Welcome to the book blitz for RAPID AGENDA, the second book in the adult romantic suspense series, High-Risk Agenda, by USA Today bestselling author Maureen A. Miller. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
RAPID AGENDA (High-Risk Agenda Series #2) by Maureen A. Miller
Synopsis
A spill in the rapids hauls two strangers into a harrowing and romantic adventure.
Chuck Borgas is ready to get back in the jungle. A lost city and a team of archeological students are waiting for him in Guatemala. He is waylaid at the airport by a bizarre woman who latches onto him like she’s his long-lost buddy. Smoking hot women don’t usually throw themselves at him. Ever. Finally ditching the stranger, he realizes she has left a bag behind. One glimpse into that sack and Chuck knows he’s stepped into a heap of trouble.
Faith Sanders is part of a small task force returning smuggled artifacts to the Guatemalan government. Her team is ambushed by members of a drug cartel, but she manages to escape. Alone and determined to get the artifacts to their destination, she is forced to improvise as the cartel closes in on her. That improvisation lands her in the arms of a handsome stranger.
Realizing that she has jeopardized the man at the airport, Faith has to decide which is more important…saving his life, or completing her mission.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt #1 Why were these cartel punks keeping her?
If they were after the bag—thanks to her, they knew where it was heading. There was no need to keep her.
Faith swallowed. What were the alternatives? Leave her on the side of the highway? She didn’t think men like this left loose strings. They left declarations. She had done her research on some of the most unsavory Central American cartels. They didn’t leave loose strings. They left bodies. Statements.
Twenty-six. She was twenty-six years old. A trainee. Was that an excuse for stupidity? For mistakes?
Her knowledge of the language was passable, but she couldn’t decipher the low timbres of the exchange in the front seat. The man in the passenger seat turned his head to leer at her. Perspiration or hair gel plastered his black hair back from a high forehead.
“When we get the skulls back, we chop you head off so it can join them.”
Lovely.
Faith crossed her arms to try and conceal the tremors racing through her limbs. They had not handcuffed her. She searched the back seat and grimy car mats for something she could attack them with. Reading her thoughts, the man hefted the barrel of his gun over the seatback, aiming it at her.
“No, no, señorita.” He wagged the gun back and forth. The motion drew her attention to a tattoo poking out from beneath his shirt sleeve. The snout of a pig was exposed.
Faith sucked in a quick breath. The Cerdo Loco cartel.
“I threw the bag in the garbage at the airport,” she vowed futilely.
Gel-head sneered, revealing the tip of a badly yellowed tooth.
“We saw you get on the bus with it,” he claimed. “We saw da man you got on with. We go to Tikal where the bus goes. We find the man. We find the bag. We chop your head off.”
About the Author USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Miller worked in the software industry for fifteen years. She crawled around plant floors in a hard hat and safety glasses hooking up computers to behemoth manufacturing machines. The job required extensive travel. The best form of escapism during those lengthy airport layovers became writing.
Maureen’s first novel, WIDOW’S TALE, earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. After that she became hooked to the genre. In fact, she was so hooked she is the founder of the JUST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE website.
Recently, Maureen branched out into the Young Adult Science Fiction market with the popular BEYOND Series. To her it was still Romantic Suspense…just on another planet!.
Author Sarah Sutton is revealing the cover to TWO KINDS OF US, a stand-alone young adult contemporary romance, releasing May 25, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
TWO KINDS OF US by Sarah Sutton
About the Book Title: TWO KINDS OF US Author: Sarah Sutton Release Date: May 25, 2021 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Links:Goodreads
Synopsis In a life of diamond bracelets and country clubs, I’m the perfect daughter. I get all the right grades, volunteer at all the right organizations, apply to all the right colleges.
And I hate every second of it. At the rate my life is playing out, under the strict rule of my parents, politicians and housewives will be my future.
Until I meet Harry.
Harry’s a singer in a rock band with a voice so drop-dead sexy that I actually feel hypnotized. Doesn’t hurt that he’s hot either, and with the kind, flirty personality to match, it’s the perfect trifecta. And even better, he sees me as the me I want to be. The me who can break free of the life I’m trapped in, the me who can control my own future.
The only problem? He knows me as Stella, my fun, carefree alter-ego—so drastically different than Destelle, the one who is trapped in the life my parents rule for me.
But as we get closer, I realize Harry’s keeping a secret of his own, something related to his dark past that he’s trying to move on from, and when I find out, everything we’ve built could come crashing down.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Author Sarah Sutton
About the Author Sarah Sutton is a YA Romance author, bringing you stories about teenagers falling in love (sometimes with magic)She spends her days dreaming up ideas with her two adorable puppies by her side being cheerleaders (and mega distractions).
Today is release day for FADE INTO YOU, the fourth book in the adult contemporary rockstar romance series, LA Rock Star Romance, by Ell Greco. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
FADE INTO YOU (LA Rock Star Romance Series #4) by Elle Greco
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: FADE INTO YOU Series: LA Rock Star Romance Series #4 Author: Elle Greco Release Date: April 19, 2021 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT
Synopsis It’s all fun and games until someone falls in love.
Six years after the cops found Ear Assassins’ lead singer dead of a drug overdose, his widow Lydon Johnson has only just begun to pick up the pieces. Now she finds she’s fast running out of money to support herself and her son. A reality TV show is an unappealing means to an end, but in the interest of keeping a roof over their heads, she signs on. But the producers soon find out, Lydon’s kind of boring for a rock and roll widow.
Vince Davis, lead singer of Anthem, is a rock and roll legend two decades in the making. But when the head of his longtime record label is exposed as the cause of his son’s drug overdose, his attempt to split his band from the label comes with a personal cost that he’s not sure he’s ready to make.
Enter Lydon. Vince has an idea to spice up Lydon’s flailing reality show: pretend to be lovers. Thrust back into a glowing spotlight, can Vince’s amped star power get Anthem out of their contract on his own terms?
The reality TV producers think it’s a match made in rock and roll heaven. What could possibly go wrong?
When you hate the person you are supposed to fall in love with, LOADS.
—————————————————————————-
—————————————————————————-
Excerpt Vince flashed his panty-melting grin. “And now we also know that the feelings you have for me scare you.”
“Rubbish,” I snapped. His eyes danced with humor.
“Seriously, Lydon, I’m scared too.” His hands slid along my thighs. “But it’s worth the risk, don’t you think?”
I closed my eyes. “We can’t let Charlie know. I don’t want him hurt.”
“I’d never hurt Charlie.”
I opened my eyes to see his earnest look. “But you might hurt me, and right now that’s the same thing in his little boy heart.”
He pressed his hand over mine on my chest. “I don’t want to hurt you, Lydon.”
“We don’t go into these things wanting to hurt people. It’s just what happens. It’s a by-product,” I said. My brain flashed to Charlie again. He never knew Chad, so he never experienced that sort of aching loss. His loss was different—more of a sadness around never having a father. If Charlie got close to Vince and lost him… that pain rips through your heart and cuts into your very soul.
