A little less than three months from now, Without Benefits will be showing up on doorsteps and in e-readers! But today we get a first look at the amazing cover, designed by Ashley at Cardboard Monet! Ashley even did a special photoshoot just for this cover.
 
Here's a bit about the book:
 
Emma will always be a New Yorker at heart, even though she has a perfect life in Seattle. She has a prestigious job fundraising for the Seattle Symphony, a handsome boyfriend who adores her, and a Belltown apartment with views of the Sound. It should be more than enough to keep her pain from not playing the piano, and her 9/11 nightmares, away.
 
But when her old college crush, Owen, comes back into her life, it’s more than just spending time with him that’s causing cracks in her picture-perfect life. As she steps back on stage, and back into the spotlight, her connection with Owen and his world, dredges up old memories that Emma worked hard to forget.
 
Emma’s past comes back to haunt her, forcing her to face the truth about more than just her fears of returning back to New York. As her once perfect life begins to burn down, Emma is forced to figure out what she really wants: her fundraiser and cocktail party-filled life with her boyfriend, or forging a new future with the one thing, and one person, she’s ever loved–even if it means returning to New York.
 
Without Benefits is a moving exploration of modern relationships and family written in the vein of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Renee Carlino.

I think the cover is pretty gorgeous, myself. If it sounds like your cup of tea, be sure to pre-order a copy! Who doesn't love pre-orders? It's like random book surprises throughout the year. Good times, that.  
 
About Nicole:

Nicole Tone is a freelance editor, MFA student, traveler, pet collector, binge-watcher, and a self-proclaimed coffee snob. She lives in Buffalo, NY with her husband, three cats, and two very large dogs, but spends as much of her time in Seattle as possible. You can like her page on Facebook, @ her on Twitter, swoon over dream houses together on Pinterest, and of course add Without Benefits on Goodreads.

          Privilege was something Adan Poole had in spades when it came to being Spirit-touched, but it didn't mean that people automatically liked him, either. His name spoken in reverence or scorn, depending on the day. People loved him for his ability to communicate with the Spirits, or they hated him for deciding to live his life as the man he was.

         Today was a day in which his fellows treated him with decency, mainly because they needed something. He found himself in the middle of an argument with his client and their surviving relatives, wishing he had some aspirin on him.

No such luck, Danny.

             “How do we know Dad actually said he wanted the estate divided between all the children? Even those without magic? That doesn’t even make sense!” a woman named Claire was muttering under her breath to her sister, the daughter of one deceased Timothy Carrington whom contacted him in the Spirit Realm for representation regarding his estate. Unfortunately for both of them, this meant dealing with his rather unkind children.

            “Listen, you’ve got to help me out. I passed by your office every day before I died. Give a guy a break, will you buddy?” Tim pleaded. Normally, Adan refused requests from the dead, though Tim eventually wore him down.

            What concentration of Adan’s wasn’t taken up from projecting Tim’s spirit into the realm of the living turned to the spirit as he stared at his eldest daughter with an expression that was half horror, jaw dropped and muscles tense, and half rage.

        “Claire Alissa Carrington, those people ‘without magic’ are your brothers and sisters, and their children. I raised you better than this. Mister Poole, the terms of my will stand--and if Claire will not comply, I ask that you remove her from it and replace it with, oh--I don’t know, yourself.” Tim said as he continued to glare at his daughter.

         “He doesn’t need the money! He’s rich!” Claire countered. Adan raised his hands in a gesture of entreaty in an effort at calming the tension.

Steady. Don’t lose the projection.

        “Be that as it may. Mister Poole, if my daughter does not distribute my funds and assets as per the terms of my will, I trust you will remove her from it and take the things there for yourself or your family.”

        “Mr. Carrington, legally I can’t actually do that…” He paused just long enough that Claire finally turned to look at him, “What I could do is distribute it to the University as a charitable donation. Pay some college kid’s tuition.” he nodded as Claire looked scandalized.

       “Either one. Claire, you have one week.” Tim said sternly. Adan noted that her shoulders were hunched, expression solemn. He broke his connection with Adan, the lawyer showing himself out of the building in blissful silence after the arguing of the last few hours.

        In Caldova, those having issues to settle with their dead relatives were often well off, paying a hefty sum for Adan’s legal counsel, representation, and documents. He was an expert at settling family disputes, chalking it up to being the baby of two sisters and a brother. Adan was called in to settle legal matters for the Council and the magic users of Caldova alike. In matters of estate trials, sudden death, murder, or accidental tragedies, Adan ensured the spirit of the deceased had their final wishes carried out respectfully; instead of leaving their decisions open to the interpretation of their surviving relatives.

If they don’t call me, they end up with someone like Claire making their decisions for them. That’s never a good thing.

       Law was a slippery slope, though ability to enact the wishes of the dead was entertaining, to say the least. People treated him with respect, and he appreciated being able to pass along messages from the Spirits to those they left behind in the world of the living. He knew he could also command the souls of the dead, though it was an offensive talent he hoped to never use. He trained on it at University, as all Spirit-touched students were, albeit begrudgingly within the Council’s limited curriculum.

       Many teenagers took their plea bargain for access to University and the chance to understand what little the Council would let them know about their powers. Some Elementalists got assigned to Valeria, aiding the Eighth Decorum and Council alike. They created new medicines, technology, and weapons that would later serve the Council in their quest to control all of Esonith. This had no doubt been Adelin’s driving force; aiming to have Valeria amass such resources, that no one would ever stand against the Council’s forces