Welcome to the book blitz for WHISPERS IN THE WATERS, a prequel novella in the in the adult mystery/fantasy series, Blood of the Fae, by Sarah Chislon. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
WHISPERS IN THE WATERS (Blood of the Fae Series #0.5) by Sarah Chislon
Ladies certainly don’t admit some taint of the fae has touched their souls—unless they wish to find themselves confined to an Institution.
Gently-bred herbalist Jessa Caldwell is trying to be a lady. She conceals her true nature amongst her plants and her sketches—where she can almost shut out the whispers she alone hears. But a threat to her beloved aunt forces her from the comfort of home to a town perilously near an Otherworldly Crossing, with its ever-present risk of fae incursions.
To protect her aunt and the townsfolk she comes to care for, she must uncover the individual responsible for a series of increasingly dangerous attacks—but to find this saboteur will require embracing the part of herself she fears most, an act that could cost her dearly. In a world where Vigilists lock up fae-touched mortals, Jessa must decide if she’s willing to risk exposing her true nature to obtain the truth and protect those she loves.
Whispers in the Waters, a gaslamp fantasy novella, serves as the prequel to Tattoo of Crimson, the first book in the Blood of the Fae series. If you like quick-minded heroines who solve cases with logic and intuition, Otherworldly intrigues, and beautiful yet deadly fae, then you’ll love this mystery set in a world of manners and mythical monsters.
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Excerpt #2 “Miss Jessa?”
“I beg your pardon. What did you say?”
“Young folks.” He huffed. “I said I don’t believe sprites and other low fae respond to the same wards as the high fae. Course, that’s speculation, but people lump all the Otherfolk together when in fact they’re not at all alike. If you were speaking of dealings with a high fae, with power enough to shake our world, then I’d tell you to flee and count yourself fortunate if you escaped the encounter without finding yourself enslaved or killed, though they do favor toying with their prey. But low fae . . . aye, they have powers beyond our ken, but it’s possible that you might come out of an encounter unscathed. Still, though sprites may not have all the abilities of high fae, they’re plenty strong enough to drag you to the depths. And I won’t have you seeking them thinking that pendant will offer protection.”
“I know there are risks.”
“You think you know.” He clenched his pipe, fingers whitening. “Most often, mortal dealings with fae go terribly wrong—and not for the Otherfolk.”
“I understand.” But what choice did I have?
“Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. But I won’t let you go without warning.” Mr. Heard proceeded to spin tales of horrors that rooted me to my chair—of mortals forced to dance until their feet were blistered and bloodied and beyond, until their very hearts at last gave out; of those compelled to slice their own flesh to ribbons at the bidding of the fae, for their entertainment; of individuals who begged and pleaded for death but were granted no such reprieve.
A rap sounded at the door, and I startled, my heart hammering as though the high fae stormed through the Crossing to batter down the door and take me captive.
About the Author Sarah Chislon lives in Virginia with her husband and three daughters. When she’s not writing, she’s homeschooling her children and running a web development business with her husband. As an avid reader and a lifelong story-weaver, she delights in creating fantastic worlds and exploring them alongside her characters.
Welcome to the cover reveal for GIVE ME FOREVER, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance series, Beaumont: Next Generation, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin, releasing October 11, 2022. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, preorder links, a link to read the first chapter for free, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
GIVE ME FOREVER (Beaumont Next Generation Series #5) by Heidi McLaughlin
Synopsis From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin delivers an emotional second chance romance about life, love, and what it means to truly be happy!
Elle James has it all: a loving fiancé in Ben, a promising career as a music manager, and a supportive family. She couldn’t be happier with her life. That is until the unthinkable happens and she must accept the consequences of her actions and figure out how to come clean to her family or continue living the lie.
Ben Miller had it all: a loving fiancée, a budding career, and the support of people who loved him like family. That was until he wanted more, and his fiancée was unable to meet him halfway. He makes a decision, one that affects everyone. When his life takes an unexpected turn and he’s diagnosed with a life changing illness, he finds himself fighting for more than just love.
With their happily ever after slipping through their fingers, will Elle and Ben be able to survive, or will life’s curveball be too much for them to handle?
About the Author Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
Welcome to the book blitz for MAGIC AND MAYHEM, the second book in the adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy series, The Wrong Witch, by Annie Anderson. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
MAGIC AND MAYHEM (The Wrong Witch Series #2) by Tammy Lowe
A week ago, I was the perpetual screw up of the Bannister coven and a probationary agent for the Arcane Bureau of Investigation. Somehow, I’ve managed to get myself mated to an Acosta Alpha, pissed off my family, and gotten on the radar of a dark Fae.
As much as I’d like to bury my head in the sand, I have a badge to secure—and with a new case on my proverbial desk—a job to do. Because I’m not the first witch that the Fae has tried to steal, but I will definitely be the last.
Just as soon as I get this curse under control…
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Excerpt #2 Wren’s badge smacked me in the face, the hard metal shield catching me in the forehead. “A strike against my freedom? A strike against my freedom? You don’t know the first damn thing about me if you think I’m just going to let you railroad me into anything, Nico Acosta. I’m going to my cabin by myself, and I’m going to bed by myself, and I’m going to Savannah. By. My. Self.”
There was a problem with all three statements, namely that none of those things were true.
I bent, snatching her badge from the ground, and in my distraction, Wren skirted around me, marching double-time to her cabin.
Welp, in for a penny, in for a pound.
Catching up to her in no time, I put a shoulder into her belly and lifted her over my back. Wren screeched as I adjusted course, heading for my—or rather, Wyatt’s—cabin.
“You put me down right now,” she ordered, but I was doing no such thing.
I’d tried sleeping without her last night, and that didn’t work, and after the events of the previous twenty-four hours, there was no chance in hell I was trying it again tonight. Plus, the woman needed healing. Again. Already. The remnants of an acid burn and poison from a dart still coursed through her tired body.
We passed Wyatt on the trek to his cabin, the big man trying not to laugh at our antics as he polished a bright-green apple on his plaid jacket. “You’re sleeping somewhere else tonight.”
What had Wren called me? High-handed? Well, I was an Alpha, and I needed that cabin more than he did right now.
“I figured,” Wyatt said before biting into the apple. “Good luck, buddy.”
I’d fucking need it. Wren kneed me in the chest and elbowed me in the back. I’d need to teach her how to get out of this hold later, but for now, I needed her in a space—any space—with me.
Preferably sans clothes, but I’d take what I could get.
About the Author Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.
LOVE YOU S’MORE (The Campfire Series #3) by Beth Merlin
Synopsis Having successfully designed the wedding gown of the century, Gigi Goldstein is on top of the world – that is until it all suddenly comes crashing down around her. When the paparazzi captures her and Perry Gillman in a compromising moment the night of the royal wedding, she finds herself entangled in a scandal of global proportion. Convinced her carelessness has ruined every relationship in her life, she’s surprised and moved by her boyfriend, Gideon’s, sudden proposal of marriage and accepts it without a second thought.
Four months later, Gigi’s living at Badgley Hall contemplating an entirely new kind of life, while guilt, regret, and obligation keep calling her back to her old one. Will Gigi stay in South Gloucestershire, marry Gideon, and become the Countess of Harronsby?
Or, will unfinished opportunities and an old flame bring her back across the pond to confront her past and reclaim her future?
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My Review This is the final book in The Campfire Series, and it wraps up Gigi and Perry’s story with a heartfelt bow. Author Beth Merlin brings her dynamic characters back for a final performance, and it’s well worth the wait. After the royal wedding blew up in spectacular fashion, Gigi has retreated to Badgley Hall with Gideon to escape the limelight and regroup. But she soon realizes she doesn’t really fit in Gideon’s world either. As tabloid fodder, she doesn’t feel at home in English society and Gideon’s friends aren’t making things any easier. The longer she practices to be the future Countess of Harronsby, the more she misses designing. It’s in her blood, after all. Gigi has some tough choices to make once again, and this time, it’ll be harder than ever.