Was I willing to take that gamble with Charlie’s heart? Because it wasn’t just my own that was exposed.
“I can’t, Vince. It’s too risky.”
He leaned into me, a hand landing on the mattress by my hip. “Lady Ly, we are halfway there with this reality show. Maybe we should try?”
It was tempting. Vince was right. The sex we had was explosive. It was raw. It felt right.
But it had also been six years since I last got laid, so I couldn’t exactly trust what I felt.
I leaned away from him. “How about we just, you know, scratch the itch every once in a while?”
His head cocked. “Go on. I want to hear this.”
“I mean, we carry on as normal, faking it for the cameras and such. But if we get the urge to, you know…” I paused. “Have intercourse…”
Vince closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them again, he pressed his forehead to mine. “So, friends with benefits.”
I stared at his full lips and tamped down the urge to kiss him. “We could call it that, I suppose.”
—————————————————————————-
—————————————————————————-
Author Elle Greco
About the Author I write fiction about badass women (and the people they love).
Urban Fantasy lovers will know me as Karen Greco, author of the best-selling Hell’s Belle series. My Contemporary Romance books are written under Elle Greco. While the genres are worlds apart, strong female characters are the chain that links all my worlds. These women are magical. They wield wicked weapons. They play a mean drum solo. They fall in love. They rule the boardroom and the bedroom. Whatever they do, they do it with swagger.
My storytelling career began when I forced everyone play “make believe” with me when I was a kid. That eventually morphed into banging out short stories on my mom’s old manual typewriter. As I got older, I graduated to penning bad poetry, then not terrible plays as a teenager. I studied playwright in college but my career took a detour and I ended up working in journalism and then entertainment publicity, which kept me busy for 20 or so years.
My “day job” has taken me from gritty rock clubs in The Bowery to glam red carpets during movie premieres and awards shows. My background working with talent (and the suits) in the industry has served me well with the LA Rock Star Romance series. A few years ago, I decided to pursue my original passion and a few full-length novels later, here we are. I love anything spooky and impossible to explain. If you love hanging out in cemeteries, the older the better, I’d totally go on a road trip with you. I have two rescue dogs, a patient husband, and an awesome kid.
Today is release day for YOU SPIN ME, the third book in the adult nostalgic romance series, Boston Classics, by Karen Grey. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
YOU SPIN ME (Boston Classics Series #3) by Karen Grey
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: YOU SPIN ME Series: Boston Classics Series #3 Author: Karen Grey Release Date: April 29, 2021 Genre: Adult Nostalgic Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon IT | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
Synopsis Some scars go further than skin deep…
1988 doesn’t end well for Jessica Abraham. In just one week she turns thirty, loses her day job, and loses the role of Ophelia to a younger actress. Rallying, she goes after a part at a theater outside of the city, but the director’s plan to hide her beauty behind hair, makeup and wardrobe from Cosmo’s “Don’t” column shakes her confidence to the core.
For the first time in her acting career, she won’t be able to rely on her carefully managed physical charms. Only her craft will count.
On a snowy night early in January 1989, a woman calls into DJ Callihan Alonso’s alt-rock radio show at the end of her commute. He asks her to call back the next night, and the next, just so he’ll know she’s home safe. There’s something about her voice that has him wanting more, but the longer they talk, the closer she gets. Compromising each and every wall he’s built around his heart.
If two lonely people fall in love over late-night phone calls, will meeting face-to-face make them, or break them?
In this heartfelt, slow burn retro romcom, it may be the end of a decade, but it’s the beginning of a love story.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Author Karen Grey
About the Author KAREN GREY is the pen name for award-winning narrator Karen White. A stage, screen and radio drama actor in Boston, New York and Los Angeles in the late 20th century, she started recording books in 1999. Now back in her home state of North Carolina, she shares a home with her family and (probably) too many pets, where she continues to narrate audiobooks as well as make up stories.
The first three books in her Boston Classics series of retro romcoms released in 2020, with more to come in 2021. What I’m Looking For, #1 in the series is the winner of AudioFile Magazine’s Earphones Award, the NJ Romance Writers’ Put Your Heart in a Book contest and Hearts Through History’s Romance Through the Ages contest in the Modern History category.
Author Sigal Ehrlich is revealing the cover to RETRACE, a stand-alone new adult contemporary romance. See below for information on the book, buy links, a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis The new Nia is a different person. She’s not afraid to make new friends, show her light-hearted side, and get serious about her job, or at least that’s how she sells herself to the world. Nia believes putting distance between herself and home will help her run away from her past.
Former FBI agent Reeves Mitchell, sinfully attractive and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Nia needs to help her forget what she’s left behind. In contention with his own past, Reeves spends his nights bartending and his days as a private agent dealing with matters in the grey area of the law.
A chaotic, sensual encounter leads to the perfect pact that will keep them safe: no commitment, just friendship…with benefits. But nothing in life is risk-free.
When suppressed emotions emerge, a seemingly impossible decision has to be made. Do they fight their growing feelings or retrace their lives back to where wounded hearts can be broken once more?
—————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————
Author Sigal Ehrlich
About the Author Sigal Ehrlich is a bestselling author of refreshing, fun, and sweet romance books. She loves books, cold weather, and the occasional bubbly drink. Living as an expat for most of her life, Sigal has been lucky enough to visit many exotic places and meet some unique people from all corners of the world, while experiencing the sweet triumphs and travails of trying to acclimate to new “homes.” Currently, Sigal calls the Czech Republic home where she lives with her husband and three kids.
Welcome to the book blitz for IT’S A CURSE THING, the second book in the adult paranormal romantic comedy series, Singles Town, by Lisa Wells. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
IT’S A CURSE THING (Singles Town Series #2) by Lisa Wells
About the Book
Title: IT’S A CURSE THING Series: Singles Town Series #2
Author: Lisa Wells Publisher: Up All Night Publishing Release Date: April 27, 2021 Genre: Adult Paranormal Romantic Comedy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
It’s not forever. It’s not freaking forever.
What’s a witch to do when her magic’s been hacked and her tongue wickedly cursed! No matter how hard Eloise Redd concentrates on keeping her thoughts to herself, she blurts them. The only option is to lie low and wait for the hacker’s ransom note —and hope the demands aren’t too steep. In the meantime, she hides out in a haunted town as a palm reader. What could possibly go wrong reading palms?
Jeffrey Bales, Chief Operating Officer of Think Tank Innovations, is excellent at peopling. What he’s not good at is fending off a multitude of women convinced he’s their souls’ missing puzzle piece. This thanks to the town’s magical palm reader. A woman whose mouth should come with a hazard warning. He has no choice but to turn his charms on her to silence those wayward words. Just a tiny, fake relationship should work…Unless it takes place under the roof of a bewitched house. One determined to bind them together eternally. That ransom demand can’t arrive soon enough.
What if this is forever?
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt #2 Eloise stood outside Jeff’s house and waited for the lovely old Victorian to welcome her and her cat inside. Charm, the moodiest cat ever, had been MIA ever since she’d been forced to move to Knotty with Eloise.
