Welcome to the book blitz for UNEXPECTED, a stand alone adult contemporary LGBTQ+ sports romance, by Felice Stevens. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Party planner Colin Brightman doesn’t drink or dance, preferring to go to bed early with his spreadsheets and lists. All he wants is to forget the singles weekend his friends sent him on, but he’s stuck with a suitcase filled with condoms and skimpy Speedos that don’t belong to him.
He doesn’t expect his luggage thief to be ex-baseball superstar Walker “Walk-Off” Scanlon. Or that Walker has hired his firm to put on a charity event at his bar. Colin can’t deny the mixed emotions the annoyingly flirty man stirs in him, but he refuses to fall for someone who racks up lovers as easily as he once hit home runs.
No matter how much he might want to.
Walker Scanlon likes his men easygoing with no complications. He’s had enough of those in his life. So why is he drawn to tense and straitlaced Colin and his frosty scowl?When even his corny one-liners and jokes don’t get him a smile? Because the sparks between them are undeniable. And that unexpected kiss? Amazin’.
Now if only Colin would stop running away.
When Colin and Walker come face to face with past hurts and betrayals, they’ll need to trust themselves and each other to learn that heartbreak and love don’t go hand in hand. It’s the bottom of the ninth and if they swing for the stars, they just might hit the grand slam of a lifetime.
Unexpected is a low-angst, high-heat romance between a corny joke-telling ex-baseball player who doesn’t believe in striking out on or off the field and a divorced, tea-drinking homebody who isn’t willing to get played…again.
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Excerpt #2 Why aren’t you inviting one of your friends? Why me?” he protested, even though a kernel of desire to go and be with people—with Walker—unfolded in his chest.
“It’s tradition. You’re supposed to invite new people.”
“You mean strays who don’t have anywhere else to go.” He sounded bitter but couldn’t help it.
“If that’s how you’re seeing it, I’m sorry. I just felt we got off on the wrong foot, and I wanted to make it up to you.”
“With chicken soup.”
“It’s got noodles,” Walker crooned. “And she makes a mean brisket.”
His stomach growled, the soggy grilled-chicken sandwich he’d eaten at noon less than memorable.
“I thought you said schnitzel.”
“Well, duh. There’s never just one main course at the table. You know that.”
Actually, he didn’t. His mother could never afford to make a big meal on the holidays, and they’d gone to the synagogue for their meals. He remembered listening to the rabbi and his wife urge his mother to use the food pantry, but pride wouldn’t allow her and she refused, yet somehow, they almost always ended up with leftovers the rabbi’s wife couldn’t fit in her refrigerator.
“I don’t know. I’m sure you have other people to invite besides me. Friends you know better and could have a good time with.”
“Yeah, but I want you.” Walker snickered, and Colin’s heart lurched as he wondered what it would feel like to really be wanted by a man like Walker Scanlon. “If we’re going to be working together, we should get to know each other.”
“I don’t normally become friends with my clients. Besides, it’s only one event.”
“Oh, I’m not just interested in a one-off. I have things planned all year long I need help with.”
“I see. And suddenly you need an event planner for all of them?”
“Funny thing, isn’t it?”
Colin could feel Walker’s smile through the phone.
“You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?”
“You just figured that out?”
“Annoying,” he muttered, and Walker snickered.
“Trust me, I’ve been called worse.”
“I’ll bet you have.” Weighing his options, he rolled his neck side to side to relieve the sudden tension. “Fine. I’ll go with you this one time. Where should I meet you?”
“I’ll pick you up in a car. Say at six thirty?”
Doing a quick calculation in his head of how long it would take him to buy a nice bottle of wine and freshen up, he agreed. “Okay. I’ll be in front of my office at six thirty.”
“See ya then.”
He set his phone down, shaking his head, but with an unexpected light heart.
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Author Felice Stevens
About the Author Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. Her characters have to work for it, because just like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.
Felice is the 2020 Lambda Literary Award winning author in best Gay Romance. She lives in New York City and has way too much black in her wardrobe. If she’s not writing, you’ll probably find her watching reality TV or procrastinating on FB in her reader group, Felice’s Breakfast Club.
Welcome to the blog tour for HEADS ON FIRE, a standalone adult contemporary romance by Elora Nicole Ramirez. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
Synopsis
Nova Scofield isn’t looking for anything serious. She’s not looking for anything at all, actually. Still recovering after walking away from her narcissistic fiancé weeks before their wedding, she is happily focused on her floral shop, Wild Flora.
But then Jax Stratford walks into the shop and Nova suddenly remembers what it’s like to feel the gravitational pull of chemistry. For one night, she allows herself the freedom of letting her desire lead her.
The only problem is Jax isn’t a one night stand — he’s a potential business partner. Despite her best judgment, she agrees to a date and finds herself falling head over heels.
But Nova’s ex refuses to let go — he keeps showing up and threatening to take over the flower shop she built with her best friend — making it impossible for Nova to move on from their relationship and the control he had over her.
To make matters worse, history surfaces and her ex shares something with her, making it seem Jax has kept the truth from her this entire time.
Will she give into the heat she feels with Jax?
Or will everything she’s worked for turn to ash?
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Excerpt #4 Music drifts from inside and I feel his chest vibrating from laughter.
I look back at him, my arms around his neck.
“What’s so funny?”
He leans his head back, glancing at the stars above us. “This song. I haven’t heard it in ages.”
“Dancing in the Moonlight?” I ask.
He nods, and finds my gaze. “My mom would have these dancing parties with us growing up and this was one of the songs she’d play. We go outside, under the moon, and just be completely stupid with each other, spinning around under the stars.” His eyes twinkle and scratches at something on his cheek. He goes quiet for just a few seconds, lost in memories.
“That sounds amazing,” I say. “My parents were incredible growing up — I’m so grateful for the relationship I have with them. But we don’t have any fun memories like dancing under the stars. It’s more like, creating presentations to determine where we are going to vacation this summer type of vibes.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Are you serious?”
I laugh, my turn to go quiet with the memories.
“The last time we did it, my uncle actually won. We ended up going to Palm Springs simply because he wanted to experience the mind-melting heat.”
“Hopefully y’all had a pool to cool off in during the day?”
“Oh yeah. It was actually a beautiful spot. I would go back in a heartbeat, just not in the middle of July.”
Stepping back, he holds out his hand. “Wanna dance?”
I stand there for a moment.
“Here? Now?” I blink.
“Well, it’s what the song says, right?”
He claps to the beat, doing a quick turn on his heels before looking at me again with an inviting smile. I laugh, surprised by the shift in conversation, but grateful for his willingness to hold the heavy spaces as well as the silly moments. His green eyes look back at me and I sigh. This is the third time this man has gotten me to dance with him. There’s no way I will be able to say no.
