Welcome to the blog tour for AMENDS, the second book in the adult urban fantasy/mystery series, Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries, by Carissa Andrews. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, my review, and details on her giveaway.
AMENDS (Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries #2) by Carissa Andrews
Synopsis
For as psychic as she is, shit goes sideways far too often around Diana Hawthorne.
Diana now has everything she ever wanted–her memories, and the soul mate she didn’t realize she was missing. There’s just one problem… the old gods expect her to make amends for her absence. And her work starts now.
But time lost at the oracle isn’t the only thing she has to atone for. Her friend Demetri was stripped of his powers–and it was all her fault. If she could just set things right, she’d feel a whole lot better about moving forward. Unfortunately, Demetri wants nothing to do with her and knows exactly how to keep her out of his head.
To make matters worse, in the age of social media, Diana’s abilities have gone viral. People from all over the world are clambering to get on her books. One case, in particular, hits her radar and despite herself, she can’t shake it. A 14-year-old boy is wrapped up with a deadly governmental agency and he’s scared to death. And he should be–they want to weaponize his power.
Torn between what was and what is, Diana struggles to fully embrace who she’s becoming. Will she be able to help Demitri and make things right? Or will her new role mean leaving the past behind?
Calling fans of KF Breene, Shannon Mayer, and Shayne Silvers! If you like snarky-fun humor, gripping supernatural scenes, and twists that leave you spellbound — then you will LOVE Carissa Andrews’ world built especially for Diana Hawthorne.
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My Review She’s baaaack! Diana Hawthorne from ORACLE returns with a whole new host of problems. If you haven’t read ORACLE yet, be aware there are mild spoilers head for book 1. Our favorite psychic/goddess is back, along with the rest of the cast, with a new mission — fix the problem she created for Demitri, and oh yeah, make amends for her past. Now that Diana finally knows who she is (the big question in book 1), with Blake by her side again, just as annoying and steamy as before, she has her work cut out for her. While Diana attempted to live in the past before, she’s now thrust into the twenty-first century with a vengeance she cannot ignore, which only complicates what she needs to do.
AMENDS picks up right after where the first one ends. This time, Diana will be forced to choose between her two worlds or find a better way to straddle them, all while still carrying a heavy dose of guilt over Demetri’s loss of powers she fully blames herself for.
Plot As with book 1, AMENDS has an intense plot with solid subplots, including ones that span at least two books and definitely a third. Andrews does a stellar job with plotting, weaving the pieces together brilliantly. She ups the stakes this time, which was hard to do, considering we were dealing with a child sex-trafficking ring in book 1, but she manages to pull it off, generating another unputdownable page-turner.
Characters Once again, the characters are complex and fun. Bringing in new characters, like the curmudgeonly Kyros, who is the oil to Ren’s water, along with favorites from Greek mythology, including Apollo. The “will they or won’t they” between Diana and Blake is only further intensified, making this even more delicious. Especially since they now both have the added insights of who they each other truly is.
What I Enjoyed About AMENDS 1. Greek Mythology. I absolutely love this part of the book. The author incorporates the mythology with expertise, that only adds to the story.
2. Diana. She really grew on me over the course of ORACLE, so by the time I started AMENDS, I already loved her. She’s more her than ever, now that she has her memories back.
3. Blake. The man with the perfect ass is less of a mystery, making him much more fascinating.
4. Kyros/Ren. The battle of the assistants is worth the price of admission alone!
5. Psychic Powers. I’ve always been fascinated by this particular trope, and the author does a great job of brining the supernatural to the modern world without making things too easy for Diana and crew.
Bottom Line Better than the first, AMENDS is a wild page turner with a fantastic cast.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: AMENDS Series:Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries #2 Authors: Carissa Andrews Release Date: July 23, 2021 Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy/Mystery Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
About the Author “An author emerges from the depths of Minnesotan waters. Sci-fi/Fantasy is my pen of choice.”
Carissa Andrews is a Minnesota-based genre-bending author who writes a combination of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopia. When not writing her own books, she’s busy reading them. Carissa’s internationally bestselling trilogy, The Pendomus Chronicles, is now in digital, print, and audiobook formats. She has hit the scene as an up and coming speculative fiction author who uses a mix of scifi and fantasy, twisted in modern mythology and alternative history. Check out The Final Five, Oracle, Awakening, and Love is a Merciless God!
Carissa has big plans for 2020. Check out her upcoming series, The Windhaven Witches. For more information on their release, visit Carissa Andrews’ author website: www.carissaandrews.com and sign up for her newsletter notifications. She lives in central Minnesota with her husband and brood of five kids. Not to mention, her insane husky puppies, Aztec and Pharaoh.
Carissa is also a freelance graphic designer, writer and content creator, social media manager, and marketing professional. She writes consistently on topics of science, technology, art, writing, photography, graphic design, health, self-improvement, and more. Her articles can be found published across the interwebs. Carissa is also a Top-Rated Freelancer on Upwork, and can be contacted for freelancing opportunities: http://bit.ly/UpworkCarissaAndrews.
Welcome to the blog tour for THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE, the second stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romance series, Blue Hill Brides, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Ginny Baird. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE (Blue Hill Brides Series #2) by Ginny Baird
Synopsis A delightful romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Ginny Baird…
Successful Boston matchmaker and television personality Meredith Galanes’s reputation is on the line. During a guest appearance on a morning talk show, she’s broadsided by questions about her own romantic attachments, just as she’s trying to secure a syndication deal. Afraid to admit her love life is a total disaster, Meredith blurts out that she’s seriously involved with a very special man—a boatbuilder in Maine. She never expects that small slip to get spun into a story about her supposed engagement.
Or that the paparazzi will track the guy down…
Derrick Albright is laid-back about many things. Being hounded by the press about some imaginary engagement to a woman he’s only met once—and couldn’t stand—isn’t one of them. Then Meredith actually shows up at his cabin in Blue Hill, Maine, with an apology, a pot roast, and a proposal—play along until she secures her TV deal, and she’ll help him win back his ex.
It’s a simple plan, but if they have any chance of pulling it off, they’ll have to survive each other first…
Each book in the Blue Hill Brides series is STANDALONE:
* The Duplicate Bride
* The Matchmaker Bride
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Excerpt “Ah, actually. Romance is not a top priority for me right now. I’ve been—”
“No romance? What?” Tanya laughed like the idea was absurd, then pretended to share a confidence with the camera. “And here she claims to be all about love. An expert. Hmm.”
This interview was going downhill fast. Meredith glanced at the shadowy side of the stage, searching for Joel or April or somebody for support, but there were only producers and even more cameras. She didn’t dare look back at the suits.
“Well, sure I make time for romance! Of course. But, in my case, I appreciate keeping things a little…private.”
“Private?” Tanya challenged, not backing down. “What does that mean?”
Meredith tried not to break a sweat, envisioning cool mountain streams and waterfalls. “All it means is…” She smiled sassily at the camera. “We haven’t yet made things public.”
Finally. That should work in throwing Tanya off, but nope. She persisted.
“So there is a special someone.” She tapped her chin. “What’s his name?”
Meredith bit her lip. She couldn’t—just couldn’t—admit her disastrous dating history. What would the viewing public think? And those network execs? Joel was right—Matched Up would never get that syndication deal then. Tanya would make sure of it with her little humiliation campaign. And she was so close.
Tanya’s face fell. “No. Way. You’re not matched up at all, are you?” She forced a fake frown. “How sad. ‘Matchmaker Meredith’ has no match of her own. I wonder…do you tell your clients that you’re single? I can’t imagine that instills a lot of confidence in your…abilities.”
Low blow. Meredith’s gut tightened. Tanya was known for skewering her guests, especially her accomplished female ones. You’d think a fellow woman would help a girl up. Not knock her down, then step on her. Especially in front of network people. Tanya acted like she was above getting fired, and maybe she was. Even though Talk Time was only local, the show attracted tons of viewers. A few more at the moment than Matched Up. But that was mostly on account of Tanya’s enormous advertising budget. “Sure I do. I have a match, my perfect match.”