“Who are you?” the house barked in a voice gruff with age. Not even a hint of the English accent Eloise had expected.
“Eloise Redd, of the Salem Redds. And you are?” Eloise stood straight and unafraid. This was not her first conversation with a house.
“Gwinifer. You may call me Ms. Gwinifer. And the feline?”
Eloise held her cage out in front of her so Gwinifer could get a good look. “Charm. Of the Salem Charms.”
“I’m not particularly fond of cats,” Gwinifer said.
Charm’s back arched. “Hiiiiissssss.”
“Neither am I.” Eloise gave Charm a behave-yourself look and sat the cage on the ground. “But I’m a witch. They’re required. Along with a cauldron, but I left that in the trunk of the car.”
A nose appeared on the front of the house and it sniffed the air around Eloise. “I can’t say I’m fond of witches either.”
“Neither am I. But, as they say, one doesn’t get to pick their birth family.” Was Jeff inside watching her talk to his house? If so, why hadn’t he come outside and made proper introductions, instead of forcing Eloise to announce herself like a commoner? Surely, if the house was talking to her, it had also spoken to Jeff on his move-in day. Who was she kidding? If the guy was skeptical about palm readers, there’s no way he had ever admitted to himself he heard a house talking. He had probably blamed whatever he had heard from Gwinifer on the wind whistling through tree branches and playing tricks on his ears.
She glanced away from the nose and admired the house. She didn’t want Gwinifer to feel rushed into making a decision. A house that felt forced into welcoming a guest could be quite abusive to said guest. Cold showers. Creaking floorboards. Drafty rooms. Dead mouse smells.
On the outside, Gwinifer was a sassy lady. Her colorful eclecticism and intricate excess so fit the town itself. Her facade had an elaborately decorated gable and off to one side, a round tower. Her steeply pitched and complex roof perched like a jaunty hat, giving her further style. It was in the window of her dormer that Eloise got a nod of approval. A wink.
“You’ll do,” Gwinifer said in a haughty tone.
Eloise could practically here the house’s eyes rolling. She smiled and gave a curtsy. “Thank you.”
“Don’t make me regret allowing a witch inside my sanctuary,” Gwinifer snapped. “I have a temper. The last time I got mad at a witch, a tornado took out the town.”
About the Author Lisa Wells writes romantic comedy with enough steam to fog your eyeglasses, your brain, and sometimes your Kindle screen. On the other hands, her eighty-year-old mother-in-law has read Lisa’s steamiest book and lived to offer her commentary. Which went something like this: You used words I’ve never heard of…
She lives in Missouri with her husband and slightly-chunky rescue dog. Lisa loves dark chocolate, red wine, and those rare mornings when her skinny jeans fit. Which isn’t often, considering the first two entries on her love-it list.
Welcome to the blog tour for RUNAWAY TRAIN, the first book in the young adult contemporary series, Runaway Train, by Lee Matthew Goldberg. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on his giveaway.
RUNAWAY TRAIN (Runaway Train Series #1) by Lee Matthew Goldberg
About the Book
Title: RUNAWAY TRAIN Series: Runaway Train Series #1 Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg Publisher: Wise Wolf Books Release Date: April 29, 2021 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis They told me I was an out-of-control train about to crash…
Everything changed when the police officer knocked on the door to tell me – a 16-year-old – that my older sister Kristen had died of a brain aneurysm. Cue the start of my parents neglecting me and my whole life spiraling out of control.
I decided now was the perfect time to skip town. It’s the early 90’s, Kurt Cobain runs the grunge music scene and I just experienced some serious trauma. What’s a girl supposed to do? I didn’t want to end up like Kristen, so I grabbed my bucket list, turned up my mixtape of the greatest 90’s hits and fled L.A.. The goal was to end up at Kurt Cobain’s house in Seattle, but I never could have guessed what would happen along the way.
At turns heartbreaking, inspiring, and laugh out loud funny, Runaway Train is a wild journey of a bygone era and a portrait of a one-of-a-kind teenage girl trying to find herself again the only way she knows how.
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt #3 The grunge mixtape I’d made for Kristen has become a permanent fixture in my life, rotating from the car’s tape deck to my Sony Sports Walkman as if it possesses the uncanny ability to keep me further connected to her. We’d gotten into a fight before she died. Not a knockdown, drag-out, hair-pulling kind of battle—more so a test of willpower. I’d taken to smoking cigarettes in my room. This was a new phase. Before I’d previously sneak them in the backyard, but my personality was starting to veer toward not giving a flying pig. She complained about the dangers of secondhand smoke and that she could smell it in her room. I told her she was mental. Then we had our dueling music wars.
Kristen blasted Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover,” super happy pop garbage that I counterbalanced with some Alice in Chains “Dirt” with its heavy guitars, droning vocal harmonies, and drug-induced lyrics. She fought back with Janet Jackson’s insipid “That’s the Way Loves Goes.” Barf city. So I attacked with Soundgarden’s “Jesus Christ Pose,” thrashing guitars yet powerfully ethereal. She cued up some Ace of Base, and I rushed inside her room and turned off that nonsense.
“Like, don’t you want to listen to music that has meaning?” I asked, my blood boiling. How could we come from the same womb and be such polar opposites?
Kristen was wearing a green facemask, her blond hair in a ponytail, ready for bed super early since she had a 6:00 a.m. track practice.
“Don’t you ever want to listen to something that’s not so depressing and moody?”
I started to respond that not all my favorite songs are depressing, but “Jesus Christ Pose” ended and “Face Pollution” began, making my point moot.
“I like songs about love,” Kristen said.
“Mariah Carey is like artificial sweetener.”
“Her songs are catchy,” Kristen said. “Music doesn’t have to open up a vein like you want it to.”
“Will you just give, like, Nirvana a try?” I asked, begging. My eyes were even tearing, unsure why I was getting so emotional.
“Nico, it’s just not for me.”
“I’ll play ‘Drain You’ and you’ll see–”
“I have early practice tomorrow,” she said, turning her nose to the door as an indication for me to leave. So I stomped out and turned my music up even louder, just to piss her off. The next day we didn’t speak and the following morning after that she died so I could feel extra lousy about my shitty self.
—————————————————————————-
Author Lee Matthew Goldberg
About the Author Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels THE ANCESTOR, THE MENTOR, THE DESIRE CARD and SLOW DOWN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the Prix du Polar. His first YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN is forthcoming in 2021 along with a sci-fi novel ORANGE CITY. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others. He is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Fringe, dedicated to publishing fiction that’s outside-of-the-box. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at LeeMatthewGoldberg.com.
Today is release day for AN OFFICER AND A FORTUNE, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance series, The Fortunes of Texas, by Nina Crespo. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and an exclusive excerpt.
AN OFFICER AND A FORTUNE (The Fortunes of Texas Series #5) by Nina Crespo
Synopsis His homecoming was temporary. Until he met the woman who changed everything.
