Welcome to the blog tour for TWO THOUSAND LINES, a stand-alone upper young adult/new adult contemporary, by Michelle Jester. See below for information on the book, buy links, a guest post, and details on her giveaway.
TWO THOUSAND LINES by Michelle Jester
About the Book Title: TWO THOUSAND LINES Author: Michelle Jester Publisher: RopeSwing Press Genre: Upper Young Adult/New Adult Contemporary Release Date: November 21, 2019 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Olivia Brooks has been able to keep her life in Sugar Mill, Louisiana held perfectly together, far away from the small town where she grew up. Even though her past still haunts her, she has found a perfect process of surviving, until a string of events brings Luke Plaisance to Sugar Mill and turns her organized life upside down.
While Olivia fights to hold on to the life she’s created, unraveling it may be exactly what it takes for her to truly survive. She must accept her past in order to live, or let it threaten the only future she’s ever wanted. Because some secrets can’t stay buried… and shouldn’t.
An inspiring and heartbreaking tale of abandonment, survival, and purpose. A harrowing journey of self-discovery and perseverance.
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Guest Post How I survived writing emotionally dark subject matter
Writing about emotionally dark subject matter is difficult. I cry a lot. I am truly a joyful person, which makes it difficult for people to understand why I write what I do, but that’s why I write. It’s my safe place. I can express emotions and feelings that I don’t typically express elsewhere. I take a lot of breaks and mentally have to wellness check myself every now and then. My husband helps me and when he sees me really pained, he reminds me that I may need to step away for a bit. Many people don’t realize that authors connect as much as they do to their characters because authors usually write what they know, be it emotions, hurt, pain, humor, love, etc.
For me, being happy doesn’t mean I don’t understand deep pain. I am an emotionally charged, hyperactive person; understanding the pitfalls on dwelling on dark emotions is critical for me. So is writing. Writing is my outlet; my process. I never thought to publish until my daughter found one of my manuscripts and pushed me to do so. All I knew was I loved to write. It is so much my passion I have helped others publish their own works through the years.
A few reviews mention that I talk about too many types of dark issues within one book and they think I should focus on one at a time; however only having one issue at a time, well to be honest, that isn’t real life to me. I am writing to express that. None of us have just one problem or have others in our lives without problems of their own. Truth of it is we have to navigate our own as well as those around us in order to have compassion and live together. Rejection, abuse, neglect, and sorrow are things we all share. So are acceptance, love, consideration, and joy. I think sharing our own pain and stories of overcoming crisis is the main key that helps others start the healing process.
While my novels are fiction, they are all based on real emotion and experiences, which hurt to write about, but also is cleansing. Cathartic.
So, for me, I don’t think I would survive without writing about emotionally dark matter.
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Author Michelle Jester
About the Author Michelle Jester lives in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana with her husband, high school sweetheart and retired Master Sergeant. Together they have a son and daughter. She is a hopeless romantic and has been writing poems and stories for as long as she can remember.
One of her prize possessions is a bracelet with only a yellow, Rubber Duckie charm on it; which she wears every day to remind her to enjoy the fun and happy things of life!
THE PRINCESS PROBLEM (Unexpectedly Royal #1) by Christi Barth
Synopsis What girl doesn’t want to wear a tiara? Me. The one who lives in yoga pants and knows she’s not special enough to be a princess.
One minute I’m starting my dream life in NYC, and the next, a man too hot for his own good is banging on my door, telling me that I’m a long lost princess of a country on the other side of the Atlantic.
Not exactly your typical Friday night in the Big Apple.
Suddenly, all of my plans for the future are yanked away. I’m trapped in a life filled with social obligations—and stilettos!—and an uptight royal family I didn’t know existed. They, and the whole rest of the freaking country, have lofty expectations I’m not sure I can meet.
At least the aforementioned sexalicious man, Elias, is my constant shadow, protecting me with his life. The whole situation is overwhelming. So I’ve secretly put him in charge of my happiness, too…and he’s taking my orders very, very seriously.
So seriously, I’m falling for him even harder than the new country I’m coming to…maybe…love.
And that’s a major problem, because he’s crazy about me, too. I may not know all the zillion rules about being royal, but I know one for sure: No way can a princess date her bodyguard…
Each book in the Unexpectedly Royal series is STANDALONE: * The Princess Problem * Ruling the Princess
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My Review Kelsey and her big sister Mallory have just moved to the Big Apple, NYC, Manhattan, and are ready to live the dream they’ve been planning and saving up for for nearly a decade. After finally moving into their tiny apartment, they begin to unpack and dive into life in the big city at full steam when a knock on the door changes everything. Kelsey’s world is upended when she’s told she’s the long-lost daughter of the king of a small country nestled near the Italian coastline. A country she’s never heard of. They tell her she was kidnapped as an infant, something that makes no sense to Kelsey, who grew up in a very decidedly middle class family that was perfectly average in every way. She never had even a hint that she was a) adopted or b) kidnapped. None of it makes any sense to her or Mallory. And the fact that she can’t reach her parents, only makes matters worse when government officials from Moncriano want her to return to her home country. Elias, her self-described body guard is as hot as he is foreign, only muddying the waters further.
Kelsey not only needs to navigate royal life, bond with a family she’s never known, come to terms with her past, but also decide in two weeks if she’s ready to embrace her true identity and give up the only way of life she’s ever known. Yeah, no pressure there.
Plot
Kelsey must embrace her true roots or not. That’s the heart of the story. But the romance with Elias is a strong subplot. Her journey throws a lot of obstacles in her way, not the least of which is getting to know her royal family. With her birth mother having already died, her father, the king, is struggling with embracing the daughter he believed gone forever. She has a brother for the first time ever, but also an older sister who seems to hate her. The fact that Elias is her subject as well as her employee makes any relationship completely off limits. Which of course only makes the sparks fly hotter.
My biggest problem with this book is that Kelsey seems to take it all in stride. The fact that she’s willing to just go with the hot stranger without verifying anything for herself, that she’s not more distraught over her past and secrets withheld from her, ate away at me at a low level as she meets her “real” family. She mentions a few times in passing that her parents weren’t kidnappers, but this should have been driving some serious low-level angst in everything she does. Instead, less than 20% in, she’s snogging her security detail in the garden instead of having an identity crisis of epic proportions. But if you can overlook this for the sake of convenience, it’s a lighthearted take on what it’s like to be unexpectedly thrust into royal life, like a grown-up THE PRINCESS DIARIES. It’s definitely a fun, fast read.
Characters
The characters aren’t terribly deep, but they are fun, and not stereotypical. Kelsey is delightful as the reluctant royal and her sister, Mallory, is hysterical as her partner in crime. I love Kelsey’s loyalty to Mallory as well as her sense of duty to both her families. Elias is honor-bound and full of principle. Princess Genevieve is so relatable as the older sister whose entire life has been shaped by Kelsey’s kidnapping and is struggling with yet the latest upheaval in her relatively short life. Prince Christian is adorable as the loving older brother who has no idea how to interact with his youngest sister. I was totally pulling for a Christian/Mallory side romance. The rest of the characters are there to provide humor and conflict and do their jobs well. There really isn’t a whole lot for any of them to overcome on a deep level, leaving this more plot-based than character-based and that’s perfect for a romantic comedy.
What I Enjoyed About THE PRINCESS PROBLEM 1. Royalty. Sure, Americans don’t have our own royalty, in fact if anything we’re anti-royal since our whole country was founded on bucking the monarchy, but it’s still fun to get a behind-the-scenes reminder of why being a princess would suck on almost every level.
2. Elias. Not only is he yummy to look at, but his sense of duty and honor makes him nearly irresistible.
3. Christian. He walks a fine line between the duties of heir to the throne and that of an adoring older brother with class, humor, and intense hotness.
4. Mallory. Kelsey is her sister. She always has been and she always will be, regardless of Kelsey’s royal status. I love how nothing changes for her when it comes to her little sister.
5. Politics. I’ll admit, I didn’t really expect that in this story, but it plays into everything, although with a light touch by the author. It adds intrigue that would otherwise be missing.
Bottom Line A super fun, lighthearted royal romance.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book
Title: THE PRINCESS PROBLEM Series: Unexpectedly Royal #1 Author: Christi Barth Publisher: Entangled Amara Release Date: November 18, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy Pages: 395
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Christi Barth
About the Author USA TODAY bestseller Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance.
Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.
Author Susana Mohel is revealing another teaser from CLOUDSTORM, the second book in her adult contemporary romance seres, The Perfect Storm, releasing December 11, 2019. See below for information on the book and series, pre-order links, and the exclusive teaser.
Synopsis Everyone has a nemesis. He became mine. Sure, he’s charming to the naked eye. The perfect suit-wearing gentleman, scorching hot, as if he walked straight off a magazine cover. But anyone with a brain knows better.
I know better. He’s arrogant, full of himself. A dream crusher.
So, why can’t I focus when I’m in his presence? Why does the control I worked so hard for vanish at the sound of his voice? Living in a storm I’m looking for my rainbow, and he, he is the sun who makes it possible.
About the Author Author, wife, and mother of a girl and a puppy. I love the happily ever after. Believer & dreamer. I live in my own world, sipping Ginger Ale and lime. I’m always plotting my next book, coloring pages, and reading.