“Then give us a hint. Occupation. Location. Anything?” Meredith could practically hear the knell of a countdown clock ticking off the seconds in her brain. Her short segment was nearly up.
Ten. Nine. Eight.
Think, think, think. Meredith worked hard to come up with somebody. Anybody. If he was super impressive that would be amazing. Gorgeous would be a plus, too.
Six. Five.
Shockingly, only one gorgeous guy came to mind. One with piercing blue eyes.
And a smirk. How could she forget that part? Three. Two…
“Well, I guess we have our answer, folks. Thank you for joining us today on—”
About the Author New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird writes sweet contemporary romance with a dash of humor and a whole lot of heart. She is the author of the Blue Hill Brides Series: The Duplicate Bride (2020) and The Matchmaker Bride (2021) from Entangled Publishing and current and upcoming works from Hallmark Publishing: An Unforgettable Christmas (2019) and On Christmas Avenue (2021), as well as several independent titles including her newest multi-author novella collection: Beach Brides Message in a Bottle Boxed Set (2021). Visit Ginny’s website to learn more about her and her books: www.ginnybairdromance.com.
Today is release day for THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE, the second stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romance series, Blue Hill Brides, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Ginny Baird. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE (Blue Hill Brides Series #2) by Ginny Baird
Synopsis A delightful romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Ginny Baird…
Successful Boston matchmaker and television personality Meredith Galanes’s reputation is on the line. During a guest appearance on a morning talk show, she’s broadsided by questions about her own romantic attachments, just as she’s trying to secure a syndication deal. Afraid to admit her love life is a total disaster, Meredith blurts out that she’s seriously involved with a very special man—a boatbuilder in Maine. She never expects that small slip to get spun into a story about her supposed engagement.
Or that the paparazzi will track the guy down…
Derrick Albright is laid-back about many things. Being hounded by the press about some imaginary engagement to a woman he’s only met once—and couldn’t stand—isn’t one of them. Then Meredith actually shows up at his cabin in Blue Hill, Maine, with an apology, a pot roast, and a proposal—play along until she secures her TV deal, and she’ll help him win back his ex.
It’s a simple plan, but if they have any chance of pulling it off, they’ll have to survive each other first…
Each book in the Blue Hill Brides series is STANDALONE:
* The Duplicate Bride
* The Matchmaker Bride
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Excerpt Derrick had just finished making coffee when he heard a car door pop open.
He set his mug down on the counter and scowled. Another reporter? Really?
It had only been a couple hours since the last round had come through, though he’d been smart enough not to answer the door and eventually they left. Instead of fielding questions he had no answers to, he’d been busy googling Meredith, trying to track down her phone number.
As soon as he got rid of whoever the straggler was, he’d give in and call Brent. Maybe his wife, Hope, would be able to get him Meredith’s number. He intended to call and demand some answers. What had the infuriating woman said? Or maybe it hadn’t been her at all? Maybe one of her unhinged fans had started this rumor. But how did he get roped into it? He yanked open his front door, prepared to do battle with the paparazzi.
Then he froze at the sight of that cobalt blue convertible.
Meredith Galanes stepped out onto his gravel drive and his heart lurched. He’d had to put up with the woman for an entire week during Brent’s wedding last summer, and had hoped to never see her again. Yet, here she was, up close and personal, teetering in his direction in towering sandals and a flouncy dress, with her long dark curls bouncing behind her.
She held a large Crock-Pot in her hands, which she grasped with oven mitts. For an instant, it was hard to believe he was really seeing her and this wasn’t some kind of weird dream.
About Meredith? Not a chance.
“I can explain!” she said, traipsing toward his cabin.
This he had to hear. “Can’t wait.”
She approached his covered stoop, her spindly heels clack-clack-clacking against the flagstones hedged by flowering bushes. This was no dream. It was her, all right. In the flesh. And smelling like honeysuckle at the height of summer. Despite himself, he’d never forgotten her perfume, or, well… pretty much anything about her.
“Want to tell me what’s going on?”
She stared up at him with big, dark brown eyes and Derrick’s heart slammed against his chest.
“It was a simple mistake.”
“Simple? Your publicity posse was here not more than an hour ago.”
“Ah, um…yeah. About that.” She peered over his shoulder and into his empty living room. “Can we talk inside?”
“What are you even doing in Blue Hill?” he asked, not budging.
She smiled and shot him a flirty grin. “I came here to surprise you.”
Consider him surprised. And more than a little ticked off. What kind of nerve the woman had. “You’re not the first one today.”
She winced. “I heard.”
“And?”
She shoved her Crock-Pot under his nose in a peace offering. A delectable aroma wafted toward him. For the love of all things edible, it smelled just like a pot roast. A very delicious pot roast. Derrick hadn’t enjoyed a homecooked meal in months.
She pressed forward into his cabin and he inched back. “Hungry?”
“No.” Derrick’s stomach betrayed him with a rumble.
“Uh-huh. I brought this for dinner.”
Dinner? What?
“No, no, no…” he said. “You are no way—no how—staying—”
But, before he could finish, she used one of her shoes as a lever and kicked the door shut.
About the Author New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird writes sweet contemporary romance with a dash of humor and a whole lot of heart. She is the author of the Blue Hill Brides Series: The Duplicate Bride (2020) and The Matchmaker Bride (2021) from Entangled Publishing and current and upcoming works from Hallmark Publishing: An Unforgettable Christmas (2019) and On Christmas Avenue (2021), as well as several independent titles including her newest multi-author novella collection: Beach Brides Message in a Bottle Boxed Set (2021). Visit Ginny’s website to learn more about her and her books: www.ginnybairdromance.com.
Welcome to the book blitz for DAMAGED GODS, the first book in the adult scifi alien/monster romance series, The Monsters of St. Mark’s, by New York Times bestselling author, J.A. Huss writing as K.C. Cross. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
DAMAGED GODS (The Monsters of St. Mark’s Series #1) by J.A. Huss Writing as K.C. Cross
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited on Release Day
Title: DAMAGED GODS Series:The Monsters of St. Mark’s Series #1 Author: J.A. Huss writing as K.C. Cross Publisher: Science Future Press Release Date: July 27, 2021 Genre: Adult SciFi Alien/Monster Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon IT | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
Synopsis If you’ve gotta be stuck in a curse with monsters—they might as well be sexy monsters.
When I answered an ad for a caretaker at Saint Mark’s Sanctuary I thought I’d be dusting chandeliers and polishing floors. I didn’t expect to be tricked into a curse, going in debt to a monster, and being forced to take a self-paced “Let’s Learn Magic” course so I can fix a two-thousand-year-old problem.
And that monster? Not your ordinary, everyday beast. He has hooves, and horns, and fur on his legs. But ya know where he doesn’t have fur? Yeah. There. Which is fine. Except he doesn’t wear pants.
Nothing at Saint Mark’s is exactly what it seems. The entire inside is magic, the hallways upstairs are nothing but parties from the past, and the super-hot guy who lives in the dungeon? Yeah. Not human.
My name is Pie and all I want is to be a normal girl with an average life. I refuse to get stuck in this curse. I refuse to learn magic to break it. And there is no way in hell I will fall in love with a monster.
Famous. Last. Words.
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Excerpt
“If this kills me—”
“If this kills you, you should thank me. Since you’re immortal. That means your curse would be broken.”
Well. She’s got a point there. I put the test tube up to my lips, almost pass out from the horrible smell, then down it in one gulp. It hits my stomach with a burn.
“The burn passes,” Pie says hurriedly. And she puts her hand on my arm, either faking compassion or really meaning it.