I tentatively place my hand in his, and he twirls me around. “It sounds like you need a core memory of dancing under the stars.”
I laugh again, soaking in the moment. He’s not missing a beat, his shoulders moving with the rhythm and his feet slowly stepping side to side before doing a quick shuffle and moving me with the music. His hips rock side to side and before I know it, I’m not thinking about our conversation from earlier or whether the team breaking down the event inside will come out and see us and wonder why we haven’t left yet. I’m lost in the feel of his hips against mine, his hands on my back, and the confidence he has in leading us around the wooden porch. He pushes against my back, twirling me again, and I spin a few feet away.
My hands go out to the side and I groove for a few beats before getting a playful glint in my eye.
“You know this is where I run toward you and you lift me like Baby in Dirty Dancing.”
“If this were a rom com, yes,” he agrees. Instead, he holds his arms out to me in an invitation, and I don’t run toward him because we’re not that stupid to attempt a trick like that on a whim. We know this moment, just like all of our other moments, are held with care and with the knowing that it might be our last. But right now? Right now we’re experiencing something deeper than any movie anyway. I walk with the beat and turn my back to him when we reach each other and he wraps his arms around my waist and we stay there, moving in tandem with massive smiles on our faces, the stars sparkling above us and the fire cracking beside us, in our own little dance party for two.
It was better than any rom-com I’ve ever seen.
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Author Elora Ramirez
About the Author Elora Ramirez has always been a word girl.
It started when she was four, when she taught herself how to read and write as a way to entertain herself while her grandmother kicked and danced in aerobics class. She cut her teeth on books from Dr. Seuss and writing anywhere she could find the space — including her Fischer Price kitchenette, the pages of picture books, and Highlights Magazines.
She’s matured a bit since then, now choosing to write in the margins of her books and on the mirrors of her bathroom ideas and thoughts surrounding story and what makes us human. By day she leads a team at a tech company, waking up before the sun rises to get in her love for words before stepping into her role of helping others see the plot line of their own story under development.
Intuition and beauty get her through the day, as well as her chef-husband and their little lion son. Curious Obsession is her fourth novel.
Welcome to the book blitz for EVERYTHING WE ARE, a standalone new adult contemporary sports romance, by Darby Blake and Sienna Ray. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
Synopsis Thea Jenson has her future meticulously planned out. Graduate from college. Get a job. Marry her high school sweetheart and have two beautiful children. When she decides to transfer schools, her brother suggests she move in with him and his unruly hockey roommates. Everything in her life is going according to her plan . . .
. . . until she bumps into Kyler in their kitchen and sparks fly.
Kyler Rose, the starting center for the Northport University hockey team, is done for the moment he lays his eyes on Thea. But he can’t allow her to become a distraction. He’s determined to make it to the NHL. That’s if he doesn’t get booted for failing grades first. And even though he’s on scholarship, it doesn’t pay his bills or provide for his family. Neither do the tips he earns from his bartending gig. When an offer to make some fast cash falls in his lap, he takes it, thinking no one will care if he gets hurt . . .
. . . except Thea does care.
But just as Kyler finds a way to navigate his feelings for Thea, an unexpected link to his family comes to light and he finds himself in the fight of his life to protect those he loves the most – his family.
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Excerpt #2
Kyler “Last call,” I holler out and prepare for the rush of people coming to the bar. It’s Thursday night, and for the most part, quiet. I know a few kids from school who are hanging out, but the rest of the crowd are summer stragglers, determined to extend their vacation by a couple more nights. I can’t say I blame them. The idea of starting classes next week is daunting, and I’m not looking forward to the Monday through Friday hassle of having to study, sit through lectures, and prepare for the upcoming hockey season.
People start to leave. The regulars tell me goodbye, and some wish me good luck. I’ve spent countless hours talking to them about school and hockey. They’ll come to the games when they start, and most will show up when our Blue Line Club has some event where fans can come meet the players. Some forget I’ll be working up until hockey season starts, and then my days will vary. Even though I’m on a scholarship, I still have to work. The “full-ride” offer schools give is pretty much a joke. Granted, they pay for my schooling, on-campus food, and books, but that’s it. If I need clothes, a damn snack, or gas for my car—it’s all on me. Most of the guys on the team still get an allowance from their parents. No such luck when it comes to my parents. Actually, just a parent. My dad bailed when I was two, leaving my mom to raise my sister and me on a very limited income. To say I grew up on the struggle bus would be an understatement, and I’m only where I am because of sponsors. There’s no way in hell my mom would’ve been able to afford to keep me in the hockey programs without programs aimed at helping underprivileged kids.
A hottie comes up to the bar with her empty martini glass. She’s been in town for two weeks, taking advantage of the late season sales, which are meant to increase tourism in Northport. “Hey,” she says in what should sound like a sultry voice but comes off as raspy and a bit too loud because of all the extra bar noise.
“Manhattan?” I ask her as I take her empty glass and set it with the others I need to wash. When I turn back to her, she’s leaning on the bar with her breasts pushed together. After two weeks of trying, the answer will still be “no” from me.
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Author Darby Blake
About Darby Blake Darby Blake is a pen name for New York Times Bestselling Author Heidi McLaughlin. Darby’s first novel, EVERYTHING WE ARE, co-written with her best friend, is due to be released in June 2022. Learn more about Darby by visiting darbyblake.com.
About Sienna Ray Sienna Ray is a quietly introverted author living in the UK. She lives with her other half and despite aspirations to be an author in her school days, has only just recently embarked on her writing journey. Her debut novel, EVERYTHING WE ARE, co-written with her best friend, is due to be released in June 2022.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE RIGHT KIND OF UNEXPECTED, a stand alone new adult contemporary romance, by Rayna York. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE RIGHT KIND OF UNEXPECTED by Rayna York
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE RIGHT KIND OF UNEXPECTED Author: Rayna York Publisher: Toad Tree Press Release Date: June 18, 2022
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Tess hasn’t experienced many kindnesses in her eighteen years. When her boyfriend abandons her at a small-town gas station, it’s just one more crappy event to add to the pile. Without a car, money, or cell phone, her options are limited, and calling her parents isn’t one of them. So when the family that owns the business throws her a lifeline, she grabs hold. Because even the worst situations can have a silver lining, and this one is a town called Jasper Creek, a diner everyone calls Earl’s, and a young mechanic named Colten Reed.
Rayna York’s standalone novel gives readers the small-town romance they crave with enough feels to make the heart sing. It’s the perfect feel-good, summer romance.
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Excerpt I rush to the bathroom at the side of the building and lock the door behind me. I can’t deal with this anymore. I grip the sides of the pedestal sink and drop my head, breathing deep. In, out, in, out, fighting for calm.