Welcome to the pre-order blitz for SO, THAT GOT WEIRD, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, So Far, So Good, by Amelia Kingston, releasing December 24, 2019. See below for information on the book, pre-order links, and an exclusive excerpt.
SO THAT GOT WEIRD (So Far, So Good #1) by Amelia Kingston
About the Book Title: SO, THAT GOT WEIRD: A Painfully Awkward Love Story Series: So Far, So Good #1 Author: Amelia Kingston Genre: Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy Release Date: December 24, 2019 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Synopsis A painfully awkward love story.
Incomprehensibly awkward Elizabeth Wilde is desperate for love. Connection. Intimacy. After a lifetime of romantic failures, the twenty-one-year-old gamer realizes she needs help. Professional help. She needs…
A sex tutor.
The devastatingly hot jock Austin Jacobs is just the man for the job. As the reigning campus sex god, he has the playboy act down pat. But underneath those six-pack abs beats a broken heart. He doesn’t trust people and he sure as hell doesn’t believe in love.
The odd couple strike a deal. Four weeks of ‘tutoring’ for five thousand dollars.
When Austin coaxes Elizabeth out from behind her computer screen, the attraction they feel is undeniable. They’re both a little broken, but somehow their jagged edges fit. And when their world comes tumbling down on top of them, they each have to decide if this weird thing called love is worth fighting for.
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Excerpt “Well, Mav.” I’m trying to annoy him, but secretly I like the idea that it’s something only I call him. Maverick. It suits him. “I made us a schedule, actually.” My voice has more uncertainty in it than I was hoping. I hand him the carefully thought-out schedule I crafted over the past few months.
“Of course you made a schedule,” he quips with a smirk. His smile only grows as he reads. “You made us a sex syllabus, a sex-abus.”
I groan. He continues undaunted.
“Four weeks, four topics. Looks like we round a base a week. This week’s kissing. Next week is touching, groping, fondling. Then, oral. Giving and receiving. Last week we hit a few home runs,” he offers.
Sex with Austin.
I get lost in my thoughts of what these next four weeks are going to be like. My body flushes and I cross my legs, fighting the building warmth between my thighs. It’s not like I haven’t pictured all this before, but now I’m starting to realize it’s actually going to happen.
You are going to lose your virginity to Austin Jacobs!
“You seriously think we need a whole week dedicated to kissing?” he challenges.
“It’s important to build foundational knowledge in a new subject before advancing to more challenging material.”
Oh my God, you’re such a nerd.
“Come here.” He saunters around the kitchen island and I stand up to meet him. He steps right into my body. I start to lean back, but he grabs my hands and puts them around his neck. The gesture highlights our height difference. I can barely reach without him having to bend down.
His fingers slide over the delicate skin of my forearms and down my sides, causing an effervescent tingle across my whole body. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into him firmly. I’m so small in his embrace. It makes me feel dainty and weirdly feminine.
“Kiss me,” he demands.
“Now?” I swallow roughly.
“Now would be good.”
I don’t do anything.
I just stand there.
Kiss him!
Just do it!
He’s right here and he is asking you to do it!
My heart races, my stomach flutters. My throat gets tight. My mouth goes dry. I spiral into panic. Those beautiful blue eyes are bearing down on me expectantly, burning into me. I close my eyes, count to three in my head, and do it. I push forward on my tiptoes and quickly peck him on the lips. Peck is a generous term for the limp-lipped travesty that is my first attempt at a kiss.
“There,” I declare in placid triumph.
“Damn, I must be a horrible teacher. Is that what I showed you last night?” he says in mock disappointment.
I look down at his chest and shake my head, feeling like a kid who got caught sneaking candy before dinner.
“How did I kiss you last night?” It isn’t a rhetorical question. He wants me to answer.
“Deep,” I say without thinking. “A-And long,” I add with a shaky breath and a blush. That’s the only way to describe his kiss. Other than being simply amazing.
“Hey.” He lifts my chin up so our eyes meet again. “I know you’re nervous, but you shouldn’t be. This isn’t a big deal. I know you can do this.” Great, now Austin’s giving me a pep talk. Hello, Self-esteem. I’d like you to meet All Time Low. This is a whole new level of embarrassing.
Closing my eyes, I try to think back to his kiss last night. I take a deep breath and this time I pull him down to me. He leans down easily. I run through the checklist I made last night. I brush my lips gently across his as I tilt my head to the side. I place my lips on his, teasing his bottom lip with my tongue lightly.
“Open your lips,” I whisper against him.
“Yes, boss,” he quips. I stifle an annoyed sigh and slide my tongue into his mouth. He lets out a soft moan as his hands slide down to my butt.
Holy shit! You just made Austin Jacobs moan!
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Author Amelia Kingston
About the Author Amelia Kingston is many things, the most interesting of which are probably California girl, writer, traveler, and dog mom. She survives on chocolate, coffee, wine, and sarcasm. Not necessarily in that order.
She’s been blessed with a patient husband who’s embraced her nomad ways and traveled with her to over 30 countries across 5 continents (I’m coming for you next, Antarctica!). She’s also been cursed with an impatient (although admittedly adorable) terrier who pouts when her dinner is 5 minutes late.
She writes about strong, stubborn, flawed women and the men who can’t help but love them. Her irreverent books aim to be silly and fun with the occasional storm cloud to remind us to appreciate the sunny days. As a hopeless romantic, her favorite stories are the ones that remind us all that while love is rarely perfect, it’s always worth chasing.
Welcome to the blog tour for SOME LIKE IT PLAID, a stand-alone adult contemporary romance, by USA Today bestselling author Angela Quarles. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
Synopsis When Ashley Miller sees a Craigslist ad for an all-expense paid vacation to Scotland with a handsome Highland “escort”, she’s all over it. Worn out from working two jobs to pay off the debts her scam artist ex-husband left her with, she just needs a friggin’ break already. Rolling, misty mountains of the Scottish Highlands, here she comes!
But one minute she’s sipping a latte and the next she’s zapped to the 2nd century and promptly informed she’s managed to wed her handsome Highlander without even an “I do.” Oh, hell no.
After a devastating tragedy, Connall’s tribe is left with few marriageable women. When his Druid priest suggests a place filled with bonnie lasses, he of course agrees to go fetch one for himself. But nothing prepared Connall for his sassy new wife, nor his tribe for a woman determined to see equal rights for all women.
Now the men are threatening revolt if he can’t rein his young wife in, but it might be too late. The women are demanding the men get “woke”—which of course makes no sense because they already woke that morn—and give women “the vote,” whatever the bloody hell that is. Despite all that, Connall can’t stop wanting to convince his wife to get naked, and he’s starting to wonder if he’s been bewitched.
Only the more he gets to know her, the more he starts to think she’s just what they needed. If only he survives her next demand…
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Excerpt She gave a choked laugh, though it was still tinged with the heat of her anger. “This is not the job I signed up for.”
“It’s not a job. I’m not sure why you keep insisting this. Regardless, I told you what you could expect before you left.”
“When?”
“At the coffee shop, just before you agreed to return here with me.”
Her gaze went unfocused and then pink tinged her cheeks. “I, um…I didn’t quite hear all that.”
“I said them plainly in your tongue.”
She flapped her hands. “I was under the spell of your biceps, okay?”
“Biceps? That sounds like a word in your tongue not mine.”
She marched back to him. And pointed. At his upper arm muscles. “Those. Happy now?”
A surprising burst of pleasure filled his chest, but he kept very, very still.
Then she folded her arms and lifted her chin. “Anyway, I can’t stay here. This is not where I belong.”
He held his tongue. She was wrong. He was sure of it. She only needed time to adjust. She’d come around.
But having confirmation of her attraction gave him a new idea. He’d been mulling over the druid’s explanation of the magic. If he teased her, drew this attraction out longer, she’d eventually give in to her desire and join with him.
The way he saw it, if she initiated, she was telling the magic she belonged here.
He would simply have to exercise restraint. Somehow.
“I’m assuming we’re too far back for a shower?” she said.
“Shower?” This word was also in her tongue, as if the magic didn’t have an equivalent.
“A bath? Where’s the bathroom?”
He frowned, which made her eyes get rounder.
“Oh shit. Don’t tell me.” She flapped her hands around. “Where am I supposed to pee?”
That he understood. He pointed to a bucket in the corner.
She turned slowly back to him. “You have got to be kidding.”
“Why would I jest about such matters?” At the horror dawning across her features, another stab of uncertainty hit him as to whether his land was a better alternative. Of a certainty, they had a more efficient method for such matters.
“Why, indeed,” she whispered. She turned pleading eyes to him. “I can’t pee in a bucket. Not with you watching. What am I supposed to do with it after?”
“Throw it over into the south ravine like everyone else.”
She pointed to herself, then waved a hand around. “Me. Not where I belong.”
He sighed, stepped into the crisp night air, and closed the door behind him, giving her the privacy she required. Her adjustment might be harder than he figured.
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Author Angela Quarles
About The Author An avid reader herself, Angela Quarles writes books she’d like to read–laugh-out-loud, smart, sexy romances that suck you into her worlds and won’t let you go until you reach The End. She is a RWA RITA® award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, time travel, and steampunk romance. Library Journal named her steampunk, Steam Me Up, Rawley, Best Self-Published Romance of 2015 and Must Love Chainmail won the 2016 RITA® Award in the paranormal category, the first indie to win in that category. Angela loves history, folklore, and family history and combined it with her active imagination to write stories of romance and adventure.