Captain Collin Waldon is on leave from the military, tending to his ailing father in his final days. Knowing his stay in Rambling Rose will be short, Collin is not looking for romantic entanglements—especially not with Nicole Fortune, the beautiful, free-spirited executive chef of Roja Restaurant in the struggling Hotel Fortune. Yet these two unlikely lovers seem perfect for each other, until Collin’s reassignment threatens their newfound bliss…
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt Collin looked to Nicole. “And thank you. I really enjoyed lunch.”
As Nicole shrugged that same glimmer of happiness he’d spotted at the market was in her eyes. “It was the least I could do for you giving me your rosemary.”
The least she could do? She had no idea what she’d actually done for him. He’d walked in feeling like crap, and she’d helped him feel better, getting him to talk about food and places he hadn’t thought of in a long time.
As he looked into her eyes, the urge to tell her that almost overwhelmed him.
Collin shook off the feeling and glanced around the dining room. Except for the waitstaff, the restaurant was empty. “I should go.”
Nicole followed his gaze. “And I should get back to work.”
As they rose from the table, what felt like a fifty pound rucksack of reality and responsibility clawed its way back onto his shoulders.
Nicole looked at Collin, frowning as if she saw the invisible load he was carrying. She lifted her hand as if planning to reach out to him, but lowered it instead. “Bye, Collin.”
As her hand fell, something that felt like hope went with it. “Bye.”
Collin walked out of the restaurant. After a few short hours of being with Nicole, he was already missing her…
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Author Nina Crespo
About the Author Nina Crespo lives in Florida where she indulges in her favorite passions — the beach, a good glass of wine, date night with her own real-life hero and dancing.
Her lifelong addiction to romance began in her teens while on a “borrowing spree” in her older sister’s bedroom where she discovered her first romance novel.
Let Nina’s sensual contemporary stories and steamy paranormal tales feed your own addiction for love, romance, and happily ever after.
***JOIN NINA’S READERS GROUP***
Help spread the word about the books in the Breakup Bash series as well as upcoming books. Your participation will not go unrewarded. Freebies, ARC’s, awesome swag, and bookish treats are a part of the fun!
Author H.B. Reneau is revealing the cover to HAVEN ENDURING, the second book in her young adult fantasy series, The Legion of Pneumos, releasing July 15, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, and preorder links.
HAVEN ENDURING (The Legion of Pneumos Series #1) by H.B. Reneau
Synopsis That which was undone may be reborn, but only at the price of chaos.
After losing the one person she could always depend on, Keira Altman has fled the Capital and its deadly dance of political intrigue, finding herself instead amidst the perilous jungles of the Southern Shield. Looking for respite and peace from the guilt that haunts her, Keira instead finds a world still on the verge of chaos. Try as she might to avoid the coming onslaught, her fate remains tied in service to Pneumos, a calling she can never truly escape.
Guarded against further heartbreak, Keira ventures back into the vipers’ den. But when long-held secrets come to a head, she discovers that the key to restoring order and reclaiming all that she has lost may be far closer than expected. With the help of some new and unexpected allies, Keira is determined to unravel the mysteries the Legion has buried deep over the centuries. Yet perhaps some questions are best left unanswered.
In this epic, action-packed sequel to the hit YA Fantasy Chaos Looming, Loren stands upon the edge of a knife, with paths diverging to order or chaos. Time will tell what fate has in store.
About the Author H.B. Reneau is an emerging author of YA fantasy and contemporary fiction. Author, medical student, and proud dog mom, H.B. Reneau is known for her character-driven, genre-crossing fiction that draws on her experiences in both medicine and the military. She has a particular love for strong female characters who face up to adversity and manage to subvert some expectations along the way. When not writing or at the hospital, she can be found hiking, drinking coffee to excess, and getting lost in new cities.
To learn more about her, head over to her website at www.hbreneau.com. There you’ll find her books, blog, and fun extras. Or reach out directly! She loves connecting with readers through social media and email so be sure to follow her and sign up for the monthly newsletter to receive receive free gifts, awesome discounts, and updates on all her latest projects!
Author M.M. Koenig is revealing a teaser from FINDING OUR SOMEDAY, the third book in her new adult contemporary romance series, Someday, releasing May 6, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, an exclusive teaser excerpt, and preorder links.
FINDING OUR SOMEDAY (Someday Series #3) by M.M. Koenig
Synopsis The past should be behind her, but for Bri McAndrews, it keeps sneaking up in the worst ways. Lies, vicious plots, and manipulation follow Bri everywhere she turns. All she wants is to pick up the pieces and move on with her life, but the mistakes she’s made continue to haunt her, hurt her, pull her under. And with the sting of Trey’s latest betrayal still very fresh, Bri doesn’t know if she can truly trust him with her heart, leaving her at a crossroads she’s not ready to face.
The future should be bright, but for Trey Donovan, that’s the furthest thing from the truth. Trey has more regrets than he can count on one hand. To find atonement, he’s had to own up to the things he’s done, creating a rift with Bri he can’t seem to mend. Trey only wants the life with Bri he sees in his mind, but it keeps evading him, remaining just out of reach—especially when they find themselves standing between two of the most important people in their lives.
You need darkness in order to see the stars shine, but when a storm blows in, leaving a thunder cloud that blocks any semblance of hope, will two hearts become one, or have they become too tarnished to find their someday?
About the Author M. M. Koenig enjoys being active and has a variety of interests that coincide with her passion for life. Always one to try new things, she has acquired a variety of skills. Her sarcastic nature and multitude of experiences tend to find their way into her novels.
When she has free time and isn’t writing, she spends as much time as she can with friends and family. To fuel her soul, she is constantly looking for new music, movies, and books to keep the writer’s block at bay.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE BETWEEN, a stand-alone adult horror, by Ryan Leslie, releasing April 27, 2021. See below for information on the book, preorder links, an exclusive teaser excerpt, and details on his giveaway.
Synopsis
While landscaping his backyard, ever-conscientious Paul Prentice discovers an iron door buried in the soil. His childhood friend and perpetual source of mischief, Jay Lightsey, pushes them to explore what’s beneath.
When the door slams shut above them, Paul and Jay are trapped in a between-worlds place of Escher-like rooms and horror story monsters, all with a mysterious connection to a command-line, dungeon explorer computer game from the early ’80s called The Between.
Paul and Jay find themselves filling roles in a story that seems to play out over and over again. But in this world, where their roles warp their minds, the biggest threat to survival may not be the Koŝmaro, risen from the Between’s depths to hunt them; the biggest danger may be each other.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Author Ryan Leslie
About the Author Ryan Leslie oversees research for a large health system, where making stuff up is generally frowned upon. His creative outlet has always been writing fiction. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, children’s author Lindsay Leslie, and their two sons.
Welcome to the book blitz for STRYKER’S GIRL, the first book in the adult romantic suspense series, Red Eagle Ranch, by USA Today bestselling author, Alyssa Bailey. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
STRYKER’S GIRL (Red Eagle Ranch Series #1) by Alyssa Bailey
Synopsis
He needs to fire her or claim her before it’s too late.
Avery gets caught in a web of deceit when she agrees to help save her family farm. As her life begins to tangle chaotically, her attraction grows for her new boss, Stryker Red Eagle, but he is the enemy… or is he?