Why? Why did I think this was a good idea?
Three days ago, Dax and I were on our way to a gallery opening when I mentioned I’d never been to Disney World. He said he hadn’t either. I commented on how it would be fun to jump in the car and go. High school graduation was over, my parents were in Europe, I didn’t have any plans for the summer, so the next afternoon we were on the road.
Bad idea.
Horrible.
The worst.
I lift my sunglasses to the top of my head and startle at the red-rimmed, brown-eyed zombie staring back at me. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since we left, and I forgot to take my makeup off last night, then Dax was in such a hurry this morning.
Maybe our relationship was always a mess. I don’t know. We’ve only been together for six months. In New York, Dax and I got along great. There were parties, restaurants, people, and places to fill our time. Now, without the distractions and being stuck together in mostly confined spaces, I realize we don’t have as much in common as I thought. But it’s more than that. He needs to be right about everything and nags me until I concede to his views. I never noticed him doing that before. There are a lot of things I didn’t notice before.
I use a little soap and water on a paper towel and clean the black smears from around my eyes. It cleans the makeup off perfectly, but the dark circles and puffiness remain. I slide a hair elastic from around my wrist and pull my brown mop of humid-induced frizz into a messy bun.
With a deep sigh, I slide my glasses back over my eyes and push the door open into the bright sunlight. I take in the beautiful field dotted with wildflowers behind the gas station, then close my eyes and lift my face to the sun, disregarding the intensity on my pale skin. I breathe in the fragrant smell of green that only a sweltering heat can produce.
It’s time to put an end to this impromptu adventure. It ceased being fun after the first five hours. And it’s my car, my time, my money. With renewed strength, I turn on my heels, ready to confront Dax and get my car keys back. I’m heading home with or without my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend. I can drop him off at a bus station if he wants to continue the trip.
I round the corner of the building. Wait, what? Where is it?
I walk to the two ancient gas pumps and turn in a circle, taking in the white building with peeling paint, and everything else in the three-hundred-and-sixty-degree radius, but the car is nowhere in sight. I walk to the other side of the building, thinking he might have parked in a different location while getting something from inside, but the car isn’t there either.
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Author Rayna York
About the Author Rayna York grew up with hippie parents that liked to adventure, so being the new kid was always a challenge. Where change was the norm, books were her constant–a way to escape. As an adult, many careers came and went, but writing has always been her passion. Everything I knew to be true is her first published novel.
Welcome to the book blitz for BLOOD ON HIS LIPS, the second book in the adult fantasy romance series, The Fae Prince of Everenne, by Alisyn Fae. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
BLOOD ON HIS LIPS (The Fae Prince of Everenne Series #2) by Alisyn Fae
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: BLOOD ON HIS LIPS Series: The Fae Prince of Everenne Series #2 Author: Alisyn Fae Publisher:Hard Candies Publishing, LLC Release Date: June 6, 2022
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
Blood on his lips. Power in his touch. A maelstrom in his eyes.
The Prince, an Old One, High Lord of House Montague, is fixated on claiming me. The weight of his grip crushes my throat, and resistance is . . . well.
Futile.
I am Aerinne Capulette, last daughter of Faronne, and survival forces me to accept he killed my mother, that he will drag me to his bed fighting and cursing as he laughs.
But I will not accept the subjugation of my House, my family, my friends. If any blood coats my hands, it will be his.
My unknown power stirs, and with it a glimmer of understanding. Of course he wants me for more than my body. For why am I the only person in the city who can see the shape of his power?
Renaud is power. He plays the long game.
. . .and if you wish to walk the board as queen, and not as pawn, you will play it too, my halfling.
I have said you have no choice. You anchor my sanity.
I have also said I will make you strong enough to bear me. You have noted the storm gathering on the horizon? Scented smoke and crushed blooms in the air?
Yes. A danger that eclipses us both approaches.
I will destroy you before I allow you to be taken. I do not yield what is mine.
But. . .if you submit, it may not come to such a pass. Your darkness may yet rise stronger than my own.
Give yourself to me, and I will give you answers. And then, my halfling, I will teach you to rule.
Blood On His Lips is an adult high heat, dark romantic fantasy, second in the Fae Prince of Everenne series. This not a standalone and ends in a cliffhanger. Book one must be read first.
For readers who crave enemies-to-lovers, obsessed dark heroes, murderous heroines, a battle of dark wills and enjoy authors such as Jennifer L. Armentrout, Michelle Sagara, Kathryn Ann Kingsley, and Laura Thalassa.
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Excerpt #2 The Prince lifted me into his arms, stalked forward, and then the bed was beneath my back, this sorcerer crouching above me, lowering his head to claim the breast his fingers had left bereft.
“Food offers no energy, wine no intoxication, when the only taste I crave is on your skin. . .”
His mouth closed over my nipple, and I arched my back, my legs falling open as his tongue and teeth ravaged the hardened buds.
“. . .between your thighs.”
He moved down my body. Some shred of sanity prompted me to close my legs again, but he shoved them apart, swatting my resistance away with no more thought than one might give a gnat.
My body seized at the first lap of his tongue, my temples splitting, my teeth grinding as fear hit me, my pleasure breaking open the box I’d shoved my darker emotions into.
“I almost died.”
Renaud stilled.
Stilled as if fighting the truth of my words. He crawled back up my body, bracing on his arms. My open legs nestled him, his weight providing more comfort than I should have allowed. Again came the fleeting thought that this male felt familiar, right.
“But why do you care?” I asked. “I don’t understand what this is between us. It came out of nowhere.”
He turned his head away, avoiding my seeking gaze for a moment, lowering his forehead to mine with a sigh. “It did not come out of nowhere. And every time I try to tell you—”
“You haven’t tried to tell me anything.”
His hands had been on my arms, rubbing up and down my skin in a soothing motion, but now they stopped, dug in. I should be annoyed he didn’t seem to care about marking my skin with bruises and scratches. I might be a warrior, but he could show more delicacy.
“I have. You’re not ready to hear it. I don’t want to break what is left of you.” He spoke, a string of lyrical words in an unfamiliar dialect of the old tongue that sounded close to the Ninephene my mother had spoken to me once. I understood one in five. I think. . .he was ranting at my mother? I recognized the word Maryonne, though he used the correct inflection, Muriel. “I must make you stronger. Neither of us has a choice.”
If I stepped back and looked at his words as a whole, they made a chilling kind of sense if one was insane, but the entirety of it eluded my grasp.
“What do you want, Prince? Answer the question without any of the male snarling and possessiveness.”
About the Author Alisyn Fae, the pen name of PNR & SFR author Emma Alisyn, writes high heat adult fantasy romance with heroines over 30, for readers who like their romance slightly dark, grown as *uck, with slap in the face tension and adventure. Learn more: www.emmaalisyn.com.