Her touch is warm too. And something about it does make me feel better. Soon, the burn is gone and in its place is a tingling feeling in my hands. Then a buzzing in my head.
“Did you get to the buzzing yet?” she asks. I nod. “Good. You’re almost there. Now, while we’re waiting for it to work, let’s talk about this job.”
“No.” I put up a hand. “Not now.”
“Yes. I need a job. Just a part-time one. The Honey Bean is looking for a waitress. I need that, Pell. And I will use all my money to buy what we need and then I won’t have to go into debt.”
“You don’t get it. That won’t work. The harder you fight the curse, the more it works against you. The less magic money you use, the more the curse will force you to use it. Bad things will happen. And that will force you to work harder to…” I pause, not really wanting to say the last bit.
“Harder to what?” she presses.
“Please me. The harder you’ll have to work to please me with the debt book stuff.”
She points a finger in my face. “I will not be blowing you. Just… FYI.”
I cannot hide my laugh. “Good to know. And for the record, Pie, you’re not my type.”
She lifts her chin up in indignation like I just insulted her. “I’m not your type?”
“Nope.”
“What kind of type do you like? Bull girls?”
“I’m not a bull.”
“A satyr chimera girl?”
“There are no female satyr chimeras. We’re all men.”
“Then what is your type?” And now she’s annoyed.
I shrug. “I’ve always been partial to the nymphs.”
“Nymphs.” She crinkles her nose like the thought of nymphs is distasteful. “Water fairies?”
“Not fairies. Nymphs. You know. Willowy girls with evil intentions lurking in the forest.”
She laughs. A real laugh. “You like bad girls?”
“I do.”
“I’m not bad enough for you?”
“Not even close.”
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Author J.A. Huss
About the Authors JAHuss is the New York Times Bestselling author of 321 and has been on the USA Today Bestseller’s list 21 times in the past five years. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings.
Her new sexy sci-fi romance and paranormal romance pen name is KCCross and she writes novels and teleplays collaboratively with actor and screenwriter, Johnathan McClain.
Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Five of her book were optioned for a TV series by MGM television in 2018. And her book, Total Exposure, was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019.
She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family..
Author Cathrina Constantine is revealing the cover to DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE, a standalone young adult mystery, releasing September 1, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE by Cathrina Constantine
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE Author: Cathrina Constantine Release Date: September 1, 2021
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis Leocadia arrives home from school to find her mom’s body. Unaware that the killer still lingers, she rushes to her mother’s side, only to be grabbed from behind. And everything fades to black.
Leo has been battling personal demons after a year of retrograde amnesia. She’s been having vivid dreams of that day. And her dreams are getting worse—she’s starting to remember. Two more bodies are discovered and they are oddly linked to her mom’s unsolved homicide.
Leo befriends her new neighbor. He’s eager to visit Star Hallow’s notorious haunted mansion. It’s located on a deserted cul-de-sac where she once lived and where her mom was murdered. But it’s the Lucien Estate, the mansion next door to her old home, where they happen upon misty ghosts, ghosts that just might help to unravel the homicides.
Will Leo’s memories send her reeling into a relapse, or will she be able to overcome her demons to find her mother’s killer – only to become the next victim?
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Author Cathrina Constantine
About the Author I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them.
I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I’m devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.
I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.
Welcome to the book blitz for ALL I’VE WANTED, ALL I’VE NEEDED, a standalone adult contemporary romance, by A.E. Valdez. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Harlow Shaw feels naïve for believing in happily ever afters but she craves a love that lights her up.
She thought she had it all with her boyfriend. Until his promising baseball career overshadows their relationship and he asks her a life changing question. It causes her to wonder if what they have is all she ever truly wanted.
Harlow is yearning for more than the curated life she is living.
A trip to Bali, a move to Seattle, and a “burned” cup of coffee lead her to a friendship she didn’t know she needed and a love so deep she can feel it in her bones.
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Excerpt #2 I make my way back to the counter and hear the door open as someone enters. When I glance up, I see that it’s Sevyn and she looks like she just stepped off the runway. She is dressed in a black jumpsuit with a Gucci belt cinched around her waist, her deep red curls frame her face, and she carries a black clutch in her hand. She waves when she sees me. “I was worried I would miss you! I took a little longer than I anticipated to get ready.” She twirls on the spot.
“You look drop dead gorgeous. Zane is going to eat you up!” I say.
“You weren’t lying, this shop is a whole vibe,” she remarks as she looks around.
The coffee shop has an industrial design with warm, rich colors throughout. There is a stage for performances, coffee tables in the center of the shop, and then plush chairs are scattered throughout. One of the walls has a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that is stacked with a variety of books. Ava and West did a good job creating a space where you can relax and socialize.
“It really is. Did you want me to make you something?” I ask as I walk behind the counter and wash my hands.
Sevyn scrunches up her face as she studies the menu behind me. “Mmm… let me get the house blend, please.”
“Alright, coming right up.” I busy myself with making the shots. I’m listening to Sevyn talk when I look up and the air is stolen from my lungs. A guy strides in and every inch of his rich copper brown skin that I can see is adorned with tattoos. My eyes slowly rake up his hands and arms emblazoned with the most intricate ink. I imagine tracing each one with my fingertips. Ink covers the piece of chest exposed at the V-neck of his shirt that is pulled tautly over his broad shoulders. They continue to coil around his neck and abruptly stop at his sharp jawline. There are no tattoos on his face and his lips are plump. They look soft enough to kiss. Our eyes lock onto one another; his are pensive and remind me of embers in a fire.
Sevyn continues talking to me, but I don’t hear her. All noise is drowned out as we continue to look into one another’s eyes. I tear my gaze away when the shot of coffee I am holding spills over the sides of the shot glass and onto my finger. “Shit,” I hiss pulling my hand away.
“Are you okay?” Sevyn asks.
“I’m alright,” I say while observing my fingers that are now beginning to turn red. “Just got a little distracted is all.” The guy who is the source of my distraction chuckles and heat creeps up my neck.
Sevyn turns her attention to him. “Well, well, well, nice of you to finally arrive.”
I try not to stare between them, but he is hard not to look at. I wonder if they’re related. His gaze moves to Sev, and I feel ridiculous for being disappointed his eyes are no longer on me.
“You act like you didn’t just see me this past weekend.” His voice is smooth and deep.
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Author A.E. Valdez
About the Author A.E. Valdez discovered her passion for writing when she was given a journal by her 5th grade teacher and has been creating poetry, works of fiction, and gaming narratives ever since. As a child, she wanted to read more stories with people that looked like her.
She loves all things romance, from heartbreak to happily ever afters. She pours her own heart and soul into the stories she brings to life. Causing readers to fall in, and sometimes out, of love alongside her characters.
Amanda currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two sons. Most days you can find her sipping on an iced latte while she writes or enjoying time with her family.
Author John Peragine is is revealing the cover to MAX AND THE ISLE OF SANCTUS, the second book in the middle grade fantasy series, Secrets of the Twilight Djinn, releasing October 19, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
MAX AND THE ISLE OF SANCTUS (Secrets of the Twilight Djinn Series #2) by John Peragine
Synopsis In this second book of Secrets of the Twilight Djinn, Max Daybreaker faces new adventures like never before.
Max battles a kraken, rides a fire-breathing dragon and must defeat the evil djinn whose powers are growing every day.
The stakes are high for Max as he tries to protect his friends from angry sea gods and a vengeful sultan while also saving his mom from a terrible curse! With magic up in the air and foes on all sides, Max must reach the Isle of Sanctus before time runs out.
About the Author John Peragine is an author of over fourteen books. The Secrets of the Twilight Djinn series was written as a bedtime story for his son Max to cope with medical issues he was facing as a little boy. John is a full-time ghostwriter who lives with his son, wife, and a menagerie of animals on his vineyard overlooking the Mississippi River.