Bestselling author, Lia Fairchild, is revealing the cover to BUILDING BRIDGES, the first book in her adult contemporary romance series, Bridges Brothers, releasing January 16, 2020. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, and an exclusive teaser.
BUILDING BRIDGES (Bridges Brothers #1) by Lia Fairchild
Synopsis Former soldier Logan Bridges never imagined he would go from serving his country to helping raise a house full of children after a devastating family loss.
Dealing with his rowdy siblings and cousins proves to be almost as treacherous as the battlefields he left behind. And though he’s committed to making it work, he soon finds he’s in over his head.
Until someone from Logan’s past, steps in to help.
Mollie has always been independent, but finds herself growing attached to the family, and Logan, discovering there’s more to life than working and solitude.
Logan and Mollie quickly form a strong bond, and when attraction brings them closer, they agree getting involved wouldn’t be good for the children. But when they both struggle to keep the blurry line of friendship between them, Mollie won’t take that step unless Logan can open up and face his painful past.
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BUILDING BRIDGES (Bridges Brothers #1) by Lia Fairchild (Full Cover)
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Author Lia Fairchild
About the Author Bestselling author Lia Fairchild writes romance and women’s fiction. Fans of her books praise her endearing, real characters who overcome their flaws to become their own heroes.
Fairchild is addicted to the warmth of Southern California and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a multiple-subject teaching credential. She is a wife and mother of two teenagers.
Welcome to the blitz for THE ABYSS TRILOGY, a young adult dystopian fantasy series, by A.C. Ward. See below for information on the series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
AVOIDING THE ABYSS (The Abyss Trilogy #1) by A.C. Ward
About Book One – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: AVOIDING THE ABYSS Series: The Abyss Trilogy #1 Author: A.C. Ward Release Date: November 19, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fantasy Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Aubrey has always been told she isn’t special. If only that had remained true.
Aubrey grew up as part of the rebel movement, protected but lonely. All she wants is her mother’s love, but without an ability she’s worthless in her mother’s eyes.
When she’s captured by the government, Aubrey sees an opportunity to prove her worth. Instead, she realizes that her mother has been withholding many truths. Aubrey experiences an acceptance outside of the rebels that her heart has yearned for, and a discovery. She has an immunity that has never been seen before.
But Aubrey isn’t immune, she’s absorbing powers as the key to the Abyss—a portal into the demon realm. Her mother finally sees purpose in her daughter and hopes to use it for her cause. Aubrey isn’t as certain. If she doesn’t gain control of her ability, she’ll open the gateway to hell and destroy everyone she’s come to care about. Including herself.
The first installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and demon lore.
Download now to find out if Aubrey will succeed in Avoiding the Abyss.
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Excerpt #2 Cliffs rose in the distance, but for once they weren’t red. Instead, everything was sepia-toned, the brownish-orange hue like nothing she’d seen. The rebel base nested in the rock, whole and safe, with no smoke drifting up. A scent of something rotting or dead filled her nostrils instead.
The alley she stood in was both familiar and different. No one was there but her. The vast emptiness of the land echoed inside her heart. She wrapped her arms around herself. The feeling of being watched raised the hairs on her skin.
In the sky, the suns didn’t blaze down. Two black circles blocked their light, with a thin line glowing along the edge of the obstruction. On the horizon, both to the east and the west, the barest orange hue shimmered as if sunrise and sunset were occurring at the same time. A perpetual twilight ruled the otherness of the world surrounding her.
Shadow bands glided across the ground, making the space beneath them appear not to exist. Whatever they touched was gone in that instant but returned when the shadows moved on. They streaked toward her.
“Aubrey.” Her name drifted on the air as the shadows drew closer. Her feet moved on their own, keeping just out of the shadows’ reach. Her own name slithered to her again. “Aubrey.”
Her heart pounded in her chest, a rapid beat that didn’t drown out the whispers. Aubrey ran, her footsteps silent on the dirt, even her panting breaths making no noise. The slithery whispers chased her, the only sound in the world around her.
“Aubrey Vale.” The new voice halted her like a command, both resonant and melodic. The whispers evaporated as soon as it spoke. She could feel the presence behind her, compelling her to turn and face it, impossible to resist. Her body began to pivot, her breath caught in her throat.
The shadowy world blinked out of existence.
Counselor Farrell’s face hovered above her, her hands pulling Aubrey out of the salty water. The counselor’s lips moved, but music flooded Aubrey’s ears, blocking out the words. Farrell snatched the headphones off her, and concern flooded her face. “What’s wrong? Why are you so frightened?”
Behind the counselor, another woman hovered, her expression serene as she clasped both sides of Farrell’s head. The woman’s gown flowed around her, a shawl curling into the air as if floating on water.
Aubrey squeezed her eyes shut, panic clogging her throat.
“You have to talk to me, Aubrey,” Farrell’s voice came to her as if down a tunnel. “Otherwise, I’m bundling you off to the medical room.”
Aubrey forced her eyes to open. The floating woman had vanished.
Counselor Farrell cupped her face. “Aubrey?”
The gentleness of her touch caught in Aubrey’s chest. “Bad dream.”
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APPROACHING THE ABYSS (The Abyss Trilogy #2) by A.C. Ward
About Book Two – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: APPROACHING THE ABYSS Series: The Abyss Trilogy #2 Author: A.C. Ward Release Date: November 19, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fantasy Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis A new prophesy. Demons on the loose. Then the angels come to kill them all.
After her mother abandons her, Aubrey doubts her abilities more than ever. She failed to close the Abyss. Desperate to prove herself, Aubrey enters the demon realm only to trigger a new disaster. She releases the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These angels are uncompromising in their purpose; to massacre humanity.
Aubrey alone has an immunity to match the angels, but it isn’t enough. She is faced with making a pact with a demon, or worse, her own mother. Aubrey must decide or lose those she care about. Will her choices prevent the apocalypse, or are they actually the steps leading to the end?
The second installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and angel lore.
Download today to find out if Aubrey will avoid Approaching the Abyss.
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ACCEPTING THE ABYSS (The Abyss Trilogy #3) by A.C. Ward
About Book Three – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: ACCEPTING THE ABYSS Series: The Abyss Trilogy #3 Author: A.C. Ward Release Date: November 19, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fantasy Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis The angels and demons are defeated. Aubrey knows true happiness. Then the Devil comes to destroy it all.
Aubrey had never dreamed that life could bring such joy. She has a family, friends, and is falling in love. She’s even mended her relationship with her mother. Together they’re working to change the way abilities are viewed.
But a final prophecy looms, one that threatens to destroy the world. The Devil offers her a deal; to choose her own happiness over the life of an innocent. Lucifer is charming, compelling, but not to be trusted. Neither are many of those Aubrey has grown to care about.
Aubrey has more to lose than ever before. Will she find a path to save humanity, or do all choices lead to the end?
The third installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and devil lore.
Download now to find out if Aubrey will end up Accepting the Abyss.
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Author A.C. Ward
About The Author Amanda (A.C.) Ward is a little worried that her internet search history is on some sort of watch list. For Death Daydreams, she researched serial killers, hidden rooms, death, suicide, and third-story falls. Her next work in process is only making it worse.
Amanda lives with her husband, daughter, and various pets – dog, cat, gecko, fish, and tarantula. When she’s not writing she’s watching Netflix or rereading her favorite manga. She’d love to hear from her fans. You can contact her at wardabooks@gmail.com.
Welcome to the preorder blitz for THE COST OF HONOR, the third book in the adult romantic suspense series, Black Ops Confidential, by Diana Muñoz Stewart, releasing November 26, 2019. See below for information on the book and series and preorder links.
THE COST OF HONOR (Black Ops Confidential #3) by Diana Muñoz Stewart
Synopsis He gave up everything to escape his family
The only male to be adopted into the notorious Parish family, Tony Parish always did right by his vigilante sisters. But when an attempt to protect one of them went horribly wrong, he had to fake his own death to escape his fanatical family. Tony set sail and ended up in Dominica—face to face with the woman of his dreams…
Now he must give up Honor to save her
After the death of her mother, Honor Silva moved to Dominica, where her family could help her heal and move on. But her activist mother left her more than money, she left her proof that could take down one of the richest and most powerful men in the world.
Tony gave up everything he thought he knew when he fled his family. But when a threat too dangerous for Tony and Honor to fight on their own closes in, he has no choice but to go to them for help. Problem is, they’ll demand something in return—something that could cost Tony not just Honor, but also the love that changed him forever.
About the Author Diana lives in an often chaotic and always welcoming home that—depending on the day—can hold husband, kids, extended family, friends, and a canine or two. A believer in the power of words to heal, connect, and distract from chores, Diana blogs regularly on topics near and dear to her heart, including spotlight pieces on strong women from around the world. When not writing, Diana can be found kayaking, doing springs up her long driveway—harder than it sounds—attempting yoga on her deck, or hiking with the man who’s had her heart since they were teens.