Plot The plot moves along at the perfect pace, with plenty of unexpected twists. Because this is Perry and Gigi’s story, I might have known loosely how it would end, but not how it would get us there, and that was the most fun of all. Once again, the author does a masterful job of providing detailed descriptions, bringing her world to full, colorful life.
Characters All of our favorites return, but the addition of some fun, new characters only adds to the vivacity of the cast. Merlin is a master at creating fully fleshed out characters that are people you’d love to hang out with. Even though they inhabit a world none of us could ever hope to be a part of, they remain down-to-earth and relatable in the best possible ways.
What I Loved About LOVE YOU S’MORE 1. Fashion. Once again, we’re deep in the fashion world with vivid descriptions that make the couture jump off the pages.
2. Jamie and Thom. Now the dads to twins, these two got their HEA, and it’s so satisfying.
3. Gigi. She’s more poised now than ever before. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it.
4. Perry. He’s the same McDreamy-esque guy both Gigi and I fell in love with way back at Camp Chinooka.
5. Ending. A perfect wrap up to one of the best escape-read series I’ve enjoyed in a long time.
About the Author Beth Merlin has a BA from The George Washington University where she minored in Creative Writing and a JD from New York Law School. She’s a native New Yorker who loves anything Broadway, rom-coms, her daughter Hadley, and a good maxi dress. She was introduced to her husband through a friend she met at sleepaway camp and considers the eight summers she spent there to be some of the most formative of her life. One S’more Summer is Beth’s debut novel.
Welcome to the book blitz for WILD AT HEART, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Wild Love, by Stacy Gold. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway. For a limited time, you can pick up the eBook for just $1.99!
Synopsis
They each hit the trail solo in search of themselves…
Overworked entrepreneur Jules Martinez is sick and tired of men leaving her for their exes. Determined to wipe the giant, scarlet Rfor rebound off her forehead, she kicks off a yearlong vow of celibacy with five, blissful weeks backpacking her favorite trails through Washington State. Solo.
Out-of-work financial analyst Evan Davenport hasn’t been happy since camping in Scouts as a kid—before his wealthy parents and now ex-fiancé made all his major life decisions. Hoping to find joy and purpose, he buys all the latest ultralight backpacking gear, flies to Washington, and sets off alone on a weeklong speed hike through the wilderness.
Mother Nature has other plans, though, and keeps shoving Evan and Jules in each other’s paths. Usually naked. When sparks fly, can they find what they’re looking for in life together instead of apart?
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Excerpt #4 Scrabbling for my headlamp, I unzipped my tent and aimed the beam across the small clearing. Raindrops formed silver lines, obscuring my view.
My light caught a bit of reflective material. And a bare leg. And what looked like a pile of fabric thrown over a boulder but had to be a rainfly tossed over the asshole who woke me up.
“Um, helloooo. What the fuck are you doing out there?” My breath hung like a ghost in the beam of light.
“Oh, nothing. Just trying to get some shut eye. Except my tent just broke, it’s pouring rain, and I’m soaking wet.”
“And why, exactly are you setting up in the middle of the night in a rainstorm?”
“Because I need somewhere dry to sleep.”
Fuck. I knew I shouldn’t have asked.
“Don’t you have rain pants?”
“If I had rain pants, don’t you think I’d be wearing them?” The pile of nylon shifted and settled, and the bare leg disappeared.
“You’re going to go hypothermic dressed like that.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” The rain pounded down. “Are you going to turn off that light, or what? I am trying to get some sleep over here.”
“Sure thing.” I clicked off my headlamp and sat in the dry comfort of my tent, staring out into the dark, wet night.
The chances of my random neighbor getting any shuteye out there were pretty much nil. Ditto the chances of me sleeping through the night with his periodic shifting and cussing.
The chances of him getting hypothermia dressed like that in forty-five-degree rain, on the other hand, were pretty damn high.
I clicked on my headlamp. “Aren’t you freezing?”
“Pretty much.”
Something told me I would regret my next words. But I didn’t want his death on my conscience. “You can’t stay out there all night like that. My tent isn’t big, but I can make room for you. If you want.”
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Author Stacy Gold
About the Author Award-winning adventure romance author Stacy Gold would rather be in the middle of nowhere than almost anywhere else. To that end, she’s run more than 50 rivers in three countries, been heli-dropped into remote ski huts multiple times (and made it into even more under her own steam), worked for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service as a backcountry ranger, river ranger, and naturalist, and spent fourteen years as a commercial river guide and kayak instructor. Her last “real job” was serving as Communications Director for a state-wide mountain biking non-profit.
When she’s not busy kayaking, skiing, mountain biking, or hiking, with her husband and happy dogs, Ms. Gold writes about independent, badass women finding love and adventure in the great outdoors. Her latest release, Wild at Heart, came out May 2nd, 2022.
Welcome to the cover reveal for DANCE OF WINGS, the fifth book in the adult fantasy romance series, The Dragon Portal, by Jamie A. Waters, releasing August 10. 2023. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
DANCE OF WINGS (The Dragon Portal Series #5) by Jamie A. Waters
Synopsis Death awaits those who fly too close to the sun…
Something’s wrong with Sabine’s magic.
The portal seals have begun to fracture, poisoning the magic of their world, and endangering those dependent upon it. Time is running out for Sabine and her companions to find the last artifact.
A cryptic clue found in the underworld is their only lead. But the magical race entrusted with the relic’s safekeeping was annihilated by the dragons centuries earlier.
Determined to find any trace of the mysterious artifact, Sabine agrees to face down the dragons in their own den.
Can love withstand dragonfire?
Sabine may have fallen for the charismatic dragon who captured her heart, but his people are harboring a deadly secret.
The dragons have no intention of allowing Sabine to imprison them ever again.
About the Author
Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning, fantasy and science-fiction writer. Her first novel was a winner of the Readers’ Favorite Award in Science-Fiction/Fantasy Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science-Fiction.
Jamie currently resides in Florida with two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks. When she’s not pursuing her passion of writing, she’s usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading on her Kindle, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.
Welcome to the book blitz for BLY, a standalone new adult urban fantasy by Kelsey Ketch. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis I left the United States to find inner peace. Instead, I find myself confronting a malicious ghost.
Astyr Salt is a spiritual and emotional empath who moved to England with the intent to forget about a traumatic, supernatural event that occurred during her freshman year of college. However, when she takes a spiritual cleansing assignment in a haunted country home in Essex, she is isolated with all her own pent-up emotions.
These emotions energize the ghosts inhabiting the country home, helping them draw their own tragedies to the surface. Searching for the truth, Astyr is forced to relive the past. And the deeper she dives into the country home’s horrific history, the more the intertwined memories place her in the path of an evil and demented predator.
A blend of contemporary fantasy, horror, and mystery, Bly is inspired by Henry James’s classic novella, The Turn of the Screw.
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Excerpt #2 I find myself sitting on the bench in the center of the box hedge maze behind Bly. To some relief, there are no endless hallways, staircases, or doors. Nothing unusual. Well, for the most part. The lake glistens in the distance, yet there is no light in the sky. No moon. No stars. Even the tree line that separates the manicured lawn from the woodlands and fields is swallowed by the inky blackness that conceals the sky. The only light is the candle that sits on the bench next to me. The flame steady, but dim. I take in a breath of crisp air and turn toward Bly. The house is completely dark, and from the exterior, nothing appears out of the ordinary. No extra windows or doors. Yet, something is still off.
Touching the pentacle charm on my bracelet, my thoughts travel to Nolyn. Despite his absence, I sense a small amount of his energy radiating from the tourmaline, acting as my anchor. Ever since I came to Bly, the anxiety I once felt in my dreams has started to ease. Maybe it’s because my mind has been focusing on Bly and the spirits of the house. Or maybe it’s because I have been wearing the bracelet both day and night since Nolyn gave it to me. I’m not really sure. Yet, I’m still feeling an emptiness. Especially right now, sitting in the darkness alone. I didn’t realize how much I have been missing him. How much I want him here with me.