Welcome to the pre-release tour for THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE, the second stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romance series, Blue Hill Brides, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Ginny Baird, releasing July 27, 2021. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and an exclusive excerpt.
THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE (Blue Hill Brides Series #2) by Ginny Baird
Synopsis A delightful romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Ginny Baird…
Successful Boston matchmaker and television personality Meredith Galanes’s reputation is on the line. During a guest appearance on a morning talk show, she’s broadsided by questions about her own romantic attachments, just as she’s trying to secure a syndication deal. Afraid to admit her love life is a total disaster, Meredith blurts out that she’s seriously involved with a very special man—a boatbuilder in Maine. She never expects that small slip to get spun into a story about her supposed engagement.
Or that the paparazzi will track the guy down…
Derrick Albright is laid-back about many things. Being hounded by the press about some imaginary engagement to a woman he’s only met once—and couldn’t stand—isn’t one of them. Then Meredith actually shows up at his cabin in Blue Hill, Maine, with an apology, a pot roast, and a proposal—play along until she secures her TV deal, and she’ll help him win back his ex.
It’s a simple plan, but if they have any chance of pulling it off, they’ll have to survive each other first…
Each book in the Blue Hill Brides series is STANDALONE:
* The Duplicate Bride
* The Matchmaker Bride
————————————————————————————–
Excerpt “Ah, actually. Romance is not a top priority for me right now. I’ve been—”
“No romance? What?” Tanya laughed like the idea was absurd, then pretended to share a confidence with the camera. “And here she claims to be all about love. An expert. Hmm.”
This interview was going downhill fast. Meredith glanced at the shadowy side of the stage, searching for Joel or April or somebody for support, but there were only producers and even more cameras. She didn’t dare look back at the suits.
“Well, sure I make time for romance! Of course. But, in my case, I appreciate keeping things a little…private.”
“Private?” Tanya challenged, not backing down. “What does that mean?”
Meredith tried not to break a sweat, envisioning cool mountain streams and waterfalls. “All it means is…” She smiled sassily at the camera. “We haven’t yet made things public.”
Finally. That should work in throwing Tanya off, but nope. She persisted.
“So there is a special someone.” She tapped her chin. “What’s his name?”
Meredith bit her lip. She couldn’t—just couldn’t—admit her disastrous dating history. What would the viewing public think? And those network execs? Joel was right—Matched Up would never get that syndication deal then. Tanya would make sure of it with her little humiliation campaign. And she was so close.
Tanya’s face fell. “No. Way. You’re not matched up at all, are you?” She forced a fake frown. “How sad. ‘Matchmaker Meredith’ has no match of her own. I wonder…do you tell your clients that you’re single? I can’t imagine that instills a lot of confidence in your…abilities.”
Low blow. Meredith’s gut tightened. Tanya was known for skewering her guests, especially her accomplished female ones. You’d think a fellow woman would help a girl up. Not knock her down, then step on her. Especially in front of network people. Tanya acted like she was above getting fired, and maybe she was. Even though Talk Time was only local, the show attracted tons of viewers. A few more at the moment than Matched Up. But that was mostly on account of Tanya’s enormous advertising budget. “Sure I do. I have a match, my perfect match.”
“Then give us a hint. Occupation. Location. Anything?” Meredith could practically hear the knell of a countdown clock ticking off the seconds in her brain. Her short segment was nearly up.
Ten. Nine. Eight.
Think, think, think. Meredith worked hard to come up with somebody. Anybody. If he was super impressive that would be amazing. Gorgeous would be a plus, too.
Six. Five.
Shockingly, only one gorgeous guy came to mind. One with piercing blue eyes.
And a smirk. How could she forget that part? Three. Two…
“Well, I guess we have our answer, folks. Thank you for joining us today on—”
About the Author New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird writes sweet contemporary romance with a dash of humor and a whole lot of heart. She is the author of the Blue Hill Brides Series: The Duplicate Bride (2020) and The Matchmaker Bride (2021) from Entangled Publishing and current and upcoming works from Hallmark Publishing: An Unforgettable Christmas (2019) and On Christmas Avenue (2021), as well as several independent titles including her newest multi-author novella collection: Beach Brides Message in a Bottle Boxed Set (2021). Visit Ginny’s website to learn more about her and her books: www.ginnybairdromance.com.
Author C.L. Denault is revealing the cover to GAUNTLET, the third book in her young adult scifi dystopian romance series, The Prodigy Chronicles, releasing August 25, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
GAUNTLET (The Prodigy Chronicles #3) by C.L. Denault
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: GAUNTLET Series: The Prodigy Chronicles #3 Author: C.L. Denault Release Date: August 25, 2021
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Romance
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis In 2160, humanity is divided. The ruling class of prodigies dictates law and order for all, while normals fight to survive. Only the Councils in charge of advanced Core cities can decide the fate of a traitor.
A life of luxury is Willow Kent’s destiny. As long as she plays within the boundaries of the Core’s game, she can have anything she wants. Anything except for her friend Kane to avoid execution. Driven by guilt, she negotiates a secret Meta-X exchange to free him. But when a new threat emerges—one even her rare skill level cannot withstand—the stakes become dangerously high. To save Kane, she must navigate the slippery political terrain that surrounds her House, her mysterious Guardian, and the corrupt, unforgiving Council.
The most lethal terrain, however, lurks inside her own mind. Can she overcome her skillset before its savage intentions spiral out of control?
About the Author C.L. Denault is a speculative fiction writer who loves dreaming up tales of adventure and intrigue. A former systems analyst, she gave up her nerdy code-writing skills to care for her family (including a son with special needs), and currently lives among the vast stretches of cornfields in Illinois.
Writing and working out are her biggest passions, along with drinking coffee and watching sci-fi. When she’s not hanging out with her husband and kids, she can usually be found at a library or tucked away in the shadowy corner of a hip coffeehouse. She’s also been glimpsed sneaking into her garage, late at night, to work on her time machine.
She enjoys connecting with people—especially those from other planets, nearby dimensions, and the future. To find her, just visit her website or social media pages. Or use a Stargate. Whichever is easiest. .
Welcome to the Blog Tour for FAIRIES AND FROSTING, the seventh book in the young adult paranormal romance series, Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, by Christina Bauer. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
FAIRIES AND FROSTING (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #7) by Christina Bauer
Synopsis At last, Elle (never call her Cinderella) is reunited with Alec, the Prince of Le Charme Jewelers. Yay! But the pair soon discovers that Alec’s gemstone empire is about to go bankrupt. Boo. So our favorite couple devises a kick-ass scheme to save Le Charme. To announce their plan, Elle and Alec will hold a Glass Slipper Festival complete with music, dancing and cake. Lots of cake.
There’s only one problem. The Unseelie fae have returned.
Talk about bad news. No one combines lovely looks with dark intentions better than the Unseelie. Now, those nefarious fae want to destroy Elle, Alec and any hope for Le Charme. It doesn’t end there, either. The Unseelie are also targeting Elle’s stepsister, Agatha, as well as her old friend, Jacoby. And when will the Unseelie launch their deadly schemes? The Glass Slipper Festival.
Because fairies and frosting don’t mix.
“I thought the Angelbound series was my favorite, but Fairy Tales of the Magicorum may have stolen my heart.” – Smada’s Book Smack Blog
FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
1. Wolves And Roses
2. Moonlight And Midtown
3. Slippers And Thieves
4. Shifters And Glyphs
5. Bandits And Ball Gowns
6. Fire and Cinder
7. Fairies and Frosting
8 Towers and Tithes
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Chapter 3 Alec
Elle is playing this rather cool. Personally, I love the massive photo of her on my wall. It means I tap her lips every morning as I head to the kitchen. Talk about good luck. But with Elle? She’s totally working her poker face. It’s hard to know right now if the new mega picture is a hit.
“What do you think?” I ask.
“Wow. That’s really big.”
This isn’t a ‘take that thing down now’ reaction, but she’s not exactly jumping for joy, either.