Welcome to the blog tour for BREAKUP BOOT CAMP, a stand-alone adult contemporary romantic comedy, by Beth Merlin. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis “Merlin gives off Sophie Kinsella and Emily Giffin vibes only with an execution of plots that is all her own….Beth Merlin is totally going to grow in popularity. I’m calling it.” – Book and Broadway
After weeks of training to whip Joanna Kitt into shape for her big day, her picture-perfect engagement to her high school sweetheart is torn in two, and Joanna is left out on her perfectly toned rear end. To put the past and her heartache behind her, she sets off for two weeks at the renowned Retreat House BreakupBootCamp in Topsail Island off the coast of North Carolina.
Despite her sadness, Joanna throws herself into the experience hoping surfing, yoga, spa treatments, meditation, and talk therapy will be enough to help her get over the one man she’s ever loved. But she soon learns the BootCamp is only the first step to healing her broken heart. Joanna will have to come to terms with the career she abandoned, the losses in her life she never fully accepted, and the role she played in the ending of her relationship. .
When she meets Todd Aldrich, the handsome and mysterious hotel chef, she has the chance to take her renewed heart out for a test drive and see if she is ready for new beginnings and new love.
Will 12 steps be enough to get her life back on track? Or will her getaway to get over him prove healing the heart takes a whole lot more?
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Excerpt #2 I wanted to believe him. I wanted nothing more than to erase this whole thing from our relationship and go back to the way we were. Maybe he was right, what was a few months’ fling weighed against years of love and mutual respect? On Law and Order, people were found not guilty by reason of insanity all the time, weren’t they? Maybe Sam went temporarily insane? The pressures of work and the wedding causing him to do something so completely contrary to his true nature, he was just coming out of the fog.
“Look,” he said, taking both my hands into his, “I didn’t want to tell you her name or who she was because I thought it’d somehow make the affair more real. But it is real, and it did happen, and if we’re going to move past it, I need to own that. No secrets.” Sam swallowed hard and said, “Her name’s Lena.”
My stomach dropped. In a city of millions, it seemed so unlikely his lover was the same girl I’d met earlier that day at the audition, but Sam had also mentioned she was an aspiring actress. “Lena Moore?”
His head shot up. “How did you know that?”
“I…I… met her.”
“Met her? When? How?” he panted.
My conversation with Lena played back like a song on repeat, her prattling on about her boyfriend, who was supportive and would be disappointed if she couldn’t get up the nerve to finish out the audition.
“At an audition today.” I pushed back from the table and narrowed my eyes. “Sam, are things even over with her?”
“I’m going to end it,” he whispered.
I stood up from the booth. “You’re going to end it?”
“Sit down. You’re making a scene.”
“I loved you more than anything in this world. I trusted you more than anyone in this world.”
He reached over the table and tugged at the bottom of my shirt. “Jo, come on.”
I shook my head as fat tears rolled down my cheeks. “I don’t even know who you are.”
“It’s just me, kid. Your Sam.”
“You’re not my Sam. Not anymore, and not ever again.”
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Author Beth Merlin
About the Author Beth Merlin has a BA from The George Washington University where she minored in Creative Writing and a JD from New York Law School. She’s a native New Yorker who loves anything Broadway, rom-coms, her daughter Hadley, and a good maxi dress. She was introduced to her husband through a friend she met at sleepaway camp and considers the eight summers she spent there to be some of the most formative of her life. One S’more Summer is Beth’s debut novel.
Today is release day for THE PRINCESS PLAN, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, A Royal Wedding by New York Times bestselling author, Julia London. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE PRINCESS PLAN (A Royal Wedding $1) by Julia London
Synopsis Princes have pomp and glory—not murdered secretaries and crushes on commoners.
Nothing gets the tongues of London’s high society wagging like a good scandal. And when the personal secretary of the visiting Prince Sebastian of Alucia is found murdered, it’s all anyone can talk about, including Eliza Tricklebank. Her unapologetic gossip gazette has benefited from an anonymous tip about the crime, prompting Sebastian to take an interest in playing detective—and an even greater interest in Eliza.
With a trade deal on the line and mounting pressure to secure a noble bride, there’s nothing more salacious than a prince dallying with a commoner. Sebastian finds Eliza’s contrary manner as frustrating as it is seductive, but they’ll have to work together if they’re going to catch the culprit. And when things heat up behind closed doors, it’s the prince who’ll have to decide what comes first—his country or his heart.
Advanced Praise for The Princess Plan
“It completely charmed me… the chemistry is so delicious. I simply didn’t want to put it down.” —Nicola Cornick, USA TODAY bestselling author
“Charming, witty and warm. This is perfect historical romance.” —Sarah Morgan, USA TODAY bestselling author
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Excerpt When one lived as simply as Eliza Tricklebank, one did not expect to gain an invitation to a ball, much less meet a prince. And yet, she had somehow managed to put herself in the receiving line to be introduced to a prince, without the slightest bit of assistance other than a wee bit of rum punch.
She couldn’t even say which prince she was waiting to meet, or how many of them there were in total. She’d heard there were at least two of them presently in England, but for all she knew, there could be scores of them roaming about.
It seemed amusing now to think that this evening, and this moment, and the idea that Eliza might make the acquaintance of an actual prince, had all begun only days ago when Caroline had called at Bedford Square where Eliza lived with her father.
Caroline had news about the ball, gleaned from the revered Mrs. Cubison, the modiste from whom she’d commissioned masks for the three of them. “Mrs. Cubison offered that she’d been retained a month ago to provide masks for the Alucians, and that she and her ladies had worked for days to fulfill their wishes.” She’d spoken quickly, with much excitement, even as she lazed on Eliza’s bed.
Hollis had gasped and reached for paper. “Not another word until I have my pencil—”
“You won’t believe what I tell you,” Caroline had said.
“I will.”
“The truth will be known soon enough, I suppose—”
“Caro, by all that is holy, if you don’t tell us, I will squeeze it from you with my bare hands,” Hollis had warned.
Caroline had laughed gaily. She enjoyed provoking Hollis, which Eliza had pointed out to her sister more than once. Hollis stubbornly refused to accept it.
“All right, here it is. Every single mask is black and identical.”
Hollis and Eliza had stared at their best friend, who very calmly pillowed her hands behind her head and crossed her feet at the ankles.
“Why?” Eliza had asked, only slightly curious about this mask detail.
“So you can’t tell the crown prince from the others!” Caroline had cried triumphantly.
Looking around her now, Eliza thought that was very forward thinking by the Alucians because it had worked—she could hardly tell one Alucian from the other. There were scores of tall men dressed in black and identical plain black masks—just like the one she’d encountered in that narrow passageway a quarter of an hour ago.
What a strange encounter that had been. Gentlemen were such odd creatures to her, now that she was at a remove from them by a spinster’s arm length. They could be so presumptuous. She realized now she wouldn’t be able to pick out that man in this crowd of identically dressed men even if she wanted to encounter him again. Which she did not.
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Author Julia London
About the Author Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of more than thirty romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular Cabot Sisters historical series, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch and The Perfect Homecoming.
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction.
Welcome to the blog tour for GIFTED, the first book in the adult contemporary holiday romance series, Clear Security Holidays, by Ainsley St Claire. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
GIFTED (Clear Security Holidays #1) by Ainsley St. Claire
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: GIFTED Series: Clear Security Holidays #1 Author: Ainsley St Claire Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance Release Date: November 18, 2019 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis How do things fall apart so easily?
Kate:
As a former teacher, my mission is to keep the disadvantaged youth of our city engaged with school. My non-profit has been wildly successful with the kids, but now I’m forty mentors short for the Christmas season. It didn’t look like we would be able to find enough help, until Jim Adelson got involved. He may have solved my mentor problem, but he’s created another: I can’t concentrate with this panty melting God around.
Jim:
The community has been good to me. I’d built my successful security business with hard work and determination, and when I got approached to help Kate Monroe’s non-profit, it seemed a fitting way to give back. I’d offer to spend time with some kids, but it’s Kate that I find myself wanting to spend time with. With beauty obvious to everyone, and a compassionate heart she wears on her sleeve, she has me reevaluating my priorities.
When the children’s Christmas gifts go missing, Jim and Kate are forced together in the hunt.
Can true love fight through the drama to find a happy ending?
Gifted is the first book in the holiday series Clear Security Holidays. This is a standalone holiday romance suspense novel, but characters from the Venture Capital series and from Tech Billionaires can be known to make appearances.
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Excerpt #1 Kate
Forty kids won’t have a Christmas, and it’s all my fault.
Over two hundred kids from middle schools across the city and county of San Francisco—from some of the most at-risk areas—met the requirements for our contest, and I’m forty donor/mentors short for our upcoming celebration. At two hundred dollars apiece, I don’t know what I’m going to do. How do I break a promise I made to these kids on the first day of school? Go to school for seventy-five days, don’t be absent, don’t be late, and get a passing grade. If you accomplish all that, you’ll get a two-hundred-dollar shopping spree at Bullseye.
Some people think “paying kids to go to school” is a bad thing. But we get paid to come to work, and some people play solitaire on their computers while they sit there. How is that not paying you for just showing up? In a lot of low-income areas—in San Francisco and elsewhere—over half of the students that complete middle school never walk into a high school, and less than ten percent of those who do will go on to graduate. Life isn’t easy for these kids, and going to school every day is not easy with so many distractions. But with some incentive, we see improvement.
To make those incentives happen, I’ve got to figure out how I’m going to fund these last few students and find mentors to spend the day with them while they shop. I’ve tapped my network, and it’s pretty dry. But I can’t disappoint these kids; they’ve had enough disappointment in their lives.