Stryker’s ordered life is turned upside down when Avery arrives as a woman, not the male assistant he thought he was getting. She is stealing his concentration, and something is going on with her that he can’t figure out.
To save his sanity, Stryker needs to either fire Avery or claim her as his own. But then the real trouble begins.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt He was a moody man, and she didn’t have time for that even if he sent her libido into orbit. It had only started as an offer for a temp job, but once Ben discovered where she was going to work, he had demanded she add the family agenda. She was only out for a connection between him and the farm and then something that would break that link. Once that was found, she would likely need to slip away quickly and quietly. And that just sucked.
She waited to see if there would be any movement from Renee’s office, but when all was quiet for a few moments, she walked closer. Good, maybe she could sneak into Stryker’s office and look through some of his papers while they were otherwise occupied.
Avery locked the front door. Her heart pounded, and her blood rushed as she worked on scanning through all the paperwork in the inbox and then in the outbox on Stryker’s desk. Automatically picking up a dirty coffee cup from Stryker’s desk, she tried to open a file cabinet but found it was locked. There was a noise in the office next door, and then the front door opened. Caught with nowhere to go, she carried his cup out of the office.
Declan walked in the door and pocketed his keys. “Who locked the door?”
“The last one to go in or out of that door was Stryker.” Not a lie but not an answer to the question asked.
Declan paused. “Is Stryker in there?” He nodded in the direction of the room she was exiting.
“No, I was dropping off something and grabbing his coffee cup to clean.”
“He’s washing his cup now?”
Avery frowned and looked inside the cup. “Well, I am. This is disgusting.”
Declan laughed. “I could get used to you. But a word to the wise. I’d have it washed and then refilled with coffee as soon as he walks in the door, so he doesn’t notice right away that you’ve washed it.”
“Why? Doesn’t he like it cleaned?”
“Nope. Says it adds character and flavor to his next cup.”
Avery rolled her eyes. “Right.”
“Hey, I’m Declan, but I don’t have time to chat. I’ll see you at dinner or lunch soon. Yeah?”
“Oh, um, yes.”
“Good.”
That was too close for comfort. Avery wasn’t up to this spy business. Going behind people’s back kept her stomach in an uproar. The honesty in her bones was rioting, and it was more than a little uncomfortable. Something told her if Stryker ever found out, she would be one sorry woman.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Author Alyssa Bailey
About the Author
Alyssa Bailey is a USA Today and Amazon No. 1 bestselling author of Historical and Contemporary Suspense romances, Alyssa writes light, realistic romance novels full of sizzling alpha males and the spicy adventuresome women they love. My characters live in Cowboy Country, Regency/Victorian England, and the Contemporary realm all with a touch of suspense and a Happily Ever After.
A proud Texan living among the wealth of Alaska’s beauty, I watch eagles fly overhead, whales and salmon frolicking in the sea, seals clapping for attention, and bears in the neighbor’s garbage. I vacation where rattlesnakes and scorpions roam beside black widow spiders, cattle country, rodeos, and horses that are eager to take you on your own happy trails.
Thank you for reading my adventures of love with a touch of something special.
Welcome to the blog tour for BOOK OF LOVE, the second book in the adult historical romance series, Sweetness and Light, by Erin Satie. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
BOOK OF LOVE (Sweetness and Light Series #2) by Erin Satie
About the Book Title: BOOK OF LOVE Series: Sweetness and Light Series #2 Author: Erin Satie Publisher: Little Phrase Release Date: April 20, 2021 Genre: Adult Historical Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT
Synopsis She’s trying to make ends meet. He’s out for a bit of fun.
Cordelia Kelly is busy, focused, worried about the future of her fledgling bookbinding business. When a handsome man stops her on the street to pester her with questions, she gives him the consideration he deserves: none. That handsome man happens to be the Duke of Stroud, and he finds Cordelia’s hostility hilarious. He gives chase, if only for the pleasure of provoking her again.
He thinks life is a game. She doesn’t play around.
Within days of meeting Cordelia, Stroud sets a marching band on a matchmaking mama, defaces a local monument, and ropes Cordelia into a round of his favorite game. In that same time, Cordelia stitches together the complete works of Mary Wollstonecraft, enthusiastically devotes herself to a petition demanding expanded legal rights for married women, and beats Stroud at his own game.
She defies all expectations. So does he.
Most people dismiss Stroud as a fool–himself included. When Cordelia sees past his lighthearted facade, he’s terrified and also… in love? Stroud barges into Cordelia’s life, offering her all the material and sensual temptations she’s learned to do without. She usually has willpower to spare, but turning him down takes all of it, and then some. He’s oddly irresistible.
Or maybe they’re perfect for one another.
—————————————————————————-
—————————————————————————-
Excerpt What a kiss, he thought. She’d fallen right into it. He’d fallen right into it. He’d never thought all that claptrap was real, about two souls touching. Nonsense, he would have said. Sex was fun, it felt good, nothing else to it. Fine, fine, a little else. Not much else. Nakedness was always unnerving at first but anything could be intimate, really, a game of croquet or a game of cards. All the same, right?
God, he had been completely wrong. His lips touched her lips, and all of a sudden his brain caught fire and all his feelings melted right into his mouth. She’d kissed him back, and for a moment he really felt like he was dissolving. Into mist, or spirit stuff, or those invisible waves of heat that undulated over very hot flames. Maybe some combination of all that, half-erotic and half-ascended.
—————————————————————————-
—————————————————————————-
Author Erin Satie
About the Author Erin Satie is the author of the dark and elegant No Better Angels series, historical romances set in the early Victorian period. She’s currently hard at work on her upcoming series, Sweetness & Light, which should be just as elegant but not quite so dark.
Erin is a California native who’s lived on the coasts and in the heartland, in tiny city apartments and on a working farm. She studied art history in both college and graduate school—research is always her favorite part of starting a new book.
Her favorite part of finishing a book, whether reading or writing, is the happily ever after.
Author Dani Hoots is revealing the cover to TARTARUS, the first book in the young adult fantasy series, Queen of the Underworld, releasing July 13, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
TARTARUS (Queen of the Underworld Series #1) by Dani Hoots
Synopsis
She will stop at nothing to bring her father back.
Chrys has searched all of the Underworld to find a way to open Tartarus and bring her father, Hades, back to life. It was her fault he was sent there and she doesn’t care if she begins the end of the world to save him. Finally finding a clue on how to open the gates to hell itself, she leaves the Underworld and searches for the god Aether.
Will Chrys get the answers she is looking for? Or will she have to live with the guilt for the rest of her eternal life?
About the Author Dani Hoots is a science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, a Certificate in Novel Writing from Arizona State University, and a BS in Herbal Science from Bastyr University.
Currently she is working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter of Hades, a YA urban fantasy series called The Wonderland Chronicles, a historic fantasy vampire series called A World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series. She has also started up an indie publishing company called FoxTales Press. She also works with Anthill Studios in creating comics through Antik Comics.