An idea appears. Perhaps I can guess what her hesitance is here. Knox and I share this apartment, but the only person pictured here is Elle.
“Look, I checked with Knox already. He didn’t want to put up a big picture of Bry.” That’s Knox’s girlfriend and Elle’s bestie.
Elle taps her lips. “Oh.”
In other words, the issue here is not the lack of a massive photo of Elle’s friend. That leaves one more option.
“Too much?” I ask.
Not that I’ll take it down. If Elle disapproves, I’ll magically camouflage it with a forest scene when other people are here. I’ve gotten used to seeing her first thing in the morning. No way am I giving that up.
Elle tilts her head, turns to me, and smiles. “It’s perfect.”
About the Author
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates
Author Alexandria Warwick is is revealing the cover to THE NORTH WIND, the first book in her new adult fantasy romance series, The Four Winds, releasing January 13, 2022. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
THE NORTH WIND (The Four Winds Series #1) by Alexandria Warwick
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE NORTH WIND Series: The Four Winds Series #1 Author: Alexandria Warwick Publisher: Andromeda Press Genre: New Adult Fantasy Romance Release Date: January 13, 2022 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Lush. Dark. Romantic. Introducing a newly reimagined tale written in the vein of Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone.
Long before civilization, there were the gods. And before the gods, there was the earth, the celestial bodies, and air given flesh. They are the Anemoi—the Four Winds—and they have been banished to the four corners of the world.
Wren of Edgewood is no stranger to suffering. Her parents are gone. Survival is all she knows. For three hundred years, the land known as the Gray has been encased in ice, surrounded by a great barrier called the Shade, which protects the townsfolk from the Deadlands beyond.
But day by day, the Shade weakens.
Only one thing can stop the Shade’s fall: a mortal woman taken captive across the barrier, bound in wedlock to the dark god who reigns over the Deadlands. He is the North Wind, the Frost King, an immortal whose heart is said to be as frigid as the land he rules.
And the time has come for the Frost King to choose his bride.
The North Wind is a standalone, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance, the first in a series sprinkled with Greek lore. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Laura Thalassa, and Scarlett St. Clair.
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Author Alexandria Warwick
About the Author Alexandria Warwick is the #1 fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender. She is the author of The Demon Race and the North series.
Author Michelle Jester is is revealing the cover to IT NEVER OCCURRED TO HER, a stand-alone adult contemporary romance, releasing October 29, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
Synopsis For two years Gabriel has followed every lead, no matter how small, in the hope of finding his wife who has been kidnapped. He and the police always seem to be one step behind, until investigators give him information that helps him launch the plan to find her.
When Lena looks up into the eyes of her husband, who she hasn’t seen in two years, she is humiliated and wants nothing more than to run before he recognizes her. And so she does. It’s only when she faces a desperate situation that she is forced to return and ask for his help.
As fate twists its way through both of their lives, they realize it doesn’t matter how much they have prepared to face the realities of losing someone, or finding them again, redemption is in letting go of the past, and finding a future just off the beaten path.
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Trailer
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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!
Welcome to the book blitz for CAN’T TIE ME DOWN!, the first book in the adult contemporary romance/romantic comedy series, Sinclair Sisters, by Janet Elizabeth Henderson. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
CAN’T TIE ME DOWN! (Sinclair Sisters Series #1) by Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Synopsis There aren’t many jobs available in the tiny village of Arness, Scotland, which is why Mairi Sinclair works online — as a virtual girlfriend. For a weekly fee, she emails, messages and sends photos to desk-bound geeks around the world. Nothing dodgy, mind you, she keeps her clothes on! Mairi loves her job, because the last thing she wants is to be tied down to one man forever. Life is so much simpler when you can keep men at a distance.
And that’s why she’s upset when her virtual boyfriends start turning up in town. Someone has hacked her online presence and given out her real life address. To make matters worse, they’ve told the world that she’s looking for a husband and the first virtual boyfriend to romance her properly will win the role in real life. Mairi needs help to fend off the hordes. She needs help to hide and find out who sold out her details. Fortunately, local mechanic and one time boyfriend, Keir McKenzie, is more than willing to help her—for a price. He too wants a chance to win Mairi’s heart and tie her down forever.
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Excerpt #3 “Heads up, there’s a Wookiee coming this way.”
Keir jerked up at his fellow mechanic’s words and hit his head on the underside of the car hood. “What the hell are you talking about now?” he asked his fifty-two-year-old second-career apprentice.
Hamish pointed, and Keir looked through the open garage doors. Sure enough, there was a guy in a huge hairy costume, sauntering across what passed for the main street in Arness. Keir stepped back from the car, grabbed a rag and wiped the oil off his hands.
“Can I help you with something?” he asked the Wookiee.
“Argharghah!” the Wookiee said.
There was a split second where Keir wondered if he’d inhaled too many petrol fumes and this was the result. Then a short guy wearing jeans, and a t-shirt that said, Physicists Do It at the Speed of Light, ran across the road to join the Wookiee.
“Ignore him,” the short guy said. “He likes to think he’s being authentic. He won’t talk anything but Wookiee while he’s in his Chewbacca costume. He’s a Star Wars purist.”
The big, furry guy opened his mouth and warbled.
“No.” The little guy frowned, “I’m not going to translate for you. Every man for himself.” He turned back to Keir. “We’re looking for Mairi Sinclair. The woman in the shop told us she lives over here, in the apartment upstairs. Do we get there through the garage, or is there another entrance?”
Keir put down the rag, folded his arms over his black tank, making sure they noted his muscles and tattoos, and stepped into their space.
“What do you want with Mairi?” The Wookiee opened his mouth to answer, and Keir held up a hand. “In English.”
“She’s going to be my wife,” the little guy said with pride. The Wookiee roared with what was clearly a protest. The other guy scowled up at him. “How are you going to propose? She doesn’t speak Wookiee. You shot yourself in the foot wearing that costume. It’s not my fault I’m going to win.”
Keir uncrossed his arms and pressed his fingers to his temples. “Win? What the hell are you two talking about?”
The smaller guy dug into his pocket and came out with a phone. He flicked at the screen before turning it to Keir. He found himself looking at a website called Girlfriends for Hire. And there was a photo of Mairi, smiling out at him from a fake medieval tower and telling him that she specialized in online relationships with geeks. Geeks? Keir shook his head and kept reading. Under her photo was an updated message to her “men.” One that obviously hadn’t been written by Mairi. For a start, it said she wanted to get married. If this was the real deal, he’d eat an oily rag and wash it down with antifreeze.
“Mairi wants a husband,” the little guy said. “She challenged her online boyfriends to woo her.” He looked up at the Wookiee. “Do people still say woo?”
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Author Janet Elizabeth Henderson
About the Author Janet is a Scot who moved to New Zealand fifteen years ago. Among other things, she’s been an artist, a teacher, a security guard at a castle, a magazine editor, and a cleaner in a drop in center for drug addicts (NOT the best job!). She now writes full-time and is working on her 19th book. Her books have won several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier award for excellence in mystery and suspense. When she isn’t living in her head, she raises two kids, one husband, and several random animals. She survives on chocolate and caffeine.
Author M.J. Roberts is revealing a couple of teasers from ROCK ME, the fifth book in the adult contemporary rock star romance series, Chord Brothers, releasing August 3, 2021. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
ROCK ME (Chord Brothers Series #5) by M.J. Roberts
About the Book Title: ROCK ME Series: Chord Brothers Series #5 Author:M.J. Roberts Publisher: Eminent Press Release Date: August 3, 2021
Genre: Adult Contemporary Rock Star Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Betrayed by his family after serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, Spider’s angry at the world. The only solace he finds is playing his guitar. He’s fine, he’s good, and if anyone dares suggest otherwise, he’ll pull his knife on you, just to prove a point.