I open the app to my bank account: three hundred dollars. I was going to use that money for my rent next month, and, you know, to feed myself. Right now, there’s no man in my life to make sure I get at least an occasional dinner. I check the account for my Visa card, and I can squeeze out maybe two thousand dollars to cover ten kids. But that still leaves me with thirty more, and still no mentors. Crap! What am I going to do?
Tess walks into my office. “Isn’t this great? We’ve never had this many kids, ever! This could mean we have at least a hundred more kids graduate, and fifteen of those will go on to college, plus sixty more to trade schools. This is amazing. Are we going to be ready?”
I force a smile. “I hope so. We’re short a few donor/mentors.”
“In this town, people spend two hundred dollars on dinner without a second thought. We should be able to find a few that will support a good cause.”
“I hope so. I’ve reached out to our board members and asked them to check with their network.”
“How many donors are we short?”
“Forty. I can leverage my credit card for ten of those, but I’m not sure how we’re going to be able to make this work.”
“Kate, if anyone will get this figured out, it’s you. Last year we had barely one hundred kids complete this project. This year we have over two hundred. You need to celebrate that.”
“I will when I lock down the rest of the people we need.”
“Well, then don’t be shy. Bug those board members.”
“I will.”
But that may not be enough. Somehow, I need to get to the big players in town.
“What about your new board member?” Tess asks.
“That’s Stephanie Paulson, and she does seem pretty well-connected. She must know a few people that can help us.”
I’ve asked her about this a few times during our meetings, but I need to try again in writing. I don’t think my board members realize how tough it is to keep a nonprofit up and running in this city.
I craft a carefully worded email to remind Stephanie of our remaining need and looming deadline, trying to sound just the right amount of desperate. We’re only a five-year-old nonprofit, but we’re making a difference. I can feel it in my bones. However, if we can’t make this happen for all the kids who earned it, we may not recover.
I send my message, and after just a few minutes, an email pops up.
To: Katherine Monroe From: Stephanie Paulson Subject: RE: Brighter Future Christmas Party
I’m sorry I keep forgetting. Thanks for the email reminder. I’ve forwarded your note to everyone in my contact list with your information. We should be able to come up with more than forty donors. We’re only asking them for $200 and a Saturday morning, for goodness sake! The party on Christmas Eve is a bonus! Let me know if you don’t hear from enough and I’ll rattle the cages, but at the very minimum, I’ll send over a check for $5,000 you can use for the party.
Keep up the good work.
XOXO Steph
Suddenly, I can take a deep breath again. This guarantees the needed money, and I’m on the road to having the volunteers as well. That’s probably the most important part. These kids need mentors, and spending the day with adults who’ve accomplished something means a lot.
My phone interrupts my thoughts. “Kate Monroe,” I answer.
“Hello, Miss Monroe? This is Jamal Jenkins.”
“Hey, Jamal. How are you?”
“I’m doin’ real good. I just wanted to make sure you saw that my name was on the list again this year.”
“You better believe I saw your name. I’m very proud of you.”
“Jose made it, too. And we have four other friends who made it this year. Once they learned they could get two hundred dollars of stuff for just going to school, they were joining us.”
“I can’t wait to see you guys on Saturday when you pick out your gifts.”
“I’ve got a list,” he says proudly. “Is it okay if I bring my baby sister to the party on Christmas Eve?”
“Of course, and your grandmother, too.”
“Just make sure the Santa you get this year is a little more realistic.”
I laugh. Last year’s Santa was our CPA, and he’s tall and really skinny. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Great. See you at Bullseye next Saturday.”
“I can’t wait.”
I worked as a teacher for five years, and it’s the hardest job there is. Not only are you responsible for educating the next generation, but many students have so much going on in their personal life that you end up being their mentor, friend, confidant, and sometimes parent as well. That’s exactly why I decided to start Brighter Future.
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Author Ainsley St. Claire
About the Author AinsleyStClaire is a Romantic Suspense Author and Adventurer on a lifelong mission to craft sultry storylines and steamy love scenes that captivate her readers. To date, she is best known for her series Venture Capitalists.
An avid reader since the age of four, Ainsley’s love of books knew no genre. After reading, came her love of writing, fully immersing herself in the colorful, impassioned world of contemporary romance.
Ainsley’s passion immediately shifted to a vocation when during a night of terrible insomnia, her first book came to her. Ultimately, this is what inspired her to take that next big step. The moment she wrote her first story, the rest was history.
Currently, Ainsley is in the midst of writing a nine-book series called “Venture Capitalist.”
When she isn’t being a bookworm or typing away her next story on her computer, Ainsley enjoys spending quality family time with her loved ones. She is happily married to her amazing soulmate and is a proud mother of two rambunctious boys. She is also a scotch aficionada and lover of good food (especially melt-in-your-mouth, velvety chocolate). Outside of books, family, and food, Ainsley is a professional sports spectator and an equally as terrible golfer and tennis player..
Today is release day for THE PRINCESS PROBLEM, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Unexpectedly Royal Wedding by USA Today bestselling author, Christi Barth. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE PRINCESS PROBLEM (Unexpectedly Royal #) by Christi Barth
Synopsis What girl doesn’t want to wear a tiara? Me. The one who lives in yoga pants and knows she’s not special enough to be a princess.
One minute I’m starting my dream life in NYC, and the next, a man too hot for his own good is banging on my door, telling me that I’m a long lost princess of a country on the other side of the Atlantic.
Not exactly your typical Friday night in the Big Apple.
Suddenly, all of my plans for the future are yanked away. I’m trapped in a life filled with social obligations—and stilettos!—and an uptight royal family I didn’t know existed. They, and the whole rest of the freaking country, have lofty expectations I’m not sure I can meet.
At least the aforementioned sexalicious man, Elias, is my constant shadow, protecting me with his life. The whole situation is overwhelming. So I’ve secretly put him in charge of my happiness, too…and he’s taking my orders very, very seriously.
So seriously, I’m falling for him even harder than the new country I’m coming to…maybe…love.
And that’s a major problem, because he’s crazy about me, too. I may not know all the zillion rules about being royal, but I know one for sure: No way can a princess date her bodyguard…
Each book in the Unexpectedly Royal series is STANDALONE: * The Princess Problem * Ruling the Princess
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Excerpt “Damn it, Kelsey, don’t do that. Don’t close down on me.” He grabbed her chin and tilted it up. She looked into blue eyes sparking with…anger? Frustration?
“We were kidding ourselves, Elias, pretending for one night that nothing’s changed doesn’t make it so. Just like pretending we can be together doesn’t make it so.”
His hands slipped down to cup her shoulders. As if he was worried she was about to run out the door. “Maybe I went about this all wrong. I’m sorry for trying to make you feel like you were Kelsey Wishner again, excited Manhattanite. I simply wanted to put a smile on your face.”
“I smile every time I think of you. You’re outrageously handsome, you know. And when I talk, you make me feel like there’s nothing else you’d rather be doing, nowhere else you’d rather be. You make me feel like I matter. Plain old Kelsey Wishner.”
“Extraordinary Kelsey Wishner,” he corrected softly. He looked over her shoulder and cursed. “Stay here.” Then he disappeared through an arched doorway into the…kitchen? She only glimpsed the curve of a small, round wooden table, set with wineglasses and a fat candle in the middle. But there were heady smells coming from the room, a sort of rich tomato sauce with spices she couldn’t identify.
When Elias came back, his jacket and holster were gone. “I’ve turned it all off. Dinner’s on hold. Indefinitely.”
Oh, no. She’d screwed everything up by freaking out about his gun. “You’re going to take me back to my suite now?”
“What? Of course not. Kelsey, what your life has spun into is a new normal, for sure. But one with not a few perks that I promise are worth it.”
Not getting dinner sure didn’t come off as a perk. “Such as?”
“Sex with me.” His cocky grin and ‘you want a piece of this’ pose with one leg outstretched in front and both arms up was pure, absurd male ego on parade. Apparently, Elias knew it, too, because he only held the pose for a few seconds before laughing. “I’m taking a page from the American dating handbook. We’re skipping straight to the sex, because that’s the one thing I know will get your mind to stop spinning about all the changes in your life.”
She could get on board with that. “Consider it my gift to your country.”
Elias gripped her upper arms tightly, and his voice was so deep it rumbled. “You’re a gift to my country, alright. But the only thing that matters right now is what a gift you are to me. Let me show you.”
Before Kelsey could pick up her dropped jaw and reply, Elias moved in. He shuffled her backward a few steps until she was pressed between him and the wall. Pressed tight enough to feel the steel wall of his pecs against her already hard nipples, massive thighs caging in her legs, and the gratifyingly hard and long bulge against her belly.
Oh, and while they took those few steps, his mouth devoured hers. Heat and speed, yes, but mixed with a thoroughness that left her lips a little bruised and a lot electrified. There was no doubting the depth of his desire.
There was no denying the depth of hers.
Kelsey gave back as good as she got. Her fingers raked across the top of his skull, delighting in the soft brush of his super-short hair. Her tongue danced and tasted and licked.
It wasn’t nearly enough.
She wanted her bodyguard to stop guarding her body, and start using it.
Kelsey took a deep breath, reminded herself she excelled at graphic design. That her clients called her intuitive. That her boss called her easy to work with. That she’d been voted most likely to make friends in a dystopian society in her high school yearbook. Prince Christian should be the one nervous about meeting her.