The candle beside me suddenly sputters out, and a deafening silence envelops the estate. The temperature drops to the point that I cross my arms over my chest and rub my hands over the sleeves of my white nightgown. A presence glares down at me from the windows of the third level, above the governess’s rooms. I tilt my head to meet its gaze, only to find nothing but thin air. For several moments, I refuse to avert my eyes. My breathing becoming shallow as my chest constricts. Then I hear childish giggles and leaves crackling under a pair of running feet. I stand and turn, accidently knocking the candle from the bench in the process. The box hedge around me begins to grow vertically, climbing from two feet to four feet to six feet. In a matter of seconds, I’m in the middle of a box hedge maze that reaches ten feet high. My heart pounding, I work my way down the path that should lead me out of the maze. Unfortunately, having left the unlit candle by the bench, I’m walking blind. I lightly brush the palms of my hands over the branches and leaves on either side of me. My hyped-up imagination half expects large spiders or creepy vines with a mind of their own to crawl out of the evergreens.
I take several turns that should have led me out of the maze only to find myself trapped in a dead end. I back myself out and continue down the last path I was on. Taking a few more turns, I find myself at another dead end. This happens again for a third, fourth, and fifth time. Obviously, the maze has become more complex than when I first started. I take a breath and silently ask for Geb’s guidance as I attempt to draw energy from the earth. Finally, a soft, prickling sensation tickles the soles of my feet. I continue to walk until I feel it becoming stronger. The energy of the earth leading down several bends and U-turns. The box hedge falls away from my palms, opening into a wider space. In front of me are two doors, one a black-stained oak and the other a light honey-stained pine.
The prickling energy fades when I step forward to examine the doors. There is nothing obvious. No signs. No guards. No sphinx. I place my palm on the first door to see if I can get a sense of the energy on the other side. Nothing. I try the other door, just to be sure, but the only thing I can sense is the masked energy approaching me from behind. I turn, hoping to catch sight of the presence. Sadly, all I can see is darkness. The presence brushes the back of my head, running over my neck. I shiver while I feel the presence pick up several strands of my hair. The smell of fresh cut grass, tobacco, and alcohol wafts by as a frigid chill envelops me.
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Author Kelsey Ketch
About the Author Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE SLEEPING GIANT, the second book in the young adult historical time-traveling fantasy series, The Acadian Secret, by Tammy Lowe. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE SLEEPING GIANT (The Acadian Secret Series #2) by Tammy Lowe
Synopsis When a tormented man begs 17-year-old Elisabeth London to travel back in time to save his life, she reluctantly agrees. Assuming Scotland is the destination, she ends up in Ancient Rome instead.
The good news is she finds the man; now a bold 17-year-old named Aquarius. The bad news is he’s an indentured slave, sentenced to death in the arena, and doesn’t even know her yet.
Elisabeth helps Aquarius escape and becomes an outlaw herself. Armed with her wits and his rock sling, the new friends are on the run from a relentless slave dealer, Rufus Leptis.
Elisabeth soon realizes she’s not here to save Aquarius from Rufus, but from the doomed city of Pompeii. Although trying to be brave, the thought of remaining in Aquarius’ swashbuckling world a minute longer than necessary is inconceivable.
At least, it used to be.
Before that darn, happy-go-lucky slave stole her heart.
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Excerpt The thundering sounds all around them seemed to fade into the distance as Elisabeth stood pinned against the side of the cliff. Her gaze darted up to the grassy overhang. There were only two ways off this ledge; the tunnel or the rushing river that would sweep them over the falls within seconds. About to hyperventilate, Elisabeth buried her face in David’s back. Every millisecond moved at an unbearable speed. She held her breath as the inevitable moment drew nearer. Their only chance would be if Rufus didn’t step outside of the tunnel, but that would take a miracle. David looked prepared to fight, but from the side of a mountain ledge with a giant of a man? That could end up a bigger disaster.
She pushed a pile of rocks aside with her foot and shuffled as far along the ledge as possible so David could step back and they’d be flush against the wall. When they heard Rufus grumbling, she knew he had to be near the end of the tunnel. Her leg muscles tightened. Elisabeth wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.
He was so close.
Too close.
She dared not look to see if he had walked onto the ledge. He would only need to step outside to see them.
What was that noise?
Hissing?
Elisabeth felt the color drain from her face, and then turned ever so slightly to look at the ground beside her.
She gasped, and the sound of her heartbeat thrashed in her ears. If anyone thought the situation couldn’t get any worse, they’d be wrong. Coiled at her feet, next to the dislodged rock, was a snake, looking as startled as Elisabeth. Her mouth fell open, repulsed, but unable to look away from the creature.
About the Author An adventurer at heart, Tammy has explored ruins in Rome, Pompeii, and Istanbul (Constantinople) with historians and archaeologists.
She’s slept in the tower of a 15th century castle in Scotland, climbed down the cramped tunnels of Egyptian pyramids, scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge, sailed on a tiny raft down the Yulong River in rural China, dined at a Bedouin camp in the Arabian Desert, and escaped from head-hunters in the South Pacific.
I suppose one could say her own childhood wish of time traveling adventures came true…in a roundabout way..
Welcome to the series reveal for THE POWERS THAT BE SERIES, books 1 through 3 of the new adult paranormal romance series by Ali Lucia Sky, releasing October 11, 2022. See below for information on the series, an exclusive excerpt from book 1, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
THE POWER THAT BE SERIES by Ali Lucia Sky
About the Book Title: THE POWERS THAT BE SERIES Series: The Powers That Be Series #1-3 Author: Ali Lucia Sky Release Date: October 11, 2022
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis This World is just one of thousands of Worlds the Makers have created. The Universe and Makers are playing with those who live on it.
GABRIEL
No one who had met Michaela Beauchamp could come away from it unscathed. She was a shrew–argumentative, crass, and the focus of all my wet dreams. I loved to hate her. We were at war and I was determined to win. I didn’t want her to just go away, I wanted to watch her fine ass as she went in that direction.
MICHAELA
Whoever thought Gabriel Langdon was more than a pretty face never met the douchecanoe.
He had very few redeeming qualities. He was dumb, frustrating, and constantly featuring in all my sexiest dreams. I wasn’t difficult to please. I was reasonable. All I asked was that the Universe bless me with the absence of this jackhole!
THEA
What is one to do when you summon a hitchhiker and they take up residence inside your head? No fifteen-year-old girl has a good answer. With my brother and neighbor circling one another in a strange mating dance, I barely know how to ask for help.
I mean really, all I did was a little spell to Invoke Helpful Spirits and Positive Energy Beings.
Note: THE POWERS THAT BE series is a New Adult book series and for readers 18+ due to sexual content, substance abuse, reference to sexual assault, and profanity.
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Excerpt #1 Not to mention that the fucker taunts me.
At least his sister is cool. Weird as all get out but kind and fun in a super odd, yet one hundred percent acceptable way. Refreshing. She was all sorts of refreshing.
Thirteen years of friendship with Gwen Lapsley molded me for a life full of serial melodrama. My history with her was a series of stories about betrayal, acquisitions, and life lessons—mostly learned as tawdry chapters of sex education. Sometimes with photographs or illustrations. I will most likely keep some as evidence in case I need to protect myself from a vengeful Gwen at any time. That is the kind of friendship we have, and it requires a state of Mutually Assured Destruction.
Still most of my life experience sits at the heels of Gwen’s tales. And she doesn’t have to embellish or lie. Gwen isn’t the type to swerve or cease.
Thea was one more person I could come to live vicariously through.
Unlike the Dipshit Langdon, the Younger Langdon was a full-on rebel.
A weirdo.
Strange, even.
Everything she did was Dora-level whacky—and utterly amazing. Perfectly wonderful. Complete fucking magic. I could sit and talk to her for hours on end.
After Gwen got it on with Gabriel, the highlight and play-by-play of his sexual proclivities were far too much. Thea was more than happy to share disparaging insults at dipshit’s expense with me. Her least favorite topic was Gabriel. She and Dora didn’t even call him Gabriel or Gabe.
Get this! They called him Gabby.