Maria’s devoted to her family and her dream. But when she’s forced to hide from some bad guys intent on torturing her for information she doesn’t possess, she’s forced to run — straight into Spider’s arms.
They’re on the road with the tour that will make or break Spider’s career — and his heart.
About the Author M. J. Roberts is a writer, editor, and teacher – with more than two million copies of her stories in circulation worldwide, Roberts is well loved for creating characters who feel as real as your most cherished friends. Roberts works to diligently to create believable, lovable characters, witty dialogue, prose ripe with metaphor, exciting plot twists, action that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and romance scenes that sizzle.
Roberts is a multiple award-winning author including first place in the prestigious Summer Lovin’ Romance Literary Contest 2015 for the novel Risk Your Heart.
Roberts also writes under the pen name Natasha Action. Roberts is originally from New York but lives in the southern United States for the purpose of endless comic material.
She’s married to a professional musician (A.K.A. The Rock and Roll God) because she is too busy tormenting imaginary characters and counting her blessing to pursue her longtime dream of Rock n’ Roll stardom herself.
Author J.A. Howard is revealing a teaser from ROB STARR, a standalone young adult contemporary romance, releasing August 19, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
ROB STARR by J.A. Howard
About the Book
Title: ROB STARR
Author: J.A. Howard Release Date: August 19, 2021 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Links: Goodreads | Sign Up for Release Updates
Synopsis
How far would you go to get the guy everyone wants?
Rob Starr (sigh) was out of Mia Morgan’s league. Of course, she had a crush on him. Everyone did. But in her case, it would just be way too weird to admit that. For starters, their moms were best friends and Mia had known Rob since she was five. But while Mia was now a demi-geek with relentlessly frizzy hair, Rob had become a demi-god and Ellsworth High’s basketball superstar. Besides, he’d been going out with the totally perfect Chloe Olsen since, like, forever.
But one October afternoon, a terrible accident changes everything. Suddenly, Mia and Rob are living in the same house and spending a lot of time alone together.
Soon, Mia’s world was different in ways she never thought possible: new clothes, new friends, and an incredibly hot boyfriend. But was any of it real? Would any of it last? And did getting everything she thought she ever wanted mean giving up who she really was?
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Author J.A. Howard
About the Author J. A. Howard is an author, business executive, and podcaster in New York. As the mother of two daughters, Howard is focused on the healthy development and empowerment of women in all of her work. The Third Coin, her first novel, aims to encourage sisterhood, compassion, and leadership among middle-grade girls.
Howard is also a podcaster. Her podcast, Sisters Cracking Up, (sisterscrackingup.com) which she does with her real-life sister, psychotherapist Abby Rodman, is focused on women in midlife; what’s “cracking them” and what’s cracking them up. On it, they talk openly and honestly about social and psychological topics that really matter like relationships, careers, aging beauty, stress, sex, health, and mental health.
As well as being a writer and podcaster, Howard is a beauty executive and consultant with more than 20 years of experience working in Marketing, Innovation, and Strategy for some of the world’s most loved and respected brands including Clinique, Estee Lauder, Bath and Body Works, MAC and more.
Welcome to the book blitz for IT MUST BE FATE, the third book in the adult paranormal romance series, The Ghost Girl, by Sinclair Kelly. See below for information on the book and series, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
IT MUST BE FATE (The Ghost Girl Series #3) by Sinclair Kelly
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited! Title: IT MUST BE FATE Series: The Ghost Series #3 Author: Sinclair Kelly Release Date: July 16, 2021 Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis He’s gone…
This ghost girl just can’t catch a break. There’s fury in my soul and pain in my heart as I try to come to terms with the latest shitstorm the universe has thrown in the way of our unlife’s happy ending. But during the uncertainty following the abduction, we discover we’re not alone. We have the love and support of those closest to us, even if we barely remember them. With their help, it’s time to start tackling our growing to-do list
Like having Asher fix the guys’ souls. Or asking Nate to help me save Macklin…er…Thad. Whatever…that’s hella confusing (we’re working on a cheat sheet). Anyways, once we’re all together again, we’ll stop my sister and save the world. No big deal, right?
After all that, maybe we’ll finally get to live happily ever after…that is, if we don’t die first.
It Must Be Fate is the final book in a medium-burn, why choose trilogy. It’s highly recommended that you read A Fate Unknown & Twist of Fate first.
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Excerpt #1 In that single moment between breaths, in the split second that determines whether or not you take another, time simply stops. There’s a stillness that descends, ensnaring everything around it. There’s no love or loss or…anything at all. Just this vast nothingness that casts a shadow over everything within reach. Then, in the next moment, there’s sound and light and life, and you take the next breath, but everything is suddenly different. The axis has shifted ever so slightly, yet the repercussions are immense.
One second, he’s there, looking at me with eyes that aren’t his own but are filled with everything he can’t say. The next, he’s gone.
My soul is keening at the loss of its echo, yet at the same time, an all-consuming fire has been lit within me, slowly flooding the hollow space left in Macklin’s wake as I stare through tear-filled eyes at the empty spot he occupied. The juxtaposition of the two warring emotions leaves room for little else. There is only pain.
Only anger. Grief. I’m not sure if this is what it looks like for anyone else, but for me, it’s an internal battle between giving up and pushing on. Taking that next breath or letting it be taken.
Swiping the back of my hand across my face, I take a deep breath, picking up the pieces of my broken heart and holding myself together as best I can. The edges are jagged, but the pain just serves to further my purpose: getting my sexy nerd back.
I love you. The silent words are on repeat in my mind, and I simply refuse to let those be his last.
Get it together, Fate. This is no time to fall apart. You survived death and Ass-Cole’s shitty attitude. You can survive this too.
Getting to my feet, my eyes are unfocused, my mind a jumbled mess of contradictions. I was chosen as the Guardian of the Spirits because of my ability to remain fair. Balanced. Neutral.
That last word has my hands fisting, nails digging into my palms as my jaw clenches and tears continue to pour like rain down my face.
Neutrality? Yeah. Fuck that shit. Righteous fury is about as neutral as I can manage at the moment. My head drops back, releasing my anguish, frustration, and complete and utter rage at the top of my lungs. The roar echoes through the silence of Gateway but does little to ease the ache inside.
About the Author Sinclair Kelly is a paranormal & contemporary romance author who writes to give all of the feral characters in her head a voice. She’s fluent in sarcasm and dry humor. She lives in sunny Arizona with her loving husband, three adorably exhausting kids, and a cranky old chihuahua named Sam. She loves reading, writing, coffee, vodka, tattoos, wine, donuts, broody asshole book boyfriends, badass FMCs, wine, all of the friendships she’s made since she began beta reading for some totally incredible authors, and can’t forget wine!
Author Cathy Yardley is revealing an excerpt from LOVE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Ponto Beach Reunion, releasing October 1, 2021. See below for information on the book, pre-order links, and an exclusive excerpt.
LOVE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE (Ponto Beach Reunion Series #1) by Cathy Yardley
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: LOVE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE Series: Ponto Beach Reunion Series #1 Author: Cathy Yardley Publisher: Montlake Release Date: October 1, 2021 Genre: Adult Romantic Comedy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Back in high school, Lily Wang wanted to be popular, but she considered herself lucky to be part of a tight group of oddballs and honors students called the Nerd Herd. Now, at twenty-eight, she feels like she’s finally on the cusp of succeeding as a beauty influencer—if she can hit five million subscribers, brands will take notice and she could get her own makeup line.
Fellow Nerd Herd alum Tobin Bui has had a lot of success as a YouTube gamer. But the road to online stardom has been rocky. First, he disappointed his parents by dropping out of college, and now, after years of pranks, skits, and playthroughs, he’s struggling to come up with new content to satisfy his ever-growing fan base. His agents say he needs cross-audience appeal, a new twist.