Except…He probably was. Because of that whole, sticky layer of he and his family actively searching for her. For more than two decades. He wanted his sister back.
Kelsey didn’t want anything. Aside from not humiliating herself. “Let’s do this.”
Elias led the way out of the plane and down the stairs. Kelsey kept her eyes glued to each step, refusing to give the universe any shot at mocking her by sending her tumbling in a heap at her brother’s feet. But when she hit the purple carpet runner on the ground, she looked up.
‘Private’ wasn’t exactly the best descriptor of how she’d meet her brother. There were three black SUVs, two police cars, four bodyguard-types, and one man by himself at the base of the stairs with his hands tucked behind his back, feet braced wide.
Christian was…well, gorgeous. Tall and broad-shouldered in a bright blue suit. Thick, blonde hair topped off high cheekbones and a wide mouth. This man looked like a stand-in for at least four Disney princes.
Most noticeably, the unusual shade of his violet eyes was an exact match for her own.
Kelsey wasn’t sure what to feel about that, except to catalogue it as more proof that Elias had, indeed, not made the whole thing up.
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Author Christi Barth
About the Author USA TODAY bestseller Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance.
Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.
Today is release day for SOME LIKE IT PLAID, a stand-alone adult contemporary romance, by USA Today bestselling author Angela Quarles. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
Synopsis When Ashley Miller sees a Craigslist ad for an all-expense paid vacation to Scotland with a handsome Highland “escort”, she’s all over it. Worn out from working two jobs to pay off the debts her scam artist ex-husband left her with, she just needs a friggin’ break already. Rolling, misty mountains of the Scottish Highlands, here she comes!
But one minute she’s sipping a latte and the next she’s zapped to the 2nd century and promptly informed she’s managed to wed her handsome Highlander without even an “I do.” Oh, hell no.
After a devastating tragedy, Connall’s tribe is left with few marriageable women. When his Druid priest suggests a place filled with bonnie lasses, he of course agrees to go fetch one for himself. But nothing prepared Connall for his sassy new wife, nor his tribe for a woman determined to see equal rights for all women.
Now the men are threatening revolt if he can’t rein his young wife in, but it might be too late. The women are demanding the men get “woke”—which of course makes no sense because they already woke that morn—and give women “the vote,” whatever the bloody hell that is. Despite all that, Connall can’t stop wanting to convince his wife to get naked, and he’s starting to wonder if he’s been bewitched.
Only the more he gets to know her, the more he starts to think she’s just what they needed. If only he survives her next demand…
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Excerpt “Head out? Where are we?” That trickle of unease bloomed in her heart, her breath catching. Because his words were different. Somehow, he was speaking in a lilting but foreign language, and she’d not only understood every single word, but had answered in the same language.
To distract herself and, well, because her stomach chose that moment to growl, as if it knew she’d just been handed food and was all, Gimme, woman, she took a bite of bread.
The yeasty flavor burst on her tongue, along with the taste and crunch of oodles of grains. No dream she’d ever had was this vivid. The details were sharp, down to her being cold. And to the odd taste and texture of the bread. And her hunger.
The taste, though—a fuzzy memory poked. She took another bite, trying to chase it. Whatever it was, it had been buried so far in her past she couldn’t form it. Except for a fleeting, wonderful feeling of being cherished.
“Aye, we need to break camp and head to my tribe’s stronghold. And we’re in a land called Scotland.”
That last word was not in the same language—instead it was in her own—and he said it as if it were a strange word to him.
“What happened? How did we get here?” She’d asked this last night, but maybe he’d change his answer.
He strode toward her and knelt. She appreciated he would no doubt repeat himself but took the time to listen to her and patiently explain. “Mungan, our spellcaster, weaved strong magic. Brought me to your land, and then brought us both back here.” He held up a round stone incised with two parallel deep grooves around its center. As if that explained everything.
The hell it does. Some dude, even in a dream, was just whisking her about?
He waved to the two horses. “They left us mounts to ease our journey.”
She swallowed, trying to work moisture into her parched throat. “How long will it take to get to your…stronghold?”
“Only part of the morning.”
“How many hours?”
“Hours?”
“Yeah, how long? How many hours?” Was her Star Trek Universal Translator on the fritz already? The word “hours” had come out in English.
He shook his head and frowned. Then he pointed to the sun just barely visible as a pale glow behind morning clouds. “As long as it takes the sun to travel from there”—he slid his finger just a few inches away—“to there.”
She pulled in a deep breath. Oookay.
He marched over to a shaggy brown horse, grabbed the saddle, and swung himself up into it with one swift motion, like she’d seen in old cowboy movies.
Wow, that was hot.
She’d ridden her share of horses growing up in Nebraska but had never perfected that technique. She stepped up to her horse and stroked its mane, pulling in the musky scent of the beast, letting him smell her, adjust to her. The animal’s fur was thick and curly, its coarse hairs springing through her stroking fingers.
Is this real?
She stared at the imposing but gentle Highlander, and then at the horse she was supposed to ride. If she did as he asked, she’d no longer be “playing along” with her dream. She’d have to face what she hadn’t wanted to admit yet— hopping onto this horse would be accepting this wasn’t a dream. This step, this moment, felt real. Tangible.
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Author Angela Quarles
About The Author An avid reader herself, Angela Quarles writes books she’d like to read–laugh-out-loud, smart, sexy romances that suck you into her worlds and won’t let you go until you reach The End. She is a RWA RITA® award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, time travel, and steampunk romance. Library Journal named her steampunk, Steam Me Up, Rawley, Best Self-Published Romance of 2015 and Must Love Chainmail won the 2016 RITA® Award in the paranormal category, the first indie to win in that category. Angela loves history, folklore, and family history and combined it with her active imagination to write stories of romance and adventure.
Welcome to the blog tour for ALL FIRED UP, the third stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romance series, Road to Love, by New York Times bestselling author, Lori Foster, releasing November 19, 2019. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis He’s tantalizing trouble she can’t resist…
Charlotte Parrish has always wanted a certain kind of man: someone responsible, settled, boring. Bad boys need not apply. But when her car leaves her stranded and a mysterious stranger with brooding eyes and a protective streak comes to her rescue, she can’t deny how drawn she is to him. In town searching for family he’s never met, Mitch is everything she never thought she wanted—and suddenly everything she craves.
Finding his half brothers after all these years is more than Mitch Crews has allowed himself to wish for. Finding love never even crossed his mind…until he meets Charlotte. She’s sweet, warmhearted, sexier than she knows—and too damn good for an ex-con like him. But when his past comes back to haunt him, putting Charlotte—and the family he’s come to care for—in danger, Mitch isn’t playing by the rules. He’s already surrendered his heart, but now he’ll risk his life.
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Excerpt #1 The warm, muggy night closed around him, leaving his shirt damp in places. Sweat prickled the back of his neck. Inside Freddie’s he’d find air-conditioning, but he’d never again take fresh air for granted. He valued every single breath of humid air that filled his lungs.
The moon climbed the black sky as time slipped by. How much time, he didn’t know: he’d stopped keeping track the second he saw her.
Headlights from the occasional passing car came near him but didn’t intrude on the shadows where he stood.
Transfixed by her.
Damn, he wanted that mouth.
In the short time he’d locked eyes on her, a dozen fantasies had formed—most of them based on her naked lips, the way she occasionally pursed them, how she twisted her lips to the side in frustration, even how she blew out a breath. The whole package was nice…but it was her mouth that kept him unmoving, staring. Imagining.
Slight of build, she served as a bright spot in the dark gloom. Understated and yet something struck him as undeniably sexy.
Once he’d noticed her, he couldn’t look away.
After speaking softly into a phone, she bit her plump bottom lip, and her expression showed frustrated defeat.
The lady had made several consecutive calls. Was she in need of assistance? Given the way she’d circled a car, occasionally glaring at it, he thought she did. Judging by her frown, there wouldn’t be any help on the way.
Since getting out of prison a year ago, Mitch had spent an excess of time with women. Hell, next to fresh air, freedom and steak, sex topped his list. He’d immersed himself in human contact, the gentleness, the carnality.
He’d taken satisfaction in pleasing someone else while abating a base need. Hell, watching a woman come gave him as much pleasure as his own release.
So he’d gotten his fill and then some—all while making plans to change the course of his life. To make it better. To carve out a meaningful future.
About the Author Lori Foster is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with books from a variety of publishers, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin and Silhouette. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. For more about Lori, visit her Web site at www.lorifoster.com.
Welcome to the blog tour for for I FADE AWAY, the second book in the adult contemporary romance series, Dream Duet, by Elle Keating. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt. For a limited time, the first book is available for free and I FADE AWAY is only $0.99.
I FADE AWAY (Dream Duet #2) by Elle Keating
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: I FADE AWAY Series: Dream Duet #2 Author:Elle Keating Release Date: November 12, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis After four months, Tia Peterson has been found. The woman who was kidnapped and trafficked has escaped hell only to realize that her nightmare isn’t over. Her story has hit the media and every reporter and news outlet wants to know the gory details; things she doesn’t want to speak of ever again.
But then she meets Trent Reddick.