Fuck me, gold. Pure gold in them thar facts. I love it. Love that shit hard.
Gabby the dipshit.
Gabby the Asshat.
Gabby the Douchecanoe.
Yeah, that got mileage.
“So, what’s this shit you got going on here? What exactly are you trying to do?” I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips to the side.
Thea was like Dora in that she was into the spiritual stuff. Dora’s into nature, energy, and all that give more, take less stuff. My mom loves that shit. Thea does spells and rituals. She doesn’t call it witchcraft though, it’s Wicca. I don’t know if it was a politically correct thing or if witchcraft is something us commoners say because we watch too much TV.
I mentioned it to Dora once trying to clue-in and not offend my new friend. She told me that ‘Wicca was a religion, and witchcraft was legends and myths—just tales said to promote secular misunderstandings of good and evil in nature.’
Yeah if it all sounds like flibberty-jibbet to you, I don’t know what it means either.
Thea’s black rimmed eyes focus on me, and her shimmery purple lips spread into a charming Cheshire Cat smile. “You want to know what I’m doing?”
The girl looks like someone plugged her in. She’s beaming with excitement. “None of the people I used to know ever wanted to know about what I do! They think Wicca is devil worshipping. At first, people would look away or just leave if I brought it up. They thought I was a loser. Then they just stopped being there. Like you know, I would invite Satan to come to sit with us at lunch or something.”
Her friends sounded like assholes. I grin. “I’m not sure it’s not devil worship, but Dora allows it in her house.” I made air quotes and said, “a house that only nurtures happiness, health, and wellbeing.”
I keep quoting Dora because she is a kick to listen to and some of the things she says are rote to the point that I hear her tell them even when she isn’t there.
Thea laughs and nods in agreement. “Yeah, Aunt Dora is awesome. My mom is like her at heart but rather conservative in action. I love my mom, but she’s frighteningly normal. Gabby is like my mom and dad—sleepy, boring. All of them think that naming me after Aunt Dora is what made me weird.” She smiles happily about the name and the connection. For all the dark make-up and tight black clothes, Thea wasn’t what I imagined a goth to be. She was bright and cheerful. Upbeat even. She smiles a lot. All the goths I saw on TV were long faced and disenfranchised.
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Author Ali Lucia Sky
About the Author Ali Lucia Sky is the author of The Powers That Be series. She lives in Southern California with her husband and a house full of kitty cats and a yard full of crows.
She loves laughing, drinking good coffee, vegan food, and supporting animal rescues.
When she isn’t writing or dreaming of new stories, she can be found planning her next vacation because traveling is life.
If you encounter her in the wild, don’t be offended if she should run away. She’s timid with strangers, but can be plied with shiny things and pictures of your cat or dog.
Welcome to the blog tour for STOLEN CITY, a standalone young adult fantasy, by Elisa A. Bonnin. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
Synopsis
Twin thieves attempt to pull off a daring heist in Stolen City, the sophomore fantasy novel from DAUNTLESS author Elisa A. Bonnin.
The city of Leithon is under Imperial occupation and Arian Athensor has made it her playground.
In stealing magical artifacts for the Resistance, bounding over rooftops to evade Imperial soldiers, and establishing herself as the darling thief of the underground, Arian lives a life wrapped in danger and trained towards survival. She’ll steal anything for the right price, and if she runs fast enough, she can almost escape the fact that her mother is dead, her father is missing, and her brother, Liam, is tamping down a wealth of power in a city that has outlawed magic.
But then the mysterious Cavar comes to town with a job for the twins: to steal an artifact capable of ripping the souls from the living–the same artifact that used to hang around the neck of Arian’s mother. Suddenly, her past is no longer buried under adrenaline but intimately tied to the mission at hand, and Arian must face her guilt and pain head-on in order to pull off the heist.
As Arian and Cavar infiltrate the strongest fortress in Leithon and Liam joins the Resistance as their resident mage, the twins find themselves embroiled in court politics and family secrets, and the mission becomes more than just another artifact theft. The target is now the Imperial rule, and Arian will go to any length necessary to steal her city back.
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Excerpt #1 There was a sudden blur of motion. Two figures darted across the wooden planks that spanned the roof, so quickly that no one would have been able to see them unless they were looking up just as Cavar and Linna were. From this distance, it was impossible to pick out any details, only that there were two of them, moving quickly, heading west over the roofs.
“What was that?” Linna asked, puzzled. “I thought the roof-top paths in the Imperial Quarter were closed. They’re too well guarded.” Cavar grinned. Maybe it was the coffee, or maybe it was the sudden charge in the air, but he couldn’t help the thrill of excite-ment that ran through him then. His informant had been right. He crushed the empty cup in his hand, tossing it into a nearby wastebasket.
“Apparently nobody told them that.”
A clamor rose from the east, a discordant alarm. The people in the streets looked up, but of course there was nothing more to see. Cavar slipped his hands into his pockets and started to walk, thinking. The Imperials would be out in force. A theft in the maximum- security vault of the First Aelrian Bank wasn’t something they could over-look. He had to catch them first.
If they were heading west, they would have to get down off the rooftops to cross the Road of Law. That would be where their pursuers would try to catch them, and if Cavar was lucky, that was where he would meet them too.
Linna hurried to catch up with him, a shadow at his side. Together, they cut through Leithon’s evening crowds, its Imperial citizens stopping to murmur at each other in wonder and confusion at the rising alarms. She didn’t try to stop him, but he could hear the impatience in her voice when she spoke up.
“You can’t tell me you mean to go after them. We’ll walk right into an Imperial patrol.”
“Aren’t you curious how they’ll get out of that?” Cavar asked, grinning.
“I’m more concerned with keeping us out of an Imperial prison.” “It’s a little too late for that, isn’t it? After all, we’re here to take their most prized artifact.”
Linna rolled her eyes. “And those are the thieves you want to hire to help us do it? Do you even know a thing about them?”
He knew a few things, thanks to his mother. But he couldn’t blame Linna for her skepticism.
The Athensor twins, the last children of eth’Akari.
He felt a shiver run down his spine, a flutter of excitement in his belly.
It was said that the Weavers were the agents of the world’s fate, weaving its loose threads together to keep them from getting tangled. But in that moment, Cavar felt as if he had been woven into the tapestry, by some hand other than his own. As if fate had gotten tired of their hubris and had decided to show the world that she could make even a Weaver dance on her strings.
It was an utterly exhilarating feeling, and Cavar couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.\
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Author Elisa A. Bonnin
About the Author Elisa A. Bonnin was born and raised in the Philippines, after which she moved to the United States to study chemistry and later oceanography. After completing her doctorate, she moved to Germany to work as a postdoctoral scientist. A lifelong learner, Elisa is always convinced that she should “maybe take a class in something” and as a result, has amassed an eclectic collection of hobbies. But writing will always be her true love. Publishing a book has been her dream since she was eight years old, and she is thrilled to finally be able to share her stories. Dauntless is her first novel.
Welcome to the cover reveal for ANGEL OF ASHES AND DUST, the final book in the new adult dystopian fantasy series, The Wormwood Trilogy, by D.H. Nevins, releasing October 18, 2022. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
ANGEL OF ASHES AND DUST (The Wormwood Trilogy #3) by D.H. Nevins
About the Book Title: ANGEL OF ASHES AND DUST Series: The Wormwood Trilogy #3 Author: D.H. Nevins Publisher: Black Wraith Books Release Date: October 18, 2022
Genre: New Adult Dystopian Fantasy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
The end of her people and the death of a planet are looming over her. Kali Michaels must choose between the illusion of safety and the danger of her own power in this anticipated and heart-stopping finale to The Wormwood Trilogy.
Kali learned the hard way that her abilities cannot be trusted if they can be used against her. In an effort to protect those she cares about, she is determined to let the power of her Shadow lie dormant, despite the dangers rising up around her.
Now, tormented by an unstoppable enemy, she and Tiamat Wormwood must try to lead others while doing the impossible—ensuring the survival of humans and half-angels alike.
