would have diagnosed the problem and had it fixed by now. And she’d be with me and I wouldn’t be worried about her and my stomach wouldn’t hurt. I rubbed the back of my neck again trying to brush away the cold feeling.
“Randy! They’ve been hit.”
“Shit! Which patrol?” I asked still distracted. When Paddy didn’t answer right away I looked to where he stood in the door. He was pale and I could see him trembling from where I sat.
“Jeffy and Dale,” he answered gravely.
A cold hole punched into my chest. “Holly?”
He nodded once. “They’re all down.”
I raced past him, pulling on my coat as I ran. I jammed into the nearest car in the courtyard, a whole procession of them were ready to leave. “Hurry the fuck up!” I yelled.
Everyone in the car was talking as we pulled away. I didn’t listen. I couldn’t. My head was buzzing. It was full of noise. My chest hurt. I felt cold but I could feel sweat beading on my forehead and running down my back.
Could we not go any fuckin’ faster?
“Are the cops there?” Someone asked.
“Yeah, cops are everywhere. EMT’s are there too.”
I felt like I was going to jump out of my own skin. “Hurry the fuck up,” I cursed at them as we came to a stop.
“Fuck off, Phillips. I’m goin’ as fast as I can. Traffics backed up because of the…”
I didn’t hear the rest. I couldn’t take it anymore. I bolted from the car and ran towards the food bank. About a block away, I was stopped by cops barring anyone entrance. They had barricades up and yellow tape to keep people out.
Fuck! I had to get to her. I should have been there!
I looked around. Down the alley. Up to the rooftops.
I pushed the guy in front of me hard, so he’d collide with the cop who wouldn’t let me through. While they wrestled, I sprinted down the alleyway, through the back door of the bakery, ran through the store and out the front door. Now I was on the inside of the barricades. There were people everywhere. I kept my head down, moving without being noticed.
The rest of the guys arrived at the cordoned off area. I heard the Cambridge name and the cops into a fuckin’ frenzy. I took off, using them as a distraction. There would be some arrests, I knew. We were armed for this war.
As I approached the food bank I saw broken glass everywhere. The plate glass windows were gone from every store in the vicinity, shattered. As I moved closer to the black Cambridge car I could see that it was riddled with bullet holes.
I saw Dale first. He was face down, his body half on the sidewalk, half on the road. Behind the car, a pool of blood ran like a rivulet down the crease between the curb and the road.
Holly! My mind screamed her name.
Everything around me seemed to be moving in slow motion. Even me. I wanted to go faster but I couldn’t seem to get my body to catch up with my racing mind.
The only thing I could hear was my own ragged breathing and my heartbeat drumming in my ears, and the blaring sirens off in the distance.
Holly!
Jeffy was on his back, closer to the building. The back of his head was gone.
Holly!
Trent lay face down on the sidewalk. His big body blocking the door of the food bank, as if he tried to put himself between the bullets and…Holly!
An ambulance was backed up against the curb, back doors wide open. Cops stood in front of the store entrance, taking pictures and numbering spent casings.
Fuck! They were all dead!
Holly!
Always Cambridge is available now @eXtasy Books
http://www.extasybooks.com/hk-carlton/always-cambridge/
Other buy links will be added HEREas they become available
(estimated Amazon launch date April 9)
Bio:
H K Carlton is a multi-published Canadian author of Historical, Erotic & Contemporary Romance.
Expected Always Cambridge Series Release dates:
April 1
May 1
June 1
July 1
August 1
September 1, 2014
And Coming Soon from Totally Bound:
Pre-order: 28th March 2014
Early Download: 11th April 2014
General Release: 9th May 2014
and the sequel Hard and Fast
Pre-order: 25th April 2014
Early Download: 9th May 2014
General Release: 6th June 2014
Find H K
Donna Gallagher Romance 
Thanks for having me Donna!
Cheers! 🙂
You’re always welcome to visit and talk about your awesome books HK 🙂
This book sounds amazing. My goodness, my TBR pile is going to be overflowing, but it’s pretty awesome that the books are coming out so close together.
Congrats and best of luck for ginormous sales! 🙂
~Jen
Oh, and I looooove the cover! 🙂
Thank you so much, Jen! I absolutely love this cover too.