When Nerd Herd frenemy Lily approaches Tobin about teaming up to do a video to bolster her brand and reinvigorate his, he agrees. But when their first collab video goes viral, their relationship heats up too. With the whole internet watching, will these two former misfits finally realize they’re perfect together?
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Excerpt She looked at him, and it really seemed like he wasn’t, so she kept going. “I just…they were all so good looking. They always had stories about these parties and glamping trips where they’d get drunk and get wild, and they were having sex, and it was so damned exclusive, even though there wasn’t anything specific, you know? It wasn’t like they were a country club or something. You just…you fit in, or you didn’t.”
Mikki paused for a second. “I’m guessing it didn’t go well,” he said finally when she didn’t automatically continue.
“It went about as well as expected,” she said, even as memories swamped her.
Lily felt her stomach knot, even after all these years.
“Anyway,” she said brightly, “we did what we set out to do.”
“Was there any doubt?” Mikki said, clinking his beer bottle against her glass. “You, my dear, are an absolute beast, and I think there’s nothing you can’t get if you set your mind to it.”
She smiled back at him. Being a YouTuber might seem frivolous, but she knew better than anyone it was a business, one that took hard work and dedication, one you had to take seriously.
No one took success more seriously than she did.
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Author Cathy Yardley
About the Author
Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin’s, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and sometimes being a little wrong is just right. She likes writing about quirky, crazy adventures, because she’s had plenty of her own: she had her own army in the Society of Creative Anachronism; she’s spent a New Year’s on a 3-day solitary vision quest in the Mojave Desert; she had VIP access to the Viper Room in Los Angeles. Now, she spends her time writing in the wilds of East Seattle, trying to prevent her son from learning the truth of any of said adventures, and riding herd on her two dogs (and one husband.)
Welcome to the book blitz for BACKUP OFFER, the ninth book in the adult contemporary romance series, Stewart Realty, by Liz Crowe. See below for information on the book, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
BACKUP OFFER (Stewart Realty Series #9) by Liz Crowe
Synopsis An ex-boyfriend, his massive dog, her house, and no hotel room in sight. What could go wrong?
After Blair ended things with Brandis, she was determined to get away–and stay away from him for good. She put family, friends, and the life she knew in Michigan in her rear view mirror and started over. As owner and head chef of her own place in Louisville, she stays plenty busy, especially since “Blair’s Kitchen” is the darling of the restaurant scene. She’s managed to avoid Michigan for almost a decade, but when her best friend needs her help, she drops everything and heads home.
Brandis has spent the last ten years coming to terms with addiction, personal tragedy, and the loss of the woman he loved. He’s now the third generation to run his family’s construction business, and he’s managed to reconstruct tattered relationships with his family. He’s even adopted a dog, thanks to some donated renovation time spent at an animal shelter. He’s got everything he needs—except a for one thing.
When the contractor she paid to build her restaurant’s expansion vanishes, leaving her with a giant mess, Blair only hesitates a moment before calling Brandis for help. But when he rushes to her side to evaluate the crisis, there isn’t an available room in a twenty mile radius. So they settle in to a routine—her, her one-time boyfriend, and his giant, slobbering dog in her small house. It doesn’t take long for the temptation of close proximity to give way, and while Blair tries to keep it all physical, Brandis has other ideas.
The end of the Stewart Realty saga brings the second generation full-circle in ways many never expected, but no one regrets.
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Excerpt #3 Brandis kept his distance despite every nerve in his body’s effort to propel him forward. Tiny wandered over and sat next to Blair, putting her huge noggin on Blair’s lap with a sigh.
“I’ll take care of her while you go to your meeting. Does she need to eat?”
“What?” He was mesmerized by the sight of her hand on the dog’s head. “Oh, uh, it’s okay. She can go with me.”
“I think she wants to stay with me, don’t you girl?”
Tiny looked over at him with a clear “of course I want to stay here, dude,” expression. He eased toward the doorway, needing space to think. “I’m going to shower.”
“Fair warning, the shower head hasn’t been working so great,” she said.
“What’s wrong with it?” He forced his feet to move, silently thrilled to have a purpose other than the one yammering at him to grab her and kiss her until they were both dizzy.
“I think I need a new one.”
“I’ll fix it,” he said, grabbing his duffle bag.
“Don’t be late to your meeting.” She got up and stretched, revealing a tantalizing line of exposed flesh between her jeans waistband and sweatshirt hem. “I’ll make us something for dinner.”
He stopped, gazing at her, surprised she sounded so calm, so normal in the face of this odd circumstance. Maybe she was over him, he thought as she hummed and poked around in the fridge. He stared at the pleasant way her well-worn jeans hugged her butt, cursed under his breath and headed for the bathroom.
After fiddling with the shower head and the lines from the old-fashioned faucets, he decided he’d have to buy her a whole new set up. He managed a quick rinse off, dried and redressed in jeans and a travel-wrinkled button-down shirt, once he’d tidied up after himself. He carried his bag and shoes down the hall to the kitchen, using slow, careful steps as if it might help quiet the clamor in his brain.
He stopped in the doorway, frozen in place yet again by the sight of her. She was facing the sink, the deep black cascade of her hair halfway down her back. A tear slid down the cheek he could see in profile. Her hands curled into fists, pressing onto the edge of the sink. Everything about her screamed misery. With a jolt, he realized she wasn’t miserable because of him. He could fix her problem this time—he had the skills, the contacts, the wherewithal to do all of it.
He walked to the back door to put his shoes outside. Before he could talk himself out of it, he crossed the room to her, stood behind her, his hands raised in the air, unsure of himself for a split second. This was the moment. It was time. It was up to him to breech the chasm she’d dug between them. He had to do it. It was now or never.
He placed his trembling palms on her shoulders. Tiny raised her head from the rug near where they stood, but put it back down as if reassured. His ears were ringing. His heart beat so hard it was a drumbeat against his ribcage. With a sigh, he slid his hands down her arms.
She stiffened at first, leaning against him in a way that forced a low, choked noise from his throat. He closed his eyes when she took his hands and guided them around her. They stood like this a few minutes, their breathing in sync, the clock on the wall nearby the only sound other than the whooshing noise replacing the ringing in his ears.
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Author Liz Crowe
About the Author Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville living in Central Illinois. She’s spent her time as a three-continent expat trailing spouse, mom of three, real estate agent, brewery owner and bar manager, and is currently a social media consultant and humane society development director, in addition to being an award-winning author.
With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, inside fictional television stations and successful real estate offices, and even in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are compelling and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, at times frustrate, and always linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.
Welcome to the blog tour for PIECES OF EIGHT, the first book in the adult romantic adventure series, Lost Souls’ Treasure, by Tricia Leedom. See below for information on the book, buy links, the book’s playlist, and details on her giveaway.
PIECES OF EIGHT (Lost Souls’ Treasure Series #1) by Tricia Leedom
Synopsis
From the author who whisked you away on a wild escapade in The Key West Escape Series comes a sexy, adventure-packed spin off. Follow Mitch Thompson and his team of misfits as they find danger, intrigue, and romance on the hunt for the legendary Lost Souls’ Treasure…
Former special ops aviator Griffin Dodge hasn’t been the same since he disobeyed a direct order and totaled a Blackhawk helicopter. After being separated from the military, he recovered from his injuries and took a job on a marine salvage crew based out of Key West. The only person he let himself get close to on the boat was a woman called “Bug” Martin, a waifish tomboy with a mean streak. They couldn’t have been more different – a former all-star golden boy from the mid-west and a French circus performer turned salvage diver – but they became best friends up until the day Griff’s high school sweetheart decided she wanted him back.
A year later, Bug still resents Griff for running off to Missouri and ghosting her and the crew. When her boss calls Griff into town for a favor, Bug wants to hit something. She settles on sucker-punching the selfish a-hole himself when he walks through the door. It doesn’t matter that he’s single again or that he’s sorry, she hates that she’s stuck flying shotgun to Martinique beside the guy who used to claim “quitting wasn’t in his vocabulary” before he abandoned their friendship and betrayed her trust.