Welcome to the book blitz for MATES: MINERVA, the first book in the adult paranormal comedy series, Magical Misfits, by Bridget E. Baker. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
MATES – MINERVA (Magical Misfits Series #1) by Bridget E. Baker
Synopsis
Fans of the television series FRIENDS will love this supernatural romp on the magical side of NYC.
Forget Murphy—it should be called Minerva’s Law.
Paranormal affairs officer Minerva Lucent has always wanted to stand out by making a difference in the supernatural world. Unfortunately, she’s only managed to stick out—like a sore thumb. Her stun spells often misfire and freeze people by mistake. Her magical restraints have been known to pull objects to them like magnets. And last week, her truth spell caused a perp to start singing in verse.
But when a coveted guardian position opens up, Minerva’s determined to finally show everyone that she’s the witch for the job. She makes a plan to redeem her reputation, and she’s about to set it in motion, when her old finishing school pal, Roxana Goldenscales, shows up on her doorstep in dire need of assistance.
Can Minerva enact her plan and help Roxana (knock on wand!)? Or will she have to choose between becoming a guardian and being a good friend to her old mate?
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Excerpt #2 I wait until Ricky’s gone before I start to fan myself.
“He’s just being nice, you know.” Peter shrugs. “I couldn’t care less whether they know who I am. Guardians’ average life expectancy is thirty-five. Did you know that?”
I did, actually. “But what they do for the world can’t be measured.”
“Okay, Sparky,” Amber says. “Let’s go check on Mr. Shuffles.”
I know what my partner’s doing—trying to defuse this situation before I wind up on probation again. But guys like Peter have mocked me my entire life, and I always have to be the one to stand down. I’m sick of it.
“You’re an interesting guy,” I say. “When you were in school, did you learn what a Venn diagram is?”
Peter frowns.
“If I were to make one with a circle for stupid, and a circle for bully, and a circle for unattractive, you’d probably be the only officer here who managed to hit dead center in all three.”
Peter frowns, but he doesn’t look as apoplectic as he usually would. I’m guessing he doesn’t know what a Venn diagram is and didn’t really get my insult. Even so, he fires back. “You better rush off to check on that filthy vampire you put in lockdown before you really make me mad.”
“Uh-oh, Peter Chester, really mad? What must that look like? More spluttering? An even redder face?”
“Keep making jokes,” he says. “In the meantime, I’ll tell the Chief that he’ll have yet another chance to write a recommendation for the only mage on the force who can’t even bond a familiar. I bet he only recommends you in the hopes he might finally get rid of you.”
That one stings. I’ve tried more than six times to bond a familiar, but that particular spell never takes right for me, even when I tried it with a dog, and they’re so eager to bond that humans can practically do it. “I just haven’t found the right animal yet.”
“Thanks to a hunting accident, my uncle’s a little slow,” Peter says, “and even he has a rat.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that your relative bonded a rat,” Amber says. “Like calls to like, after all.”
Peter’s lip curls, and his partner, a brand new recruit, one of the burliest werewolves I’ve ever seen, is striding across the room toward us.
The Chief’s door opens abruptly. “Shift change.” He tilts his head at me. “First night back went alright?”
I nod.
“Great. Now go get some sleep so you’ll be fresh tonight.” I often wonder whether the Chief has auditory spells cast around the precinct. He casually opens his door in the middle of escalating fights a little too often.
Or maybe it’s just part of being a good Chief.
“Yes, sir.”
Amber walks out with me. “Don’t let them get to you. That guy just has an inferiority complex—”
“He’s not wrong, though.” What committee in their right mind would select a mage who can’t even bond a familiar to be a guardian?
Amber knows me well enough not to argue any further. Sometimes I just need to wallow. “See you tonight.”
Most people think the eight p.m. to eight a.m. shift is brutal, but I don’t mind working four twelves a week. I get eight hours of overtime, and I still have a three-day run of days off every week. Not too bad.
Usually I spend the drive home listening to classical music so that I can wind down and go to sleep. But this morning, even that doesn’t help. I’m just as keyed up when I exit the subway near my place. Peter’s a jerk, but he’s right about one thing. I can’t keep applying to be a guardian and being shocked when I don’t get it. The definition of insanity really is doing the same thing over and over and expecting something to inexplicably change. I may not be the most talented or consistent mage, but I’m bright.
Unfortunately, that’s not enough.
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Author Bridget E. Baker
About the Author Bridget loves her husband (every day) and all five of her kids (most days).
She’s a lawyer, but does as little legal work as possible. She has three quarter horse geldings, a Holsteiner (jumping) horse, and she spends too much time riding and not enough time writing. (Or too much time writing and not enough time riding, depending on your perspective!)
She has more chickens than she’ll admit to having, two lions head rabbits, a cat, two dogs (one bouncy and one yappy). She makes cookies waaaaay too often and believes they should be their own food group. In a (possibly misguided) attempt at balancing the scales, she kickboxes daily.
So if you don’t like her books, her kids, her horses, her chickens, or her cookies, maybe don’t tell her in person.
B.E. Baker is the romance/women’s fiction penname for Bridget E. Baker, who also writes fantasy, end of the world, and dystopian books that add a little magic to the world.
Please sign up for Bridget’s fantasy or romance newsletters on her website at www.BridgetEBakerWrites.com or click Follow on her bio above to get notices and updates when she releases new books!
Welcome to the blog tour for AND TIME STOPPED, the third book in the young adult contemporary fantasy series, Keeper of the Watch, by Kristen L. Jackson. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
AND TIME STOPPED (Keeper of the Watch Series #3) by Kristen L. Jackson
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: AND TIME STOPPED Series: Keeper of the Watch Series #3 Author: Kristen L. Jackson Publisher: Black Rose Writing Release Date: June 9, 2022 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis After a smooth jump to Dimension 9, Chase, Alyx, and chimera pup, Bo, discover that this world’s peaceful existence only extends as far as the local high school. A different kind of battle wages there, and the identity of the school bully is a surprise they never anticipated. When Chase decides they have no choice but to enroll at Dune Harbor High and repeat their senior year, Alyx is less than thrilled. But the two soon discover the influence just one person can have over the decisions, lives, and even deaths, of those around them. While they try to prevent one tragedy, another one unfolds even as Chase unravels one more piece of his family history. What he discovers will leave him reeling, and his life will never be the same.
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Excerpt #3 Alyx fastened the collar around Bo’s neck, snapping the leash on. Bo scratched at the collar, his hind leg a blur, then ran in mad circles, trying to catch the leash between his teeth. Once he succeeded, he growled deep in his throat and shook his head wildly back and forth, his little puppy growls forcing a smile to bloom. “I don’t think he likes his new things,” she chuckled.