Her hobbies include reading, watching anime, cooking, studying different languages, wire walking, hula hoop, and working with plants. She is also an herbalist and sells her concoctions on FoxCraft Apothecary. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and visits Seattle often.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE RESTARTING POINT, the first book in the women’s fiction series, Chammont Point, by Marci Bolden, releasing April 27, 2021. See below for information on the book, preorder links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE RESTARTING POINT (Chammont Point Series #1) by Marci Bolden
Synopsis Marketing executive and mother of two, Jade Kelly can now add cancer survivor to her list of successes. But while her life looks good on paper, four months out of treatment, Jade realizes she hardly knows her college-age children and she and her husband Nick are little more than housemates.
Determined to start over, Jade schedules a family vacation to a lakefront cabin. When her kids bail and Nick stays home to handle a last minute work crisis, Jade heads to Chammont Point alone, determined to dust herself off and figure out what to do with the rest of her life.
While she’s away, the life she thought she had unravels. Secrets, lies, and old wounds drive Jade into new adventures and new relationships. With the help of family and new found friends, Jade learns starting over sometimes means finding a brand new restarting point.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt Jade was thinking anything would be a welcomed distraction when the door swung open.
“Knock, knock,” Darby sang as she poked her head in without actually knocking. Nor did she wait for Jade to invite her in before entering. She held out a plastic container from the grocery store and lifted a bottle of wine. “I thought you might need these. I hope you like mint brownies and red wine.”
Jade had always adored both. However, she’d completely altered her diet after her diagnosis. She’d never been a heavy drinker, but as soon as she’d read that alcohol and junk food increased the risks for the type of cancer she’d had, she’d cut those indulgences from her life. She hadn’t had either in over a year. “You didn’t have to do that.”
After easing her offerings onto the table, Darby faced Jade. “Yes, I did. I am really glad your ankle didn’t get hurt worse. That’s definitely worth brownies and a moderately priced bottle of Malbec.” She grinned. “And…” She opened the door again, reached out, and then spun dramatically. “Look at these.” Darby beamed as she held up two gold-painted crutches covered in gems of varying size, shape, and color. “I dug them out of my closet for you to use as long as needed.”
Jade widened her eyes as she stared in shock. Gaudy was an understatement. The display before Jade was atrocious.
“Wow,” Jade said for lack of any other words. “Thanks.”
“I, too, sprained my ankle once.” Darby set the crutches against the coffee table and within Jade’s reach. “You should never do cartwheels on a stage. While wearing vinyl platform boots. And drinking heavily.”
“Yeah,” Jade said, drawing the word out a bit. She didn’t have to think too hard to see the image Darby had created. “That sounds like it would be a bad idea.”
“Speaking of drinking, let’s get to that wine.” Darby turned toward the table where she’d left the bottle.
“Oh, thanks, but I don’t drink,” Jade said.
Darby stopped, frozen in time for a few beats, and then spun around and cupped her ear as if she hadn’t heard. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I don’t drink. I had… It’s bad for my health. I’ll take a glass of water, though.” Jade could almost see the gears in the other woman’s brain spinning as she processed the information. Jade had almost slipped in the bit about her cancer, but sometimes the words still stuck deep in her chest like a fist not ready to release its hold. The ability to share her struggles as freely as she’d heard others with major illnesses do was not something she’d mastered. She suspected she’d get there, but that was a skill she had to work on.
“You don’t drink? How do you get through the day?”
Jade giggled as Darby stared with obvious confusion. “Slowly.”
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Author Marci Bolden
About the Author
As a teen, Marci Bolden skipped over young adult books and jumped right into reading women’s fiction and romance novels.
Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband, two kiddos, and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of will power, Marci would embrace healthy living but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local grocery store, she’ll put that ambition on hold and appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym “soon.”
Welcome to the book blitz for A SHADOW IN THE LIGHT, the first book in the adult paranormal romance series, Parallel Verse Guardians, by USA Today bestselling author, Keary Taylor. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
A SHADOW IN THE LIGHT (Parallel Verse Guardians Series #1) by Keary Taylor
Synopsis
“You went and fell in love with an ultralight? That’s like a spider falling in love with a butterfly. They’re both arachnids, but the entire universe knows they don’t belong together.”
I needed an out. I needed to be someone who wasn’t trapped in Las Vegas. I went to that club looking for nothing and everything, and there he was. Jaxon’s hands on my hips were just what I was looking for, and for just one night, it was easy to be someone I wasn’t.
Then our signals went haywire. We’ve been looking for the gatekeeper for a long, long time so we can go home, and a new possibility just came up. It was my job to bring them in.
Only it was him. Jaxon Gray. Turns out, he comes from one of the most dangerous crime families in Sin City. But I’m not the only one after him. There are others who want him just as bad, and they’ll kill me to get to him.
Now we’re on the run together. He should be scared. He’s seen me shift, and it’s not sparkly or pretty. But he doesn’t cower when he sees the other side of me—my shadows, my claws, my fangs. With a curious gleam in his eyes, he asks to know more.
This is dangerous. He’s about to manifest. And as soon as he does, his biggest impulse will be to kill me. But it’s too late for my heart, I can’t walk away. So, the million-dollar question is: will what’s happened between us be enough for him to overcome his instincts?
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt The room smells slightly of smoke and everything is dated by about fifteen years, but it looks clean enough to not give me an STD.
All the pain and exhaustion I’ve been ignoring in the past forty-five minutes hits me the second I walk in the door.
I walk straight to the mirror, flipping on the flickering florescent light.
It’s worse than I thought.
Bruises are blooming along the left side of my face. There’s a nice cut running down my right cheek.
I peel my t-shirt off, and immediately my eyes go to the dark black marks, the perfect shape of fingers dug into my skin.
“Holy…”
In the mirror, my gaze shifts over my shoulder to Jaxon. He stares at my bruised and injured body, particularly those finger marks.
“Pretty sure you look worse,” I say, noting the cut above his eye that’s bleeding again.
He takes several steps forward, coming into the light. He grabs a towel from the rack, pressing it to the cut. But he never takes his eyes off me.
“I swear,” I say. “I’m not going to kill you. I’m not going to eat you either. I just need something from you, and then you’ll be free to go.”
“Are you stalking me?” Jaxon asks. Even though we’re standing side by side, he looks at me in the mirror. “Because that night…”
“I didn’t know that night,” I said, looking sharply up at him in the mirror. “Us meeting that night was purely coincidence. There was nothing ulterior going on that night, I swear.”
He’s quiet for a second, and as I look into his eyes in the mirror, I realize how desperately I want him to believe me.
I shouldn’t want that.
“You’re hurt,” he says simply.
I look back at my own reflection. I look like crap. “I’ve been through worse. I’ll survive. You need stitches though.”
He leans forward, looking at the cut closer in the mirror. The gash going down his face, from his temple, down the side of his eye, down to his cheek bone, is starting to bleed badly again.
I grab the sewing kit.
“You done this before?” he asks, eyeing me warily.
I set the kit on the countertop and grab his arms, positioning him under the light. I take a towel, get it wet, and set to cleaning the wound.