But how can she partner with Tiamat, when her proximity could kill him?
And how can the Nephilim, Tiamat, be trusted to save a planet, if he is the one who shattered it in the first place?
Little do they know that sometimes, for new beginnings, that which they love must first be destroyed.
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ANGEL OF ASHES AND DUST (The Wormwood Trilogy #3) by D.H. Nevins (Full Cover)
About the Author D.H. Nevins was born in Toronto and currently lives in a quiet area of Ontario, surrounded by forests and lakes. By day, she is a personable, friendly school teacher. By night, she silently chuckles as she writes about destroying the world. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys world travel, hiking, camping, flying around on her motorcycle or dabbling in live theatre.
Welcome to the blog tour for THE RISE, a standalone adult romantic thriller, by Ross King and Shari Low. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
Synopsis
When we bury our secrets, they always come back to haunt us… Their rise was meteoric.
Only a few years before, they had been three friends from Glasgow, just trying to survive tough lives of danger and dysfunction. But on one Hollywood night in 1993, they were on the world’s biggest stage, accepting their Oscar in front of the watching world. That night was the beginning of their careers. But it was also the end of their friendship.
Over the next twenty years, Mirren McLean would become one of the most powerful writers in the movie industry. Zander Leith would break box-office records as cinema’s most in-demand action hero. And Davie Johnson would rake in millions as producer of some of the biggest shows on TV.
For two decades they didn’t speak, driven apart by a horrific secret.
Until now…
Their past is coming back to bite them, and they have to decide whether to run, hide, or fight. Because when you rise to the top, there’s always someone who wants to see you fall.
An exciting new glam thriller for the fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Liane Moriarty and Jo Spain
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Excerpt #1 Prologue
The 65th Academy Awards,
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles,
29 March 1993
Lights.
The heat of the lights is as oppressive as the thick cloak of insecurity and desperation that shrouds the audience.
Billy Crystal steps to the podium, his laconic grin a teasing, gentle rebuke to a collection of egos teetering on the edge of explosion.
His fourth time in the role, Crystal introduces the presenter of the next category with an ease born of confidence and familiarity. Romcom queen, Lana Delasso, glides onto the stage, blonde hair an homage to her namesake and idol, Lana Turner. Her nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress will be decided later and she’s done everything possible to win. Everything. In her fifties now, the best surgeons have ensured that she doesn’t look a day over thirty-five, her white, cobweb Versace gown, defying the rule that you should never show cleavage and legs at the same time. The physical reactions in the audience are instant and visceral: tight smiles of envy on bejewelled women coincide with ferocious erections under some of the $1,000 tuxedos sitting next to them.
Her words are white noise until they reach the point: ‘…. Best Original Screenplay.’
Behind her, on a thirty-foot screen, the nominations roll.
Husbands and Wives by Woody Allen. A smattering of applause, hesitations fuelled by the desire to come down on the right side of the moral judgement on Allen’s affair with Mia Farrow’s daughter. In Hollywood, picking sides has little to do with principles and everything to do with career enhancement.
Lorenzo’s Oil by George Miller and Nick Enright. More applause. Camera zooms to a row in which the suits are overshadowed by Susan Sarandon’s uncommon beauty.
Passion Fish by John Sayles. A movie that was released in only two theatres, grossing only a few tickets over $36,000 before its nomination.
Unforgiven by David Peoples. A crowd-pleaser. Directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, the audience of stars greets it with a show of worship reserved for work that has been touched by a deity.
The Brutal Circle by Davie Johnston, Zander Leith and Mirren McLean. An outsider. A harrowing story of a life born in violence, lived in violence, cut short by violence.
The big screen spans several seats, but all eyes are on the ebullient form of the producer, Wes Lomax, legendary head of Lomax Films, the studio responsible for more million-dollar-grossing movies in the last decade than any other.
The image returns to Lana Delasso, revelling in her moment. The same fingers that caressed a very married studio mogul only an hour before, now slide delicately along the folds of the gold envelope.
‘And the winner is…’
Pause.
‘The Brutal Circle by…’
Sycophantic cheers drown out the names; stars rise to their feet, determined to ensure that when Wes Lomax watches the playback, he will see them heralding his triumph.
In the chaos, the director in the gallery is a fraction late in switching to the three bodies that move towards the stage, all of them almost as unrecognizable as the extras hired to fill the seats vacated by stars drawn to the restrooms by the call of nature or the need for a line snorted off the top of a toilet. When the zoom lens on Camera 5 finally catches up with the winners, they are ascending the stairs to the stage.
Davie Johnston, at twenty-two the youngest winner of an award in that category in Academy history, strides forward with the surety of a man with an unblinking eye on his destination – the spotlight of an Academy award winner and membership of one of the most exalted, exclusive clubs in the world.
Behind him, Mirren McLean, in the only haute-couture dress she has ever touched, her wild mane of Titian curls tamed to match the elegance of the midnight-blue Dior gown. Unaccustomed to heels, she steps with care, her expression a mix of concentration and disbelief.
Finally, with a demeanour that suggests reluctance, Zander Leith. For every woman who tried to ignore her partner’s sexual interest in Lana Delasso, here is six feet two inches of payback. Wide shoulders, his square jaw set in a brooding grimace, he could be heading to a wake, not the spotlight of a winner.
When only a few feet separate them, Lana’s eyes meet his and she instinctively flinches as he responds to the flirtatious flutter of her lashes with almost visceral scorn, his disdain barely masked by his own thick, black lashes. Rebuffed.
While the outside remains a movie goddess, on the inside she is twelve again: the odd kid at school that even the trailer-park waifs avoid. The one that turned into the most beautiful woman in Hollywood, but still felt she had to respond to the summons to Wes Lomax’s yacht and service his lust and his ego to get his support for her own nomination.
Davie Johnston takes the Oscar and moves forward to the microphone.
‘I just want to say thank you—’
More applause. Most of the audience know of this trio, despite the fact that they are barely out of their teens. Wes Lomax has ensured that their story has saturated the Hollywood press in recent months. All three are credited as writers on the script, but Mirren steered the story behind the scenes, while the two men played leading roles in a movie that had blown up at the box office. The success was due, in part, to a publicity and distribution campaign usually reserved for A-list releases, and, in part, to the fact that it was a damn fine piece of cinema. It was a raw, hardcore two hours of urban menace that had a generation of American teens queuing for their Saturday-night thriller kicks. It hit $15 million on the balance sheets after the first month, then word of mouth set it on fire. It was now well on the way to Lomax’s $100million target.
This was the kind of American dream, the triumph of the underdog, the discovery of wonder that this city loved. Three childhood friends from Scotland, pals from a run-down housing estate who’d stuck together in poverty and disfunction, before going on to be the creative talents behind an outstanding script discovered by Wes Lomax when he took his annual golfing trip to the UK. It was beyond surprising that these kids had managed to get their work in front of Lomax. Even more so that he’d taken enough time off from screwing high-class escorts in the presidential suites of the best hotels in the UK to read it.
Now the audience in the red velvet chairs furrow their brows as they try to decipher Davie Johnston’s accent. This isn’t the Scottish burr of Sean Connery. Nor does it come close to the accents they heard from Davie and Zander in the movie. It is harder. More guttural. Like bullets being sprayed from a gun in a scene from Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino’s big hit of the previous year.
‘Thank you to the Academy. Thank you to all of you for letting us be part of this incredible world. And most of all, thank you to the brilliant Wes Lomax. We owe him everything.’
Camera 3 zooms in on Lomax and millions of people watch him nod, eyes glistening, a godfather acknowledging gratitude from his chosen family.
Davie bows to signal the end of his speech, then punches the Oscar into the air. Neither Mirren nor Zander step forward. Recovered from the sting of Zander’s rejection, Lana sweeps them off stage right into the unbridled chaos of runners, technicians, gophers and make-up artists brandishing thick brushes at agitated stars.