“He’ll get used to it. We don’t want to lose him again,” Chase replied.
“No. Or get into trouble with Carson. Officer Murphy, I mean.”
Chase nodded.
Bo dramatically threw his body on the ground, paws in the air refusing to stand. “C’mon Bo. Let’s go for a walk,” Alyx coaxed, tugging on the leash.
The pup snorted, legs flailing in the air. One lone whimper escaped before he turned his back on them.
Chase and Alyx looked at each other. “Maybe we’ll just carry him for now.” Chase lifted Bo. The pup lay its head on Chase’s shoulder, snuggling as close as possible.
“We can’t carry him everywhere.”
Chase ran his hands over the soft fur, heading toward the sidewalk. “No. He’ll get used to the leash. Eventually.”
About the Author Kristen L. Jackson lives in Reading, PA, with her husband, two grown sons, and four large-breed dogs. She has been a teacher for over 20 years, and writing for children of all ages is close to her heart. Her debut novels KEEPER OF THE WATCH and MAGIC HARBOR (Books 1 & 2) are available now, as well as a novella, DIMENSION KEEPER, which is the prequel to the series. A children’s picture book, JOCELYN’S BOX OF SOCKS, (2019 1st Place Pencraft Award Winner) is also available now. Kristen enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with her family at their cabin in the Pocono Mountains of PA. Follow Kristen on Social Media.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE ISLAND OF SUMMER SUNSETS, a standalone adult contemporary romance, by Susan Sands. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis
Sail away with this heartwarming beach read about hope, family, and finding out who was meant for us.
Among the dunes and salty spray, off the South Carolina coast, where the daily tide swells and the minnow counts are the only news in town, something big might just change Janie Brooks’s life forever, for better or worse.
In the small southern village of Fripp, Janie’s life is moving along at about the same slow pace as the island—exactly the way she wants it. After the death of Janie’s husband, unable to find her own way, she spends her days with the seagulls and swallow-tailed kites, in the serene bliss of the Atlantic coast.
Until newcomer Ryan Kennedy and his teenage daughter move into the rental down the street, shaking up Janie’s well-ordered, simple life. Ryan has enough to deal with, being a single dad. All he wants is to move into a brand-new house in this quaint community and start fresh. But, with Janie down the street, that might be easier said than done.
Will Janie and Ryan find their own version of paradise? Or will one get in the way of the other?
A summer escape that will whisk you away to an island getaway and have you wishing for a seaside retreat with your feet in the sand and the golden sunset at your back. The Island of Summer Sunsets is perfect for fans of Robyn Carr, Brenda Novak, and RaeAnne Thayne.
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Excerpt “Hey there, Janie-girl,” Joe Murphy called from atop the wood decking that wrapped around the old marina’s general store.
His gruff voice pulled Janie Brooks’ attention his way as she walked up. She waved, the salty air blowing between them.
“What can I get for you this morning?” he asked, wiping his large hands on a rag as a seagull squawked overhead in search of its morning meal.
Joe, owner of the general store at the end of Fripp Island’s seaside marina, towered over her. At five-foot-nothing, being towered over wasn’t unusual for Janie, but Joe was a giant of a man, with a steely-gray, grizzled beard that matched what was left of his hair. He reminded her of an ocean-facing house that had stood up to the salty sea air and endured the test of time. He was… weathered.
“Hey, Joe. I need a couple of bags of ice, some minnows, and Momma’s newspaper. How are the shiners today?” Janie asked, peering into the murky vat of bait minnows that lined the old clapboard wall of the building, trying to determine how active they were. Their smell was oddly comforting. It reminded her of going there as a little girl with Momma and Daddy. And then, with her late husband, Daniel. She loved visiting the marina before anybody else was up and around.
Something about the familiarity kept her thoughts on the day-to-day, not allowing her mind to move into memories that were still too painful to relive. The music of sameness filled her: the gulls, the glorious sunrise, and the smells of the island. Anything else put her into new territory, and Janie wasn’t ready for anything new. Even after two years.
“Just got ’em in yesterday. Should do you for a couple of days.”
Janie pointed toward the vat. “Momma wants two dozen, please.”
She noticed then that something was different about Joe that day; his manner was a little more distracted than usual. He’d looked over her head toward the entrance to the marina a couple of times already.
Joe pulled out the net, scooping up approximately twenty-four, then throwing in several more for good measure. Then he filled a plastic bag with water, dumped in the tiny silvery fish, and used a tube to inject oxygen from the tank before tying off the top with a rubber band. That would keep them alive until Janie got home and put them in the minnow bucket. He handed the bag over to her.
She looked up, shielding her eyes from the brightness of the morning daylight with her hand. It was early, but the sun was making a spectacular appearance over the water. The blaze of orange contrasted against the layers of cool blue in the sky just above. Below, the darker surf was almost glassy in its stillness, as it often was this early.
“Your momma fishing off the dock today, or y’all going out in the boat?” Joe asked.
“We’re going out tomorrow to hunt for driftwood on Pritchards Island’s beach. We’ve got some special orders for candle holders that could use a few more pieces.” Janie referred to her “sea treasures” business that she and Momma ran together. “She’s planning to do some fishing while we’re at it. Might throw a line in on the dock this afternoon.”
There was a limited window for maritime travel between tiny Pritchards Island and Fripp Island. Both were nestled among the string of more than one hundred islands from South Carolina down to Georgia, and if it weren’t for the stretch of ocean separating the two barrier islands, it would only be a half-mile walk between them. High tide happened twice a day, but the exact timing changed daily by roughly an hour. Tides were the gods of everything here, pulling the water from the canals that snaked through the marshes, so getting across by boat had to be carefully timed.
Joe’s gaze followed Janie’s. “Gonna be a good day for it tomorrow.”
They stood silently for a moment, looking upward at the sky, which had now transformed into a full-blown daytime blue.
“A perfect day, according to the forecast.”
Most days on Fripp Island were perfect days as far as Janie was concerned. But this day seemed to sparkle. Truth was, they lived in paradise on this tiny slice of an island many people west of Georgia and north of the Carolinas had never even heard of.
Fripp was quiet this early in spring since the lucky tourists who knew about the island invaded during the warmer months. The late March weather was warm but breezy, with a few puffy white clouds floating by. Being surrounded by nature’s beauty on a protected bird and wildlife sanctuary was all Janie wanted.
Janie carried over the bag of minnows and set them on the floor of her golf cart.
“I’ve got some of that sweet cornbread mix from the mill your momma always asks for.” Joe peered up the stairs toward the entrance of the general store.
Janie was extremely fond of Joe. He ordered specific things he knew his customers liked. “Then I’d better grab the mix too while I’m here.”