“More than a couple of times,” I say, not meeting his eyes as I work.
“You military?” he asks. I can feel his eyes fixed on me.
“No,” I answer simply.
“Military experiment?” he asks, and his tone is dead serious. I guess I can’t blame him for that.
“No,” I say, my tone getting a little sharper as I set the towel down and thread a needle.
“Alien,” he says simply, like it’s the last possible explanation.
“I’m not an alien,” I say, my tone bordering on offended. “You’re never, ever going to guess what I am. So how about you just stop?”
“Then how about you just explain it?” Jaxon says with a growl. He hisses as I dig the needle through his flesh for the first stitch. “Because I thought you were just a really amazing woman I had a really amazing night with. But it turns out you’re something a whole lot more interesting.”
His choice of words snaps my eyes to his.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
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.
USA Today bestselling author, Serena Bell is revealing the cover to MAKE ME WILDER, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Wilder Adventures, releasing May 20, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
MAKE ME WILDER (Wilder Adventures Series #1) by Serena Bell
Synopsis
This tent is too small for the both of us. And I like it that way.
Gabe
I was minding my business. Literally. I promised my dad I’d take care of the Wilder family adventure business in our little Oregon town of Rush Creek, which also means looking out for my mom, my sister, and my rowdy co-workers, AKA my brothers.
Now the business is in trouble. Overnight, Rush Creek has become a spa-and-wedding destination, and the new tourists aren’t interested in getting dirty—or at least not in the woods.
Then Lucy comes to town, all blond hair and silky blouses and spike heels. It’s her job to give Wilder Adventures a makeover. Camping to glamping, rafting to paddle board yoga, fishing trips to girls’ night sunset cruises. If she gets her way, Wilder Adventures will become Wilder Romantic Adventures.
Lucy hates small towns, getting messy, and anything involving the woods or the water—which pretty much makes her Not My Type.
That doesn’t explain why when I see her, I can’t look away. Why when I touch her, I can’t stop. And why, even though I know no one can talk a city girl into small town life, I’m still trying.
She’s driving me wild. All I can do is make her wilder.
————————————————————————————–
————————————————————————————–
Author Serena Bell
About the Author USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.
Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.
When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.
Welcome to the book blitz for STONE COLD, the second stand-alone book in the adult contemporary sports romance series, The Heavy Hitters, by M.A. Lee. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
STONE COLD (The Heavy Hitters Series #2) by M.A. Lee
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: STONE COLD Series: The Heavy Hitters Series #2 Author: M.A. Lee Publisher: Kingston Publishing Company Release Date: April 19, 2021 Genre: Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT
Synopsis After his scandalous fight with Mad Max, Stone was banned from the professional fighting world. Turning to a wild and reckless life filled with women, alcohol, and drugs, Stone thought that his life was officially over. With nowhere left to go, Stone takes a job as a bouncer in a Las Vegas Club.
Ember grew up in a trailer park in the middle of nowhere. Once she graduated high school, she took off for the big city lights of Las Vegas and never looked back. She has no idea what she wants out of life yet, but she knows she will never go back to the world she left behind.
One night, after a couple of customers get a little too rowdy in the bar, Ember finds herself being saved by the last man she ever would have expected– Stone Cold, the infamous bad boy fighter who was shunned from the MMA fighting world. When their eyes lock, both Stone and Ember realize there’s more to the other than they ever could have imagined. Ember see’s strength in Stone and he finds hope in Ember.
Will they be able to save one another and help build the lives they are both destined for?
—————————————————————————-
Excerpt Quickly, our kiss deepened, and Ember crawled over my lap, her heated core warming against my jeans as she slightly rocked.
I began to trail light kisses down her neck and Ember let her head fall back, giving me more access to her sweet skin.
“Aren’t you tired from earlier?” she asked, but we both knew she was enjoying this.
“I could never get tired of you,” I sighed.
Ember stopped kissing me and stared deep into my eyes. “Stone…”
“Ember, don’t fight this. We both know how amazing we could be. You wouldn’t believe how good this could get,” I said, winking.
“Oh yeah. We are both royally screwed up, Stone. You think that’s good?” she asked.
“I do. I’m on track to getting back into professional fighting and you have dreams, too. I’m going to make a lover out of you,” I said, making sure she was still looking at me.
About the Author M.A. Lee is the persona of a wife and mother. Her obsession with coffee and book boyfriends drives her to create steamy romance novels.
Welcome to the book blitz for SIPS & STROKES, a stand-alone adult contemporary romantic comedy, by Sarah Skye. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
Synopsis Lily Maldonado is screwed. The people-pleasing art professor has been roped into attending her ex’s wedding by her overbearing, image-obsessed parents. Even worse? The woman her ex is marrying is Lily’s childhood bully. She can’t back out, but she’s not sure she can face this nightmare solo.
Enter Calder Ross. The sexy Scot’s abs have graced the cover of many romance novel bestsellers, but the reformed playboy needs a more serious image if he wants to land his dream job as the spokesman for Sonce Whisky. Modeling for Lily’s figure drawing class is step one in the right direction.
After their very adorable—and very naked—meet-cute, Lily and Calder realize that they can be each other’s saving grace. Lily can bring Calder to the wedding as her fake boyfriend to ward off pitying stares. Calder can bring Lily to Sonce events as his fake girlfriend to show he’s the responsible, relationship-minded guy that execs want as the face of their brand.
But the longer Lily and Calder play pretend, the harder it becomes to deny the very real chemistry between them. Will they play it safe and stick to their fake roles? Or will they throw out the playbook completely and risk it all for love?
—————————————————————————-
—————————————————————————-
Excerpt
I enter the classroom expecting to find Ms. Maldonado already there but stumble to a stop as soon as I’m inside. There is no middle-aged professor dressed in a long skirt and cardigan. Instead, there’s a young woman seated on the pedestal in the center of the room. Her legs swing idly as she stares up at the sunlight streaming in from the windows close to the ceiling. An overstuffed blue velvet armchair sits on the pedestal, providing an interesting backdrop for her.
Her serenity, the graceful ease of her posture, and the faraway expression on her face make me wish I had my camera. It’s a moment, absolutely beautiful in its simplicity. Shame no one’s capturing this.
She blinks and hops to her feet when the door shuts, her gaze focusing in on me. Her dark eyes give me a full-body scan, brows rising as she goes for round two. She shakes her head and swallows hard. “Oh, hi. Sorry, I was just having a moment.”
“I hate to interrupt. Are you modeling for this class too?”
Her lips curve as a blush sweeps her cheeks. My attention snags on her mouth. Her full, pink lips are fucking lush. She’s got the kind of mouth that women kill for and men daydream about. I’m not above daydreaming a bit myself, and with the way that blush makes her skin glow—
“I’m sorry, what?” I shake my head, sure that I was too distracted to hear her correctly.
“I said no, Mr. Ross, I’ll save everyone from that horror and stick to teaching, thanks.”
Well, fuck me running. This stunner in blue jeans and a white t-shirt is Ms. Lily? Where is my buttoned-up professor?