They are propelled into a press room, cameras flashing, journos screeching questions, all of which they answer with naive honesty. Barely a few years ago they were hanging out in cafés, pooling their money to buy chips. Now they are on Hollywood’s biggest stage and Davie Johnston isn’t even going to pretend for a second that he’s not loving it.
How are they enjoying Hollywood? Fine. Great. Aye, it’s, erm, amazing.
Are they here to stay? Dunno yet. It depends. Nothing decided.
Is their next project already underway? No plans yet. Nothing concrete. Just ideas.
Davie answers most of the questions, with an occasional contribution from Mirren.
Lou Cole, a young, sparky journalist on the LA Times, changes the pattern.
‘So, Zander, how does it feel to be called the new Hollywood heart-throb?’
His bashful grin is automatic, and conceals the fact that for the second time that night his eyes flicker with pure contempt.
‘I don’t think Tom Cruise has anything to worry about.’
Oblivious to the underlying sentiment, the press pack laugh, as Paula Leno, Lomax Films’ hard-ass head of publicity, sweetly but firmly calls an end to the photocall, determined to minimize the risk of a fuck-up and all too aware that the next winners will soon be arriving on the conveyor belt of achievement.
Finally alone, there is a pause as each of them absorbs the last ten incredible minutes of their lives. Davie is the first to react, throwing his arms around Mirren and squeezing her.
‘We did it. Shit, I don’t believe it.’ As always, his enthusiasm oozes from under his skin. It has been that way all their lives. Davie is the life force, the driven one, the chancer. Mirren is the voice of reason, the one with emotional intelligence, always in touch with how everyone else is feeling. And she knows there’s a problem here.
Over Davie’s shoulder her gaze has locked with Zander’s, dispelling all notion of celebration. She can see the storm that’s been brewing for far too long is about to roar with thunder. Davie doesn’t get the memo. His first burst of excitement over, he turns to the new Hollywood heart-throb. His lifelong friend, bonded as youngsters by a shared recognition that no one really gave a fuck, their symbiotic pairing paying no heed to the reality that in the gene pool of life, Zander got height and physical perfection, while Davie got the kind of non-threatening appeal that made women want to ruffle his hair and tell him about their last broken heart.
‘C’mon, man, that was incredible! Did you hear them? That was for us. That has to make everything worth it. C’mon, man…’
The desperate repetition isn’t lost on any of them. Mirren’s teeth clench together as she raises her chin in defiance. She knows there is no point looking for resolution and rapprochement with Zander, and she refuses to show weakness by trying.
Her instincts are right.
For the last photograph, Zander was asked to hold the Oscar to give the picture editors a range of different images to choose from. Now he tosses it to Davie like it is a can of Bud pulled from the fridge to wash down a burger.
‘Take it.’
Davie’s reflexes are just quick enough to save it from the floor.
‘You got what you wanted.’ Zander’s words are barely louder than a whisper, yet drown out all other sounds. ‘Now both of you can fuck off, and if I ever see you again, walk the other way.’
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Authors Shari Low and Ross King
About the Authors In January 2022, Shari Low celebrated 21 years since the publication of her first novel, What If?. Shari went on to be a best-selling novelist, publishing over 30 books, including My One Month Marriage, One Day In Summer, One Summer Sunrise, The Story Of Our Secrets and her non-fiction collection of parenthood memories, Because Mummy Said So.
In late 2020, her first novel, What If?, was updated and re-published. In January 2021, the sequel, What Now? was released, followed in April 22 by the third book in the series, What Next?. All three novels became international best sellers.
In real life, once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and twenty-something years later she lives near Glasgow with her husband and a labradoodle. Her two teenagers have now left home, so she spends an inordinate amount of time on video calls checking if they’re eating well and keeping up to date with their laundry.
For all the latest news, visit Shari on Facebook, twitter, instagram or at www.sharilow.com
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Ross King is the author of the bestselling Brunelleschi’s Dome and Michelangelo & the Pope’s Ceiling, as well as the novels Ex-Libris and Domino. He lives in England, near Oxford.
Welcome to the cover reveal for DISENCHANTED, the first book in the new adult dark fantasy romance series, A Lay of Ruinous Reign , by Brianna Sugalski, releasing December 16, 2022. See below for information on the book, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
DISENCHANTED (A Lay of Ruinous Reign Series #1) by Brianna Sugalski
About the Book Title: DISENCHANTED Series: A Lay of Ruinous Reign Series #1 Author: Brianna Sugalski Publisher: Fenfoss Tavern Publishing LLC Release Date: December 16, 2022
Genre: Adult/New Adult Dark Fantasy Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis At the peak of the Breton Renaissance, Lilac Trécesson is held prisoner in her own castle after a most wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Her coronation looms years later, and between their town riots and the noble family bent on snatching her throne, she prepares for the worst…
Until a letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to banish her curse forever.
Her heirloom dagger at the ready, Lilac embarks into Brocéliande and finds herself in the hands of a bloodthirsty barkeep who demands her help in exchange for protection against the even deadlier forces of the woods.
She is thrust on a quest to uphold her family’s legacy—and her sovereign right to destroy it and start anew—by any means necessary. Pity the fool to underestimate the girl with subpar blade skills but pure spite to make up for it.
This is the tale of a cursed princess,
A crestfallen killer,
The town that wants them to burn,
And the witch who can save them both.
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Author Brianna Sugalski
About the Author Southeast Asian fantasy author with a soup addiction. Diverse medievalist and developmental editor who lives in oversized sweaters, and prefers to explore the more ominous—disenchanting, if you will—undertones of history, romance, and the arcane.
My debut, Breton Arthuriana-inspired YA Dark Fantasy DISENCHANTED, released with the Parliament Press in March 2020, and is being re-released and rebranded for the New Adult/ Adult indie market in December 2022. The rest of the trilogy will follow this updated genre rating.
Welcome to the blog tour for SHY GIRLS CAN’T DATE BILLIONAIRES, the first book in the young adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Shy Girls Sweet Romances, by Milly Rose. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SHY GIRLS CAN’T DATE BILLIONAIRES (Shy Girls Sweet Romance Series #1) by Milly Rose
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: SHY GIRLS CAN’T DATE BILLIONAIRES Series: Shy Girls Sweet Romances #1 Author: Milly Rose Publisher: Halo & Claws Publishing Release Date: September 5, 2022
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis
I never existed until the wrong guy took notice…
I was born shy. And near him, I fall apart. No wonder he can’t stand the sight of me.
After a fire destroys our home, my family is taken in by a billionaire tycoon. His mansion has countless bedrooms, yet my room is next door to his son, Thomas Ashworth III. Yes, he’s as pompous as the name suggests. And, for some reason, he hates my guts.
Even though his arrogance drives me crazy, his chiseled features turn me into a stammering, awkward mess. I hate being stuck with someone I can’t stand. And when he does something unexpectedly kind, it confuses my heart.
When I bump into him in the middle of the night, I’d never guess it lead to us sharing secrets.
He’s impossible to get out of my head. But he wouldn’t consider dating someone like me. Would he?
You will love Christie and Ash. They are stuck together in forced proximity, becoming practically roommates. He is a billionaire, alpha male type who is learning to love. She is the new girl in school, dealing with past trauma. Together they will go from enemies to lovers in an adorable young adult romance.
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Excerpt “Hi,” Thomas says, folding his arms across his chest. “What’s your first class?”
I stare at him as bags pull under my eyes. My lack of sleep and the adrenaline from panicking have taken their toll.
He unfolds his arms and tilts his head. “What’s up?” he asks.
I smooth my clammy palms over my blazer and fidget in my shoes.
“I told you, you don’t need to panic,” Thomas says, stepping closer to me. “This school is a piece of cake.”
I run a hand over my hair and turn my face away from him. I’m gonna lose it again. My insides contort with another urge to launch over a toilet bowl.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, placing a hand on my arm.
I jolt in surprise.
He removes his hand and takes a step back. “Sorry,” he says.
I look away. “It’s okay.”
Thomas smiles. “Glad you got your voice back.”
I blush, and mumble, “Me too.”
“Why do you look so freaked out?” he asks. “They showed you where to go, didn’t they?”