Janie started to follow Joe when someone caught her eye, causing her to turn instinctively. A tall, sandy-haired man had just parked a four-seater golf cart on the crushed shell lot and was walking over.
“Hey, Joe,” she muttered, just loud enough to get his attention.
“Yup?” He raised grizzled brows.
“Who’s that?” She nodded as furtively as possible toward the newcomer.
He was tall, dark-haired, lean, and moved with a grace that caught her eye. It was apparent the man wasn’t a regular resident because she’d never seen him before. Not only was he unfamiliar, but, dressed in faded jeans and a worn blue T-shirt, he was clearly a misplaced underwear/sunglasses model who’d washed up on their island out of season.
Joe lowered his polarized glasses and glanced over, his sun-damaged blue eyes having a look. “Hmm. Looks like he’s here earlier than expected.”
“Who?” she hissed, wanting to know before the guy got to them. It would be nice to have a clue what was happening around here.
Joe eyed her for a long second. “That’s my nephew, Ryan. Got some interest in our new resident, do you, Janie-girl?” Joe winked at her, grinning as she flushed a dark, beet red.
Janie knew she was doing this because it was the curse of being a redhead. And one with freckles, too. Her skin told the world her deepest thoughts. Like a flashing billboard.
Janie’s curiosity competed with her awkwardness over Joe’s nephew’s unexpected appearance. So she ignored his taunt.
“Resident? How did I not know about someone new moving in?”
Joe had mentioned his nephew a few times in the past, but they’d never met. And she would have remembered him.
“It happened pretty quickly. Must’ve slipped my mind the last time you were here.”
Judging by his smirk, she knew Joe had misinterpreted her reaction as interest instead of mortification. After last year, when Joe had tried to set her up and it had failed miserably, he, of all people, should have understood where she was coming from.
The nephew came closer. Joe raised a hand in greeting toward the man as he neared them. Janie eyed her golf cart and wondered if she could make it there fast enough to avoid saying hello, but then she realized how silly that was.
Joe let out a low rumble of laughter. “Come and say hello.”
Janie Brooks was no coward. Never that. And Joe was like family, so she had little choice.
“Fine. He’s your family, after all.” There. That would stop any ideas Joe had about possible interest in his nephew.
“C’mon then.” He grasped her shoulders gently and maneuvered her forward as if she were a child, causing Janie’s face to flame up like a flare gun, something that didn’t happen often but had happened twice in the last five minutes. But then again, in Fripp, she was rarely caught off guard…
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Author Susan Sands
About the Author Susan Sands grew up in a real life Southern Footloose town in Northwest Louisiana, complete with her senior class hosting the first ever prom in the history of their tiny public school with half the town chaperoning. Is it any wonder she writes Southern small town stories full of porch swings, fun and romance?
Susan lives in Roswell, Georgia with her husband, Doug, their Labradoodle, Watson, and lots of material for her next book. Her three adult children are in various stages of finishing college and getting off the payroll.
Welcome to the book blitz for PINK GUITARS AND FALLING STARS, the first book in the adult fantasy romance series, Rockin’ Fairy Tales, by Leslie O’Sullivan. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
PINK GUITARS AND FALLING STARS (Rockin’ Fairy Tales Series #1) by Leslie O’Sullivan
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: PINK GUITARS AND FALLING STARS Series: Rockin’ Fairy Tales Series #1 Author: Leslie O’Sullivan Publisher: City Owl Press Release Date: January 6, 2022
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Zeli’s signature pop diva sound and image are nothing short of magical—literally. Her fame comes with hidden costs, a curse that could ruin her voice forever.
Aspiring indie musician, Justin MacKenzie, is determined to kick it to the top of the Rampion Records’ Summer Number One professional vs. amateur singing competition.
The favorite to beat in the annual televised contest is none other than the label’s smoking hot superstar, Zeli, whose crazy extensions flow the length of a football field. Those ridiculous extensions, coupled with her bubblegum brand of pop, are an affront to everything Justin loves about music until a stolen kiss blazes into a romantic encounter.
Once inside Zeli’s world, Justin discovers things are not as they seem. In their quest to allow the real Zeli, to step into the spotlight, the pair must confront the mysterious force behind the dazzle of Rampion’s success. If these star-crossed lovers can’t rally their own magic to defeat the darkness, they will lose everything—including each other.
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Excerpt On the way to wardrobe, to prep for his B.A.S.E. jumping exhibition in Zeli’s platinum record celebration concert, Justin Time stumbles into the pop diva’s dressing room by mistake…
Shades of pink twilight swallow us. Zeli rests lips against the rim of her cup, drowning a sob with tea.
Man, that tea smells sweet. I’d like to tickle my vocal cords with it. What did Grant Gothel call it? Ramp-up tea? Justin wants to ramp up. I stand and take a greedy sniff.
Zeli catches sight of me and leaps to her feet. She screeches like I’m slinging an axe.
I trip over the bottom of the costume rack and fly forward, finding balance a hot second before I plow into her. “Whoa, sweetness. I’m not here to mess with you.”
She clutches her head. “Hair thief!” She raises a pair of fists with intent to cause damage. “Closer and I’ll make your ribs crack.”
“Stop screaming or that cute face will go blue.”
Zeli circles her fists, searching for an in to deck me. “Don’t lay a finger on my extensions.”
“I want no part of that crazy hair mess.” I shake my head. “Keep your freak show, I’ve got no intention–” Taking a step back, I fan an arm down her body. “To finger even a single sweet tress.”
She’s delusional. No thief could bust Rampion security to get up here. Then again, when you’ve got millions glued to your head, imagining creepers in the dark is not so out there.
She zips behind the table, snarling. “You won’t get a piece of this either, fool.”
Hugging her body, she curls into a ball worthy of an armadillo. I’m not stupid enough to take advantage of our alone time, but that doesn’t prevent a Zeli lip lock from ticking onto my mental playlist. Her face pops out of the Z-ball as if she’s plugged into my thoughts.
She raises her hands. “Hands here. Raise them up high where I can see.”
I brush bangs aside, the portrait of casual. “You’re safe, damsel, get a hold of your cool.” I jerk my chin her way. “Cut the innocent act. It’s clear to me. No way a fast track, rock chick hasn’t known–” I throw her an air kiss. “Tune-piping Romeo love of her own.”
She stretches to her full height, not enough to hit the five-foot mark, and plants hands on hips. “Jacklick.”
After flashing my best stink-eye, I head for the hallway before her insults bait me into action I’ll regret. The smack of her hand against the table makes me jump.
“You’re leaving?”
I flick my wrist. “You ain’t nothing but a wrong turn.” I almost clear the doorway of the twilight room when she giggles. I whip around. “What? I’m not the big bad wolf anymore?”