The trip was supposed to take two days tops. Just enough time to retrieve the missing pages of a diary that could help lead the crew to The Lost Souls’ Treasure, but nothing is ever easy in Bug’s world. When the deal with the artifact collector goes south, Bug and Griff are forced to flee up the side of a volcano where the lava isn’t the only thing about to bubble over. The tension between them erupts into an unexpected night of passion that leaves them both questioning what comes next.
Griff starts to wonder if settling down in the suburbs still fits the man he’s become, while Bug isn’t sure if she’s willing to open her guarded-heart to the only man who’s ever broke it.
When a rival treasure hunter hellbent on finding the treasure first nabs Bug and another crew member, Griff realizes the future won’t matter, if he can’t bring his best friend home alive.
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Playlist Piece of Eight (The Lost Souls’ Treasure Series Book One) is the first book my new contemporary romantic adventure series. I like to describe my books as sexy, funny, romantic action/adventure movies in print form, so I had a lot of fun creating a soundtrack for my novel.
1. Castaway by The Zac Brown Band – This song sets the tone of this book and the series. The opening lyrics capture what I want my readers to experience when they read one of my books… You’re “gonna have some fun tonight.” If you “wanna be a castaway and leave the world behind. Take a tropic holiday, say goodbye to keeping time…” then escape inside one of my adventures.
2. Waste of Lime by Ingrid Andreas – At its core, Pieces of Eight is a story about unrequited love. Griff and Bug (yes, that’s the heroine’s name) worked together on a marine salvage team out of Key West and were best friends up until the day Griff bailed on Bug to get back together with his ex. Bug, who had a secret crush on him, was heartbroken and angry. A year later, Griff returns, single again, but Bug still hasn’t forgiven him.
3. Desperado by Eagles – Griff’s theme song. Deep down, the sexy ex-Navy SEAL is lost and living with a lot of regrets.
4. Creep by Kina Grannis – Bug’s theme song. The former Circus performer turned salvage diver is a little different. She’s definitely not your typical heroine, but that makes her such an interesting character in my opinion.
5. Complicated by Carolyn Dawn Johnson – She hates him. She loves him. He still loves someone else. It’s complicated.
6. Kokomo by The Beach Boys – Tropical music interlude as our hero and heroine hop a flight to the Caribbean.
7. I Want You to Want Me by Letters to Cleo – What would you do if the man you were madly in love with—who also happened to be your best friend—came back into your life for just a few days? Would you take a shot and risk your friendship, or say nothing and pine for him after he was gone?
8. Somewhere on a Beach by Dierks Bentley – What if he kissed you and things went further than you ever expected?
9. Falling in Love (with my Best Friend) by Matt White – What if he started to have feelings for you?
10. Life is Better with You by Michael Franti & Spearhead – What if, just when he admitted how much he needed you, his ex called? (No spoilers from here on out.)
11. “The Man”- by Taylor Swift – I included this song because it’s an important secondary character’s cell phone ringtone. The song says a lot about this career-driven character who will make another appearance later in the series.
12. Shake Senora (feat. T-Pain and Sean Paul) by Pitbull, T-Pain, Sean Paul – Every adventure has a big, climatic action sequence. Insert this fun song here, and play it loud so you can hear it over the explosions.
13. If It Kills Me by Jason Mraz – *sigh*
14. You Are My Home by Man of Leisure – Double *sigh*
15. Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat – Roll the end credits. 😉
You can listen to the playlist I created for Piece of Eight here on Spotify.
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Author Tricia Leedom
About the Author TRICIA LEEDOM enjoys traveling to exotic destinations and having torrid love affairs with hot, dangerous men… even if it’s only in her own mind. When she’s not writing romantic adventure novels, she reads voraciously, tweets compulsively, and fangirls over a TV show based on her favorite book series. Tricia earned her BA in Creative Writing from The University of Tampa and her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Her favorite authors include Diana Gabaldon, J.R. Ward, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Karen Robards, and Johanna Lindsey. She lives in Southwest Florida with two very spoiled dogs. Follow Tricia on Twitter and Instagram @tricialeedom
Author M.J. Roberts is revealing an excerpt from ROCK ME, the fifth book in the adult contemporary rock star romance series, Chord Brothers, releasing August 3, 2021. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and the exclusive excerpt.
ROCK ME (Chord Brothers Series #5) by M.J. Roberts
About the Book Title: ROCK ME Series: Chord Brothers Series #5 Author:M.J. Roberts Publisher: Eminent Press Release Date: August 3, 2021
Genre: Adult Contemporary Rock Star Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Betrayed by his family after serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, Spider’s angry at the world. The only solace he finds is playing his guitar. He’s fine, he’s good, and if anyone dares suggest otherwise, he’ll pull his knife on you, just to prove a point.
Maria’s devoted to her family and her dream. But when she’s forced to hide from some bad guys intent on torturing her for information she doesn’t possess, she’s forced to run — straight into Spider’s arms.
They’re on the road with the tour that will make or break Spider’s career — and his heart.
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Excerpt Maria’s cooking again. She’s wearing a tan tank top that fits her like a second skin. She’s kneading dough. She’s not putting any muscle into it though.
“At that rate, it’s going to take you all afternoon.” I push off the side of my bunk and stand close behind her. “First of all, you need more flour on your hands.”
I rub more flour on her palms and her breath catches.
“You’re going to teach me how to cook?”
“This? Yes.”
I place my hands on top of hers. Like every time we’re close, sexual tension springs up between us.
“First,” I say, “you start from the side farthest away.” My head was to the right of hers, but I move it to the other side and place my lips a hair’s breadth from the shell of her ear. “Then you bring that closer and closer to you.” I take our joined hands and push hard into the center of the dough. “Heel of the palm. Don’t be afraid to be rough. Put some force behind it.”
I don’t think she realizes it, but her rib cage lifts slightly, like she’s offering her breasts up to me.
“That’s it,” I say. “Out and back.”
“Mmnn,” she says.
I let my lips touch the back of her ear. “You have to use your whole body weight. Lean into it. Yeah. Just like that.” My voice sounds like sandpaper and whiskey. I barely recognize it, but it doesn’t surpise me. Maria does that to me.
Maria presses her ass back against my crotch and I bite back a moan.
“You have to work it until it’s soft. Pliant.”
We knead the bread together, and the rhythmic push reminds me of exactly what I want to do to her. Maria feels it, too, if the way her head lolls back against me is any indication.
“You like that, querida?”
She shakes her head.
“Your body says otherwise.”
I want to sweep everything off the counter and lift Maria up onto it.
“I think I got it now,” she says.
“Huh?” I’m too much in a fog to understand what she’s saying. I picture releasing her hands and holding her around her waist, sliding my hands up to cup her breasts.
“I got it, Spider. You can let go now.”
I blink. Maria elbows me gently in the side of my waist. I step back. Maria gives the dough a few vicious pounds with the side of her fist and then molds it into a disposable bread pan.
About the Author M. J. Roberts is a writer, editor, and teacher – with more than two million copies of her stories in circulation worldwide, Roberts is well loved for creating characters who feel as real as your most cherished friends. Roberts works to diligently to create believable, lovable characters, witty dialogue, prose ripe with metaphor, exciting plot twists, action that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and romance scenes that sizzle.
Roberts is a multiple award-winning author including first place in the prestigious Summer Lovin’ Romance Literary Contest 2015 for the novel Risk Your Heart.
Roberts also writes under the pen name Natasha Action. Roberts is originally from New York but lives in the southern United States for the purpose of endless comic material.
She’s married to a professional musician (A.K.A. The Rock and Roll God) because she is too busy tormenting imaginary characters and counting her blessing to pursue her longtime dream of Rock n’ Roll stardom herself.