I shake my head. “Not exactly.”
“What happened when I left? Ms. Thornesmith usually handles everything, so I figured you wouldn’t have an issue.”
I fidget in my shoes again and turn my head in the other direction, staring at the closed bathroom door.
“A girl offered to show me around. Somewhere along the way, we kinda parted ways… I don’t have my schedule, and I don’t know where I’m going.” Huffing, I pause my ramble to throw my arms in the air. “I don’t know what classes I have… and I’m just lost again, like usual.”
“Don’t sweat it,” he says. “I’ll take you back to admin, and we’ll get you a new schedule. Then I’ll show you around.”
I cross my arms and let out a tired, “Humph.”
“What?”
“You’ll show me around?” I say, looking at the floor. It is as confrontational as I get. It’s shocking the words have come out of my mouth.
I doubt he’d help me. Why would he?
“Christie, you need to know where you’re going. I’ll show you where to find your classrooms. It’s not a big deal.”
“It was a big deal earlier,” I say.
It’s baffling that I’m continuing with this conversation.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” he says, taking another step back. “My parents kind of threw this on me. I already had plans for this morning that I needed to follow through on.”
“Fine, whatever,” I say, crossing my arms in frustration. “You could have at least told your parents or me that you couldn’t show me around. If you had said you couldn’t help me, my mom would have come with me.” I pull my arms tighter across my midsection. “It’d be better than being alone.”
“I’m sorry you felt alone,” he says, taking a step forward. “But, be honest, you don’t exactly enjoy my company. I assumed you’d be relieved when I left.”
His words surprised me. I look up to meet his eyes, finding them filled with sincerity.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
He puffs a laugh and slides his hand into his trouser pockets. “Don’t act like you don’t hate when I’m around.”
I place a hand over my heart. “Me?”
“You’re always judging me.”
“I haven’t said anything bad to you.”
A nervous laugh seeps out of him. “You don’t have to say it. It’s in your eyes. I know you can’t stand me.”
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Author Milly Rose
About the Author Milly Rose is an animal-loving romance enthusiast with a swoon-inducing book formula. Shy girl + hot guy + first kisses. Her YA sweet romance books will have you falling in love every instalment. Milly Rose is the quintessential shy girl, who you can contact via her mailing list and reply to her monthly email blasts! Milly spends her days vying for her cat’s affection, dreaming up her next book boyfriend, and writing a fun meet-cute under candlelight with a lovely brewed cup of tea.
GET A FREE BOOK HERE >> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cod6m6wfzw
(You will sign up to Milly Rose’s Newsletter and are free to unsubscribe anytime!)
Welcome to the cover reveal for ECHO, the sixth book in the adult contemporary romance/romantic suspense series, Alpha Elite, by USA Today bestselling author Sybil Bartel, releasing January 19, 2023. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
Synopsis Joining the military wasn’t a choice, it was survival. The Navy was the last place they’d think to look for me. Hiding in plain sight, I lived in the shadow of deployments… until an off-the-books mission put me in the crosshairs of my past.
My cover blown, I walked away from the SEALs and sought refuge at the one place where I’d be more invisible than on the Teams—Alpha Elite Security. As a Black Ops government contractor, AES was the world’s leading provider of security solutions. High stakes, higher price tag, and complete anonymity. I fit right in.
But then I made a mistake. A single misstep and I was face to face with the only woman who could kill me faster than a bullet.
Code name: Echo.
Mission: Evade.
ECHO is a standalone book in the exciting Alpha Elite Series by USA Today Bestselling author, Sybil Bartel. Come meet Echo and the dominant, alpha heroes who work for AES!
About the Author Sybil Bartel is a USA Today Bestselling author of unapologetic alpha heroes. Whether you’re reading her deliciously dominant mercenaries, bodyguards or military heroes, all of her heart-stopping, page-turning romantic suspense novels have sexy-as-sin alpha heroes!
Sybil resides in South Florida and she is forever Oliver’s mom.
Welcome to the book blitz for CHRIS, the third book in the adult romantic suspense series, Cross Security, by Nancy Brown. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis
This will be a job from hell… I knew that from the moment I laid eyes on her.
Ex- MI6 agent Chris Winters lives by the rules. The most important rule of all: no messing around with a client. It works for him. Until it doesn’t. His newest job for Cross Security should be simple. Poppy Jones, the hottest swimwear and lingerie model on the planet, has a stalker… a ghost from her past who is coming to collect what he believes is his. Chris is to protect her and find out who is issuing the threats.
Simple. Cut and Dry.
Until it’s not.
Their chemistry is off the charts. But even as Chris fights his attraction to Poppy and discovers there is more to her than meets the eye, the real threat comes not from her stalker, but from the growing connection between them.
If he puts everything on the line, including his heart, will Chris still be able to keep her safe? Or will the ghost from Poppy’s past succeed in taking what he believes is his?
It’s a dangerous game to play. Who will succeed and who will fail?
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Excerpt #2 Poppy:
I’m doing my third show this week; I’m exhausted but focused as I walk down the catwalk. I’ve tried to forget about what happened a few weeks back, but it hasn’t been easy. His voice keeps creeping back out of the box I put it in. I swear I’m losing my mind on more than one occasion, because I think I see and hear him everywhere.
When I catch a glimpse of a blond head in the front row, my eyes dart quickly in that direction. Deep blue eyes the color of the ocean stare up at me. A brilliant white smile flashes across his face as he looks at me. My ankle wobbles slightly but I somehow maintain my balance and force my eyes to snap up and look at nothing but what’s ahead of me as I complete my circuit.
I’m an internal mess by the time I get through the show. I had three outfits to showcase on the runway. I didn’t look for him again, at least not until my last circuit, when the show was finally over. I don’t see Surfer Man, but there is a man with blondish hair not far from where I saw him. It could have been him I saw. Maybe I just imagined it was Surfer Man. That must be what happened. Christ, I must be going crazy. A million thoughts are swirling through my head as I walk off stage and head back to my station.
“You okay?” someone I don’t know asks as I start to change. I don’t answer. I’m a bundle of nerves as I quickly slip into my jeans and t-shirt and bend down to tie my sneakers. I can’t get him out of my mind. God, he looked exactly the same. How is that even possible? It’s been ten years. No! It wasn’t him. You need to stop this shit; I tell myself as I stuff the rest of my things into my bag in a hurry to get the hell out of there.
Just as I’m about to leave the backstage area, one of the girls comes up to me holding a huge bouquet of pink roses. She shoves them in my direction and squeals in excitement, “Poppy, you have an admirer. These were just dropped off for you a couple of minutes ago, you lucky bitch.”
I stop dead in my tracks and give her a little smile, trying to contain the rapidly growing terror inside. “Oh wow! Seriously? They’re beautiful. Is there a card?” I glance at the gorgeous bouquet still in her arms but don’t see one.
She gives me a funny look. “No, he just handed them to me and made me promise to get them to you as quickly as possible. He said it was a surprise. God, he was super dreamy,” she says as a lusty smile crosses her face. “Does he happen to have a brother by any chance?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. What did he look like?” I ask as I nibble on my lip, hoping like hell she’s going to say he has dark hair.
She gives me a curious look. “Tall, fit, blond, with a sun-kissed golden tan, sexy as hell smile and the most gorgeous blue-green eyes. Total dreamboat.”
She is still talking but I can’t hear what she is saying over the pounding of my heart, each beat seeming louder than the one before. It’s him. He’s here. What do I do? My stomach lurches and I can feel a cold sweat settling over my body as panic overtakes me.
About the Author Nancy Carolyn Brown is an author of contemporary romance, fond of writing love stories about hunky badass men endowed with massive hearts, and strong heroines with just the right mix of sweet and sass… flaming hot chemistry and thrilling nail biting suspense is always guaranteed!
She loves cosmos and chocolate and a swoony good book with a strong storyline.
She lives in sunny southern Alberta, Canada with her high school sweetheart husband and naughty Bengal cat. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys the simple things in life like spending time with family and friends, reading and running with her favorite playlist blasting in her ears.