She abandons her table fortress and rakes a finger up and down my wingsuit. The silver bag glides after her. “Big bads don’t wear bananas.”
I cringe.
Realization dawns in her eyes. “Oh, you’re one of my lucky stars.” She claps.
“What?”
“Seven lucky stars, falling from the sky for my concert?”
“Maybe.”
“If not, you’re rocking a wack look.” Zeli smiles, easy with me now that she’s defined my place in her kingdom.
Don’t count me out. I can rock a threat, babe. I’m tempted to grab her and plant a kiss on that laughing mouth. I feel my face flush Zeli pink. Stealing a taste of Z-lip is not worth summoning Gothel and screwing my chances at the Summer Number One audition.
To my surprise, she strolls over and dances a finger across my shoulder. “What’s it like to B.A.S.E. jump? Terrifying or Heaven?”
The touch renders me momentarily mute.
Her fingers pop off my shoulder like I’m a hot stove. “I don’t want anyone jumping for me to be afraid.”
The slightest sensation lingers from our contact. Does rock chick Zeli honestly care how Justin MacKenzie feels flying off her tower? Is this chick nice? For reals, nice? Heavenly tea breath wafts from her lips. An urge for a softer kind of kissing sneaks up on me. Kisses that whisper, not shout.
I match her finger dance and dab a touch on her shoulder close enough to feel the warm skin of her neck. “Nice of you to care.” If I slide my hand around the back of her neck, pull her in…
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Author Leslie O’Sullivan
About the Author Leslie O’Sullivan is the author of Rockin’ Fairy Tales, an adult romance series of Shakespeare/fairy tale mash ups set against the backdrop of Hollywood’s music scene. Coming soon is her Behind the Scenes contemporary romance series that peeks into the off-camera secrets of a wildly popular television drama. She’s a UCLA Bruin with a BA and MFA from their Department of Theater where she also taught for years on the design faculty. Her tenure in the world of television was as the assistant art director on “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.” Leslie loves to indulge her fangirl side each year at San Diego Comic Con
Welcome to the blog tour for CAMBION’S BLOOD, the second book in the adult urban fantasy series, Cambion, by Erin Fulmer. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
CAMBION’S BLOOD (Cambion Series #2) by Erin Fulmer
Synopsis Half-succubus attorney Lily Knight has blood on her hands.
Haunted by guilt, behind on her rent, and facing professional disgrace, Lily must figure out how to survive in the wreckage of her former life. To make ends meet, she accepts a contract job she never wanted but can’t seem to avoid—hunting another demon murderer. This time, the victims are human, and a shadowy government agency will reward Lily with a way out of her dire financial straits.
If Lily doesn’t solve the case before the news gets out, fear and hatred will put all demonkind at risk from the proverbial torch-carrying mob. But when a young succubus on the run from the authorities begs for her help, Lily faces a new conflict of interest—especially after the suspect, Eve, reveals her father is Lily’s old frenemy.
Now Lily must juggle the pressures of a high-stakes murder case, her complicated relationship with her “not-boyfriend” Sebastian, and responsibility for a wayward teenager as she races to find the real killer. Worse, the culprit isn’t just a demon, but a self-proclaimed goddess who will stop at nothing to carry out her bloody quest for justice. To stop the killings, Lily must confront that which she most fears: the truth about what went down with Eve’s father in the desert—and its consequences.
That is, if the goddess doesn’t get to her first…
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Excerpt “That right there. That’s what I don’t understand.” His voice went rough around the edges again. It sent goosebumps shivering down my spine. “Talk to me. Did I do something wrong?”
“No!” I forced myself to meet his eyes. They burned into mine, but his desiderata pleaded with me. Damn it, I couldn’t afford to screw this up. “Of course not. The opposite, in fact.” Maybe that was the problem, the way he said all the right things, what I wanted to hear and what I couldn’t believe.
“Then explain it to me.” The rough edges in his tone deepened, verging on a growl. “You’re holding out on me again. But I’m a big boy, I can take it. Tell me the truth. Why do you keep pushing me away?”
He couldn’t handle the truth, and I couldn’t hold his gaze. I turned my head away. Outside our aerie, purple twilight had faded to full night, and the city glowed like a reef of jewels in a dark sea. “It’s complicated.”
“I like complicated.” He sighed. “Come on. I didn’t ask you to define our official social media status.”
“You’re not even on social media.” I tried on a casual shrug and half a truth. “I’m just scared, I guess.”
“Yeah, I got that much. You’re not as hard to read as you think. Scared of what? That I’ll hurt you, or that you’ll lose control?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, all of it.” I swallowed hard. “You can’t understand what it’s like for me. It’s not just sex for me. If I let it, it could own me. And I…I could own you.”
A certain incubus had told me once that a succubus couldn’t have a sex addiction. But he also tried to convince me that demons were superior beings who deserved to rule over weak, inferior humans. And before that, he’d let me believe he meant well, that he respected consent, personal agency, the right to live and love as one pleased.
He’d told so many lies, and even though the liar had died, his lies still wove their tangled web around me like a shroud.
“I know you could,” Sebastian said calmly. “I’ve known from the beginning. It’s not so different for me as you think.”
I had to look back at him, then. “You think you could…own me?” Heat flooded my cheeks at the words. They sounded much filthier out loud, especially when his desiderata pulsed in response.
“If you let me. If you wanted me to.” His expression seared through me, and he drew me toward him. “My own desires run pretty dark and deep. If I give them free rein, they’d control me, too.”
“It’s not the same.” I could break free with ease. My strength outmatched his by a factor of ten. But his need sang to me. It hammered at my resistance like thunder, like the beat of huge dark wings. “Sebastian, I—” But the words died on my lips.
I couldn’t tell him the truth about what happened that night, our first night together. I couldn’t tell him what I did with my power, his power, the alchemy of our pleasure.
I couldn’t tell him that I killed someone with it.
“It’s all right,” he said, in that rippling velvet voice. “Come here.”
I took a long breath and pushed the box of things I couldn’t say back into the shadows. Then I stepped toward him of my own free will. Or at least, right now, I chose to believe I did.
“I have a confession, too,” he murmured, his lips inches from mine, not touching me anywhere skin to skin.
My breath came short. “I’m not a nun, Mr. Ritter.”
“Thank fuck for that.” His desiderata enveloped me, deep, rich, and overwhelming. “Because I didn’t just ask you here so we could take in the view.”
“You lied to me,” I whispered, but it didn’t matter. I didn’t need truths right now. I needed what he offered me.
“By omission only.” He put his hands on my hips, turning me with gentle pressure and steering me backward until my ass hit the hard edge of the desk. “The truth is, I’ve been very distracted lately during my workday by thoughts about you, me, and this desk.” His fingers worked under the band of my jeans, skimming my skin, and I moaned.