The former Navy SEAL doesn’t ask too many questions, never pressures her to talk about what happened while she was held captive in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. He just wants to help her get her life back.But the more time they spend together, the stronger Trent’s feelings for Tia become…and that scares him. If he doesn’t find a way to rein in his emotions, be the friend she needs instead of the man he wants to be for her, he may lose her for good.
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Excerpt #2 Tia is asleep, huddled in a tight ball, and I wonder why she didn’t throw the blanket that is hanging off the back of the couch over herself. I contemplate what to do. Leave her here for the night? Carry her to her bedroom…or into my room, because that is where she may end up anyway if she has a nightmare? No, I can’t take her to my bedroom. What if she wakes and wonders how the hell she got there?
I am mulling over my decision when I see her eyes spring open. She doesn’t freak out that I’m here, that she suddenly has a couch-mate. She just looks at me, at my eyes, then my mouth. Her breathing starts to quicken, and I wonder if she is on the verge of a panic attack. Maybe she had a nightmare, and it’s only starting to hit her now.
“Tia…are you okay?”
Tia inches over to me, her bare thigh brushing against my jeans. And then without breaking eye contact she swings her leg around until she’s straddling me. The move is so sudden that my hands remain frozen in mid-air, not on the couch or her waist, but just out there. She buries her head in my neck, wraps her arms around me and I pull her against my chest. I’ve held her before, but it’s always been after one of her nightmares or when she was emotionally distraught and sobbing.
But she isn’t crying right now. She doesn’t seem scared. Fear is not what I saw in her eyes right before she crawled into my lap. She looked at me as if she wanted me. I haven’t been with a woman in a while, but I still know what it looks like, what it feels like to be desired. My cock swiftly swells in my pants and I wonder if she can feel it. She is only wearing a thin pair of shorts and pressed firmly against my erection. I need her to talk to me, to get my mind off the fact that only a few layers of clothing separate us.
“I missed you,” she says. Her warm breath on my neck, the touch of her lips feathering my heated flesh, makes me shiver and I struggle not to let my hands drop and claim her waist.
She missed me. I had only been gone a few hours and she…
Her lips aren’t just hovering over my skin now, but trailing light kisses along my neck, causing my heart to race. With any other woman at this point, I would have flipped her to her back, ripped away her shorts and buried myself inside her. But I could never do that with Tia.
“Did you miss me?” she asks between pecks. I feel her tongue accompany the last kiss she strategically places just below my jaw and I groan. It is uncontrollable and the second she hears it I feel her pelvis grind against my cock.
“Tia, do you know what you’re doing?”
“Yes. I know exactly what I’m doing…and what I want,” she says, sitting back and looking me dead in the eye.
I eradicate the space between us and take her mouth hard, smashing my lips against hers and she kisses me back with equal intensity. My hands surrender and I grip her ass. I miraculously find the words, “Is this okay?”
“Yeah,” she moans into my mouth. I squeeze her perfect round ass and rub her against me. I could easily come like this and from the sounds she’s making, those low whimpers and groans, she could get off as well.
“You feel so good,” I say.
“Make me forget, Trent. Make them go away,” she murmurs.
It’s like someone took a bucket of water and threw it at me…at my cock, in particular. I sit back and she stares at me beneath hooded eyes. She looks beautiful and ready to be fucked. But this can’t happen, not now, maybe never. “What’s the matter?” she asks, her arms falling to her sides.
“I want you, Tia. You have no idea how much I want you. But not like this.” She scoots off me and covers herself with the throw blanket from the back of the couch. I rest my hand over hers. “I don’t want to be just a distraction. Maybe some guys would be okay with that, but I’m not one of them, and I never will be.”
About the Author Elle Keating is the author of romance novels with sexy heroes and fierce females. Her first book, Thrill of the Chase (Dangerous Love, #1), was published by Forever Romance’s digital imprint, Forever Yours, in 2015. She has since expanded the series and released the Dream Duet and the taboo romance, Keeping His Commandments. Elle is currently working on several projects including the sequel to Into Temptation and a steamy forbidden romance that may raise some eyebrows.
When Elle isn’t torturing her heroes and heroines (don’t worry, there’s always a happily ever after), she is a public school administrator and enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children in New Jersey. For more on Elle and her books, visit ellekeating.com.
Welcome to the book blitz for SKIN AND BONE, a stand-alone adult psychological thriller, by USA Today bestselling author, Keary Taylor. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis I’d do anything for him, even become the woman he loves…
HER
I tried my best for years, but all he ever wanted was for her to come back. So bit-by-bit, I evolved, transforming into someone he could love. But he didn’t take the bait until I went all the way.
I became her.
Now everything is perfect. We’re happy. So in love. And he doesn’t suspect a thing.
SAWYER
Someone claiming my name sent me a video. It looks to be me, returning to my hometown, reconnecting with my high school boyfriend, Ezra. Those are my clothes, that’s my laugh, and that’s my face.
She took my freedom next. And then she made me watch as she took over my entire life, fooling everyone like a perfect chameleon. It’s clear what she wants, and Ezra is all too quick to take me back.
Only one person seems to notice something is off. Ezra’s brother, Davis—the last person I called. There’s a certain darkness in Davis’ eyes, and he’s not the type to let up until he gets his answers.
Somehow, I’ll make her pay. This imposter is going to regret the day she ever took the name Sawyer James.
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Chapter One Eight surgeries, twelve hair dye experiments, 1,834 hours of video observation, two years of yoga practice to try to make up that extra inch of height, and the public loss of gluten.
That’s what I’ve gone through for love. That’s everything I’ve given up–all the money I’ve spent, all the hours I’ve invested–to finally be with the man I’ve loved for more than a decade.
They say nothing worth having comes easy.
Everything comes with a price.
I’ve paid my dues. I’ve been more patient than anyone could ever comprehend.
And now it’s finally my time.
I step from the closet into the bathroom. I check my makeup. What the surgeries couldn’t accomplish is made up for with some well-practiced cosmetic techniques. The contour is just right. The eyebrow lift did exactly what was needed. My jaw is still sore, even though all of the swelling and bruising has finally gone away.
But as I apply a coat of lipstick—Apple Sunrise, her default color—I smile at myself.
Even my teeth required altering. Thirty-five thousand dollars, and they look just right; are just the right shade of white.
It’s perfect.
I’m perfect.
I am my own creation and I have to admire my hard work.
It’s brilliant.
I press my lips together, blowing my own reflection a kiss, and step out of the bathroom. I cut through the nearly empty bedroom and aim for the dining room. My laptop sits on it, a cheap piece of technology, because after today, it’s going in the crusher of the cement company down the road.
Can’t leave any evidence behind.
Which is tragic, because really, this amounts to the same amount of work as a doctoral degree.
It’s okay though. I’ll take the loss, so long as it gets me the prize, the reward for all my hard work.
Just seeing the signature at the top of the page feels good. My insides flutter in excitement. Goosebumps wash over my skin.
Sawyer James at IMT Homes, I type in the address. I attach just one file and leave the body of the email empty. In the subject line, I type It was never really about you.
But that’s a lie. She may not be my main target, my main motivation, but there are fourteen years’ worth of resentment that brought us to this point.
My gaze re-focuses on the screen, and once more, I see my reflection.
Perfect, soft blonde hair. Blue eyes that border on green, thanks to contacts that are purely for color, not prescription.
A pretty face with hope in her eyes.
Here we are. One last out before it all goes down.
One last opportunity to change my mind.
I see myself smile in the screen.
Not a chance. I’ve worked too hard for this.
I press SEND and smile.
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Author Keary Taylor
About the Author KearyTaylor is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels. She grew up along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now splits her time between a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest and Utah, with her husband and their two children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Samantha Chase, is revealing the cover to AND THEN ONE DAY, the fourth book in her adult contemporary romance series, Magnolia Sound, releasing January 29, 2020. See below for information on the book and series and preorder links.
AND THEN ONE DAY (Magnolia Sound #4) by Samantha Chase
Synopsis Courtney Baker is ready to put small town life—and the man she can’t have—behind her. Years of secretly crushing on her best friend’s older brother have led nowhere and she’s finally ready to move on. It would have been a great plan had she not drunkenly blurted out all her feelings and kissed him. At least she’ll be able to forget all about it when she leaves town in less than 48 hours.
It takes a lot to surprise Dean Jones, but a kiss from the girl he’s been secretly attracted to for years does just that. All it takes it one kiss for him to realize he doesn’t want to let her go. But she’s his sister’s best friend and that’s a line he knows he should never cross. Never mind that she seems determined to leave their small town—and him—behind.
When a storm and a broken car stop Courtney from leaving town, Dean sees perfect opportunity to get her out of his system. But can one night ever be enough?
About the Author Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Synopsis Isabel has one rule: no dating.
It’s easier–
It’s safer–
It’s better–
–for the other person.
She’s got issues. She’s got secrets. She’s got rheumatoid arthritis.
But then she meets another sick kid.
He’s got a chronic illness Isabel’s never heard of, something she can’t even pronounce. He understands what it means to be sick. He understands her more than her healthy friends. He understands her more than her own father who’s a doctor.
He’s gorgeous, fun, and foul-mouthed. And totally into her.
Isabel has one rule: no dating.
It’s complicated–
It’s dangerous–
It’s never felt better–
–to consider breaking that rule for him.