I look around, taking in the space. The linoleum is there, sure, but this room is a proper studio. The walls are draped in warm cloth to enhance the soft lamps glowing in the corners. Easels are at attention around the dais with a teacher’s desk off to the side, but everything about this place has been set up with creativity in mind. Impressive.
I stick out my hand and abandon all presumptions I’d had about this gig. “It’s Calder, please. And I am sorry to interrupt, but I’m also sorry I’m a bit late, Ms—”
“Lily.”
“Ms. Lily.”
She laughs as her hand slips into mine. I’m hit with a double whammy of sensation. First, the warmth of her soft skin sliding across my palm and then the muted sound of her mirth, which she hides with her free hand.
Her eyes squint as she shakes her head. “Just Lily. If that’s what you’re comfortable with.”
“I could be very comfortable with it.”
The words I’d meant to keep in my head tumble out without warning. What the fuck is with you? Is this amateur hour? Pull your shit together and be a professional for a second.
Lily’s blush deepens, so I release her hand and flash an easy grin. “No need for formality in my opinion,” I clarify.
She exhales and nods, and I take that as a decent recovery. I watch her go to her desk, shuffling a stack of papers as she says, “We’ll start with some short gesture poses if that’s good for you?”
“Of course.” I tug off my tee as I head to the pedestal. Once I hop up, I drop my sweatpants and toss everything on the armchair.
“Great, so if you need any suggest—oh!” The papers flutter to the floor as she turns and looks at me. “Oh my god, you’re already naked.”
My brows knit. “Just getting comfortable. Was I meant to wait for a specific moment?”
“Well, I just, I mean class hasn’t started and we—or, no, but it’s just that you’re… so naked.”
Her eyes dart around the room, landing on me at regular intervals as a blush paints her cheeks all the way down her neck now.
I bite the inside of my lip, glad I’m not the only one off their game today. “You could get me a robe.”
—————————————————————————-
—————————————————————————-
Authors Sarah Skye
About the Author Sarah Skye is the nom de plume of romance authors Sarah Smith and Skye McDonald. Sarah and Skye met on Twitter as fledgling authors seeking critique partners. That turned into a brilliant friendship, a joint podcast (Quick & Dirty Romance Podcast), and now a novel.
Sarah Smith (Faker; If You Never Come Back; Simmer Down) is a copywriter-turned-author who wants to make the world a lovelier place, one kissing story at a time. Her love of romance began when she was eight and she discovered her auntie’s stash of romance novels. She’s been hooked ever since. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, eating chocolate, and perfecting her lumpia recipe. She lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband and adorable cat Salem.
Skye McDonald (The Anti-Belle Series) is an author and personal development coach. Skye’s Anti-Belle series feature sassy GRITS (Girls Raised In the South) learning to love themselves before they can claim their happily ever after. (Spoiler: they always do!) Her coaching method uses fitness and life skills to teach individuals to do the same. When not writing sexy books or cheering for you to live your best life, Skye can be found out on a new adventure, usually with her pup at her side.
Welcome to the blog tour for ROGUE WAVE, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Haven Island, by Isabel Jolie. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
ROGUE WAVE (Haven Island Series #1) by Isabel Jolie
Synopsis Sometimes opposites don’t just attract — they collide with all the violent passion of a rogue wave.
Tate
I sailed every ocean, saw the worst that humanity had to offer, and accomplished… nothing. The world is just as screwed up now as it was when I set out to save it. The futility of it all left me disillusioned. Numb. Then an idealistic beauty burst into my world, shining a light into all the dark corners of my soul.
The last thing she needs is a summer romance with a burned-out wreck like me. I shouldn’t want her. But I do…
Luna
When I look at Tate, I see a legend. He’s done it all, seen it all — lived my dream. Too bad he doesn’t see what I see. He thinks he’s all wrong for me. Too old. But age is just a number. In our souls, where we’re both one with the sea, we’re the same.
He says I shouldn’t want him. But I do…
They clash in every sexy, dangerous way imaginable. But is attraction — and maybe even love — enough to overcome all that stands between them? Or will their happily ever after remain elusive?
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt #1 In the morning, I woke as the sun seeped into the bedroom. Luna’s long, tangled hair fanned out across the bed, as did her arms and legs. Somehow, the girl laid claim to the entire bed. I took up my one portion on the right side. Her head lay below the crook of my arm, one arm draped over my stomach. Her naked body flailed out wildly, unencumbered and unashamed.
My college self would have fallen madly in love with her. Not necessarily because she was the epitome of a free spirit, because there were plenty of those in college. Not even because we shared a major and the same passions and causes. The marine biology department was a niche, but not that niche. And we were all environmentalists. All of us were idealists, yet to be burned by life’s reality. But no, Luna had that heart of gold that Neil Young endlessly searched for. An idealistic dreamer, yes, but an energy and a zest for life and a willingness to risk and go for what she wanted that appealed to me…or back then, when I was younger, I would have been a shark to blood.
At thirty-five, oddly enough, I still couldn’t stay away from her. At twenty-two, I knew what I wanted from life. I wanted to make a difference in the world. As a teacher, she made a difference in our community, in individual lives. I thought I could be like her, only do more. I thought I could take up a cause and right wrongs.
At thirty-five, I knew nothing. I lay in bed with Luna, clueless. She didn’t seem to have any expectations, not for us. I had forgotten how free it felt to be twenty-two. Your entire life in front of you. Why would she be worried about tomorrow? Or where the relationship was going? She just wanted experience. She had a steadfast optimism that everything would work out, that she’d achieve her dreams. At her age, I had been the same.
I should have been okay with that. Happy to have this gorgeous young woman sprawled out naked in my bed, for me to do as I pleased. But my older brain worked differently. Now that I’d allowed myself a taste, I didn’t want to let her go. But go, she would. And my thoughts circled reality nonstop.
She’d finish her assignment here and move on to Belize or to the Galapagos. Somewhere tropical and exotic. And then after that, she’d accept a new gig. Maybe she’d end up in a doctoral program, or maybe she wouldn’t. But she’d go years bouncing from one exciting opportunity to another. Doing field research in safe locations. Exactly as she should.
For my part, I had a commitment on the horizon. One I wouldn’t back away from. My opportunity to make a real, indisputable difference.
She rolled over onto her back and spread out like a starfish. Her nipples peaked, exposed to the breeze of the overhead fan. I considered taking one in my mouth, but instead positioned myself between her legs and dipped my tongue, tasting her, while watching for her to awaken. She wanted experiences. I aimed to give her many.
—————————————————————————-
Author Isabel Jolie
About the Author Isabel Jolie, or Izzy to her friends, is an Amazon bestselling indie author with an unquenchable thirst for a good, sexy love story. Izzy’s heart pumps faster for stories with strong heroines, down-to-earth realism, and an unexpected twist.
When she’s not writing or reading, she can often be found with a glass of wine in hand relaxing with her husband, daughters, and good friends lakeside.
Izzy fills her Instagram feed with funnies, inspirational “brain candy”, and anything that meshes with her mood of the day. #mood.