“Say ten Hail Marys and ten…oh, fuck.”
“Now that’s the kind of absolution I can live with,” he said, and bent his head to claim my mouth with his. His kether flooded through me. It suffused my body with a rush of light. It made my head spin, driving all my doubts away.
I drank him in, drank him deep, and when he pressed me down against the hard, cold surface of the desk, I did beg in the end—but not for absolution.
About the Author Erin Fulmer (she/her) is a public benefits attorney by day, author of urban fantasy and science fiction by night. She lives in sunny Northern California with her husband and two spoiled cats. When she’s not writing or working, she enjoys yoga, taking pictures of the sky, playing board games with friends, and napping like it’s an Olympic sport.
CAMBION’S BLOOD, the second book in her Cambion series and sequel to her debut urban fantasy CAMBION’S LAW, is out June 7 from City Owl Books.
Welcome to the book blitz for REBEL ONE, the first book in the new adult contemporary romance series, Melkin, by J.S. Christine. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
REBEL ONE (Melkin Series #1) by J.S. Christine
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: REBEL ONE Series: Melkin Series #1 Author: J.S. Christine Release Date: May 13, 2022 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Lacey Carson dreams of experiencing the world outside of the mundane town her father limits her to. “Go big or go home”? Lacey is already wrapped up in her comforter before that question can be finished. Her fight or flight instinct falls hard in one direction only.
Insert Travis Miller. He’s a little too loud, a little too violent, a little too focused on Lacey. He only knows how to go big.
When the opportunity presents itself for more adventure, Lacey jumps in head first before Travis can say no. It may be a little more than she bargained for as she learns about the ups and downs of independence, her own strength, and the crime world she quickly becomes immersed into.
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Excerpt #2 “I’m sorry we messed up your life,” Travis said quietly into my ear.
I didn’t say anything in response, too wrapped up in the feeling of being in a Travis-shaped cocoon. His arms were around my middle, holding me tight to him and his legs were bracketing mine. Warmth enveloped me and I could feel his chest rise and fall with each breath.
After a while, Travis nudged me and I realized I had fallen asleep. “Let’s go to sleep, gorgeous.”
He unwrapped himself from me, gave me some clothes from his dresser, and left the room for a moment while I changed.
When he entered, he said, “We’re going to have to share the bed unless you wanna sleep on the couch where my dad can talk to you.”
We both got into his bed. There was silence as I watched him lying on his side with his back to me until he turned on his back. Travis let out a sigh and ran a hand over his face. I wanted to know how this guy who walked around with death over his head could treat me so kindly and make me feel so safe. How was he a part of the Casey gang when he had a home here he could’ve run away to? More than that, how was he a part of the gang when he had a home with his mom that he could’ve run away to with Ben?
“Go to sleep,” he groaned. “Stop watching me. It’s creepy.”
I gave him a soft smile when his eyes flitted in my direction. “Will you tell me why you joined the gang?”
“No.”
“Why?”
His eyes moved away from me and focused on the ceiling for a second before he closed them like he was about to sleep. “You don’t have to know everything and I don’t want to tell you right now.”
I perked up at his word choice of ‘right now’. “When?”
Too wrapped up in the thought of knowing eventually, I army-crawled closer to him. I leaned onto his chest with my forearms, my head above his, and my hair draping around us.
“Ask me again in five minutes,” he said, unmoving.
I looked at him skeptically. “Will you be asleep in five minutes?”
The sides of his mouth quirked up into an almost-smile. “No, but I’ll be pretending to be asleep.”
I didn’t sleep much after that. Not because I was trying to wiggle answers out of Travis, but because I was too busy thinking about the people I had met here — about Finn’s laugh, Annabeth wanting a kitchen table just to be normal, Travis’ gentle hands, Ben every time he held the door open for me. All I could picture for Cameron was his glare so I didn’t give him much thought. I tried to picture all of them back home with me, not just Travis. I tried to picture them anywhere but in Melkin and it was surprisingly easy. I knew I would eventually leave Melkin. What if I could take them with me when I left? Would they all go?
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Author J.S. Christine
About the Author J.S. Christine has been writing novels since 2011 and graduated with a degree in Creative Writing. She strives to give readers worlds they can relax in with characters they can call their friends. Her novels typically travel down the obstacle-ridden roads of self-discovery with music blasting in the car’s speakers and the occasional explosion off to the side. Her first novel, Sparked, was self-published in 2016. When she isn’t writing, she can be found binge reading books, burning cookies, attempting to run, or teaching her three cats how great popcorn is.
Welcome to the book blitz for LOVE AND OTHER VOWS: FOR BETTER OR WORSE…, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romantic sports comedy series, Professional Players, by Lyndsey Gallagher. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
LOVE AND OTHER VOWS – FOR BETTER OR WORSE… (Professional Players Series #5) by Lyndsey Gallagher
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: LOVE & OTHER VOWS: FOR BETTER OR WORSE… Series: Professional Players Series #5 Author: Lyndsey Gallagher Release Date: June 1, 2022 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romantic Sports Comedy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Shelly Williams is loving life. She’s been offered a place on the newest, sexiest, celebrity reality television show, and her husband has just retired from his position as captain of the Irish rugby team, meaning he’s around more to help raise their children, leaving her free to pursue a few of her own ambitions. Ambitions Marcus knows nothing about.
Marcus Williams is struggling to find a purpose following his recent retirement as captain of the Irish rugby team. There’s only so many holidays, horse riding trips and happy hours one man can endure. When his wife is paired up with his old sporting rival in front of the entire country, Marcus begins to realise he stands to lose a lot more than just his career.
With ten weeks of watching Shelly slide, shake and shimmy against the one man that has the potential to destroy everything, Marcus must act if he wants to save their relationship.
They vowed to stay together through sickness and health.
But what about fame and wealth?
Love & Other Vows is a steamy, love conquers all stand-alone romcom with guaranteed HEA.
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Excerpt #2 “The way his pupils bore into mine there’s no doubt he’s looking straight into my soul. He’s the only person who’s ever seen me, really seen me. His Adam’s apple bobs, as his grip on my waist increases and he wiggles my pelvis closer to rest against his. His desire presses against me, it’s mirrored in his hungry eyes, eyes which he can’t seem to tear away from me.”
About the Author Lyndsey Gallagher is the kindle bestselling author of six contemporary romance novels, with many more on the way! An unashamed romantic, forever in search of the next happy ever after, her debut novel The Seven Year Itch was inspired by the weekend she met her husband. Lyndsey lives in the West of Ireland overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. She enjoys long walks, deep talks and the occasional G & T!