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My Review There are few young adult contemporary romances that really make me think in a new way, but SICK KIDS IN LOVE did just that. My own three children suffer from an autoimmune disease that is nowhere near as severe as what Ibby and Sasha have, but it does impact their lives, since it affects what they can eat, something they do three times a day. It was refreshing to read about teens who live a life in spite of, as well as under the constant influence of, a chronic illness. Add to that both main characters are Jewish, and this is a story unlike anything else I’ve read. I’ll admit that I was worried at first. I mean the title leaves a lot open-ended. How sick? Will one or both of them die? But I’m pleased to report, without spoiling anything since the author has freely admitted this publicly, NO ONE DIES!
Isabel has rheumatoid arthritis, requiring her to get regular fusions. At one of these visits, she meets Sasha, a charming boy with gaucher disease. The two flirt, but Ibby has a no-dating policy for reasons that become clear about mid-way through the book. Her father is chief physician in the same hospital, so she spends a lot of time there, not only visiting him, but volunteering one day a week. This creates a collision course between Sasha and Ibby, sooner rather than later, and an instant friendship develops. It’s clear Sasha wants more, but Ibby holds firmly to her no-dating rule. But the more time they spend together, the more obvious it is that she feels more than just friendship for this boy. Witty banter and obvious chemistry gets the reader rooting for these two to end up together. But Sasha and Ibby have deep issues they’ll both need to overcome if they can be more than friends.
Plot The heart of the story is the relationship between Ibby and Sasha. Feelings develop slowly, though the attraction is immediate. The friendship flourishes because they have more in common than just their respective illnesses. But there are also huge differences that drive most of the conflict. Ibby is rigid and deeply wounded. Sasha is easy going and eager to please. This makes things between them seamless at first, but ultimately comes between them. There is a HUGE twist I never saw coming that turns Ibby’s world upside down. It could have become a cliche, but instead the author uses it as a catalyst for Ibby to see her flaws in a new light rather than turning it into a huge angsty situation creating drama for the sake of drama.
Characters The characters are so deeply drawn and real in every sense. Ibby has deep wounds, the origins of which are revealed slowly. She’s forced to face the reasons she refuses to date as her feelings for Sasha grow, but her transformation isn’t complete for a long time. In fact, like all humans, she continues to be a work in progress through the end. We learn that Sasha is more than just a light-hearted guy who lets everything roll off him. One of the best ways the author lets us inside the minds of her characters in a story told from a single point of view is through Ibby’s high school newspaper column. She asks people around her a variety of questions and we get to learn who they are through their answers.
What I Loved About SICK KIDS IN LOVE 1. New York City. Both kids live in the city in small apartments and take the subway to get around. The setting is as much a part of the story as the characters.
2. Sasha. I love his outlook and positive attitude and the way he’s honest, open, and caring.
3. Ibby. She’s had so much to deal with in her short life, and while she lets it get to her at times, she’s determined to rise above it.
4. Reality. The author paints a portrait of the daily lives of those living with a chronic illness, neither romanticizing it in any way, nor making it more depressing than it needs to be. This is life for so many Americans, and it’s an honest portrayal of their normal.
5. Friends. Ibby’s friends, all healthy teens, play various roles in her journey. Their responses to her illness and her relationship with Sasha give readers an opportunity to see how our responses as healthy people impact those with chronic illness without coming across as preachy.
Bottom Line An honest, heartfelt story of teens who are anything but average, doing their best to live average lives.
About the Author Hannah Moskowitz wrote her first story, about a kitten named Lilly on the run from cat hunters, for a contest when she was seven years old. It was disqualified for violence. Her first book, BREAK, was on the ALA’s 2010 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, and in 2013, GONE, GONE, GONE received a Stonewall Honor. 2015’s NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED was named the YA Bisexual Book of the Year. She’s also the co-author of GENA/FINN with Kat Helgeson and has contributed to several anthologies. She lives in Maryland with several cats, none of whom are violent.
Author Susana Mohel is revealing a teaser from CLOUDSTORM, the second book in her adult contemporary romance seres, The Perfect Storm, releasing December 11, 2019. See below for information on the book and series, pre-order links, and the exclusive teaser.
Synopsis Everyone has a nemesis. He became mine. Sure, he’s charming to the naked eye. The perfect suit-wearing gentleman, scorching hot, as if he walked straight off a magazine cover. But anyone with a brain knows better.
I know better. He’s arrogant, full of himself. A dream crusher.
So, why can’t I focus when I’m in his presence? Why does the control I worked so hard for vanish at the sound of his voice? Living in a storm I’m looking for my rainbow, and he, he is the sun who makes it possible.
About the Author Author, wife, and mother of a girl and a puppy. I love the happily ever after. Believer & dreamer. I live in my own world, sipping Ginger Ale and lime. I’m always plotting my next book, coloring pages, and reading.
Welcome to the pre-order blog tour for THE PRINCESS PROBLEM, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Unexpectedly Royal Wedding by USA Today bestselling author, Christi Barth, releasing November 18, 2019. See below for information on the book, pre-order links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE PRINCESS PROBLEM (Unexpectedly Royal #) by Christi Barth
Synopsis What girl doesn’t want to wear a tiara? Me. The one who lives in yoga pants and knows she’s not special enough to be a princess.
One minute I’m starting my dream life in NYC, and the next, a man too hot for his own good is banging on my door, telling me that I’m a long lost princess of a country on the other side of the Atlantic.
Not exactly your typical Friday night in the Big Apple.
Suddenly, all of my plans for the future are yanked away. I’m trapped in a life filled with social obligations—and stilettos!—and an uptight royal family I didn’t know existed. They, and the whole rest of the freaking country, have lofty expectations I’m not sure I can meet.
At least the aforementioned sexalicious man, Elias, is my constant shadow, protecting me with his life. The whole situation is overwhelming. So I’ve secretly put him in charge of my happiness, too…and he’s taking my orders very, very seriously.
So seriously, I’m falling for him even harder than the new country I’m coming to…maybe…love.
And that’s a major problem, because he’s crazy about me, too. I may not know all the zillion rules about being royal, but I know one for sure: No way can a princess date her bodyguard…
Each book in the Unexpectedly Royal series is STANDALONE: * The Princess Problem * Ruling the Princess
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Excerpt “My life—the brand new life I just started—is gone. Nobody seems to care about me,” Kelsey thumped her chest as her voice cracked, “the actual person in here behind the princess title. Except for you.”
Her aching vulnerability tore into Elias like a sword straight through his gut. It tore through the rules and protocol and every layer of common sense.
All that was left was a man watching a lost, lonely woman. It was blindingly obvious what she needed. So he wrapped his arms around Kelsey and hugged her.
She didn’t cry, or even tremble. But she did heave in a deep sigh, and when she let it out, her whole body relaxed into his. Except for her arms, which slid into a tight embrace around his waist.
They sat like that for long moments. Long enough for Elias to notice the determined buzz of a bee overhead. Long enough for a peacock to strut past them, its vibrant green and blue tailfeathers dragging on the ground like a train. Long enough for Elias to also notice how his arms wrapped so far around her small frame that the tips of his fingers grazed the sides of her breasts.
He knew he should move. Readjust.
He didn’t care about should. Elias only cared about making Kelsey feel better. Feel like herself.
Feel that he did, indeed, care for her.
Finally, Kelsey lifted her head from where it rested on his collarbone. “Thank you.”
“You’re—” but before he could finish the phrase, Kelsey kissed him.
It was just a soft, faint brush of lips over lips. Probably meant to be nothing more than a continuation of her thanks. Except that something sparked between them. The one, faint touch instantly morphed into more. Elias honestly couldn’t say which one of them consciously deepened the kiss. It felt organic.
It felt necessary.
It felt right.
They clung to each other, and that soft brush grew into a real kiss. The kind he gave after a date where everything clicked, where he and the woman connected deeply. The kind he hadn’t given anyone in many, many months.
Kelsey’s beauty had struck Elias from the moment that flimsy, splotched apartment door opened. But then, as she stood her ground with such determination, as she sassed him on the plane, as she approached every step of this journey with such bravery, his feelings had changed. The involuntary, primal acknowledgement of wantingher body had flipped over into wanting her.
The pressure between their lips, between their bodies intensified. Elias moved his lips harder against hers. Kelsey pushed right back. They kissed and kissed and suddenly their tongues were tangled, tasting and teasing.
Elias groaned. God, she was delicious. Sweet. Tantalizing. And so soft every single damn place they were touching.
His hands slid up through the silk of her hair to tilt Kelsey’s head back, to deepen his angle. But then he immediately slid one palm down her back to keep her pressed close. To keep those firm breasts rubbing against his chest as she swayed her upper body.
It didn’t make up for the fact they were seated side by side, that their hips and legs and bellies weren’t rubbing together. But it was damned sexy, especially sexy, paired with the breathy little moans she kept exhaling.
“Elias,” she murmured, as his lips moved down the tantalizing column of her neck. God, he just wanted to keep going. Push that prim and proper sweater out of the way and keep lapping at the pale skin that he couldn’t get enough of.
“Princess,” he replied.
And then froze.
His subconscious had just saved him. Tossing out that automatic title had been the necessary reminder that he wasn’t only kissing Kelsey. Elias was making out with a Princess of the Realm.
Also? He was making out with his best friend’s little sister.
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Author Christi Barth
About the Author USA TODAY bestseller Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance.
Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.