Welcome to the book blitz for JUST LIKE FAMILY, a standalone adult romance, by Barbara Casey. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
JUST LIKE FAMILY by Barbara Casey
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: JUST LIKE FAMILY Author:Barbara Casey Publisher: Wandering Sage Publications Release Date: April 27, 2010
Genre: Adult Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
All in one day, thirty-five-year-old Hallie Marsh learns that the man she loves, works for, and is living with has found someone else-and that she no longer has a job, a place to live, or a car since she crashed it into a hedge. Her feelings of rage and desire for revenge are soon replaced by a fascination with her new neighbors-four peculiar, elderly people who decide to buy an old run-down estate, fix it up, and live in it “just like family.”
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Excerpt #2 Jeff Darnell stumbled over several boxes and something unidentifiable in the dark as he tried to locate the ringing telephone. The awards dinner had gone on much later than expected the night before, and by the time he and Susan got back to the house, she was too tired to do any more unpacking. Cursing, Darnell finally managed to locate a light switch and turn it on. The phone was tangled on the floor under Susan’s dress—the one he had bought for her to wear to the banquet.
“This is Vince Barnes,” the voice said, and I am interested in looking at the Braswell property you have listed.”
Jeff had to use every bit of self-discipline contained in his forty-five-year-old athletic body to keep from sounding too eager. “There are some people from up north who are also looking at the property, Mr. Barnes,” he lied, “but I’ll see what I can do to work you in ahead of them.” Jeff’s eyes, now adjusted to the glaring light, paused on a clock in the vicinity of the large, king-size bed. It was 5:10 a.m. Jeff could feel himself salivate. He wasn’t going to let this one get away. Barnes must really be interested or he wouldn’t be calling so goddamn early. He postured himself for his next move. “Are you interested in buying the property for yourself or as an investment?”
The voice on the other end of the line mumbled something about an alliance. What in the hell is that thought Jeff. He postured himself one more time. “I shall be happy to pick you up, Mr. Barnes, and we can drive out there together,” he said. “When did you want to go look at it?” Jeff liked to haul his clients around on the pretense of saving them the trouble. It helped to relax their defenses so he could find out the information he wanted without asking directly. Like where they currently lived, what kind of car they drove, how they dressed, were there kids, and if so, any in college, where they worked. And, the bottom line, how much money could he squeeze out of them. It was amazing how much people revealed about themselves without being asked. All he had to do was use his boyish smile and throw in enough personal crap, it didn’t have to be true, to make him seem like a benevolent uncle instead of a piranha, and he would have all the information he needed to give him what he was looking for—that vulnerable spot.
“That won’t be necessary,” the voice answered. “I’ll meet you there at seven o’clock Monday morning.” And the line went dead.
Jeff hung up the receiver and stared at the sleek-line phone. That’s all right, he thought to himself. I’ve dealt with tight-lipped bastards before. He crawled over some more boxes trying not to disturb Susan, not that she was a light sleeper anyway, and went over to his desk where he hauled out the telephone directory from a bottom drawer. There was no listing for a “Vince Barnes,” but there were nine listings that had the letter “V” as the first or middle initial preceding the surname Barnes. It could have been any of them or none of them. Jeff shut the directory and shoved it back into the drawer. “Well, that’s all right,” he repeated, this time out loud. “There’s plenty of time.” He smiled confidently. He went over to the closed draperies and opened them partially so he could enjoy the early morning dawn. This was a live one. He could just feel it.
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Author Barbara Casey
About the Author Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency, established in 1995, representing authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014 Barbara became a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in true crime and other cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her three cats who adopted her.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE MESSY TRUTH ABOUT LOVE, a standalone new adult contemporary romance, by C.L. Walters. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
A fresh start is exactly what Hannah Fleming needs after getting dumped by her cheating ex-boyfriend. While getting rejected was awful, nine weeks removed she’s recognizing the benefits, seeing that relationship for what it was: unhealthy. Then, Hannah bumps into her high school crush, Seth Peters, and is offered a second chance to see if what was in the past can once again be magical in the present. But when her past threatens her second chance, she must determine how hard she’s willing to fight for her future.
SETH
A fresh start is exactly what Seth Peters needs. New place. New people. New opportunities. Except, he runs straight into one of the greatest unresolved moments of his past, Hannah Fleming. Suddenly life is offering a second chance with her, but can he hold onto all he’s learned over the last few years to make a future with Hannah work? Or will he backslide into old ways of being to hide the truth of his darker past?
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Excerpt #1 I rush through the first set of doors at Hammill, my eyes unfocused, replaying where I went wrong in the conversation with Sebastian, and bump into someone hurrying out. The books in my arms flop out, falling to the ground in a syncopated succession of thuds. “Oh. I’m so sorry,” I say and bend down to pick up the books, which I don’t want to get wet.
Shoot. Shoot. I’m so late. Matilda is going to string me up by my nails.
“So sorry,” a deep voice says at the same time. “My fault. I wasn’t–” A familiar voice, stalled now on his last word.
I look up into a face I recognize. Warm amber eyes. A dimpled smile. My heart remembers jumping around in my chest with that familiar rhythm before my eyes and mind put that recognition together. “Hannah?”
“Seth?” A smile spreads across my face and every nagging thought evaporates. “What are you doing here?” My smile won’t stop and communicates with the rest of my body that it needs to get involved in the joy. My heart hammers against my ribs. My face heats.
The last time I saw him–
My heart trips over the memory and won’t let me visit it out of self-preservation. He looks like high school Seth, but different. Older. His nose is still slightly crooked. His mouth, with perfectly proportional lips, still cuts adorable dimples into his cheeks when he smiles, which he does, causing his amber eyes to sparkle. His brown hair is darker now, effortlessly styled so that wavy locks stray across his forehead. He’s still taller than me. His face is wider, and it makes me wonder about the rest of him hiding underneath the jacket.
My heart adds a hot hum of awareness in my chest.
He’s a friend—I tell myself—one I haven’t seen in a long time.
He bends down to help me with the books. “Wow. I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. And it’s you!” We’re crouched down together in the entryway of Hammill between the sets of doors. Someone opens the outer door, and a burst of cold finds its way under the hem of my coat and drifts up my back.
I shiver.
“What are you doing here?” I don’t know why I glance around, but I do, as if he’s materialized from thin air and will disappear again when the spell wears off. “How are you? It’s been, what?” He grabs the last book.
We stand.
He holds the book out to me, and his eyes grasp ahold of mine. “Since that summer after senior year.” July. The beach. I remember.
He remembers?
I tilt my head, surprised.
I know the last time I saw him. The memory played on repeat in my mind, my dreams, my inner overthinking-monologue far too long after it happened. I try to play it cool. “Yeah! I think it was on the 4th of July get-together at the beach. After graduation.” I can’t stop smiling, and my cheeks are starting to ache. I wonder what he remembers about that night. We texted some after. Then he moved away, and the chats became fewer and farther between until they stopped altogether.
Someone opens the door from the library on their way out.
I step to the side and grasp the sleeve of Seth’s coat to draw him to the side with me. The girl walking past glances at Seth and does a double take. Not surprising. He’s always captured the girls’ attention. I refocus on his smile. No dimples.
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Author C.L. Walters
About the Author As a kid, CL Walters, world revolved around two things: stories and make believe. She’s built a real life around those two things: a teacher of stories and a writer of make believe.
With four books now published, she’s looking forward to her fifth release October 13, 2020, a YA Contemporary Romance called The Stories Stars Tell.
Sign up for her newsletter for news, goodies, and fun (www.clwalters.net)
Welcome to the book blitz for THE SWEETEST GAME, the third book in the new adult contemporary sports romance series, Southern U O’Brien Brothers, by Cookie O’Gorman. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE SWEETEST GAME (Southern U O’Brien Brothers Series #3) by Cookie O’Gorman
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: THE SWEETEST GAME Series: Southern U O’Brien Brothers Series #3 Author: Cookie O’Gorman Release Date: September 8, 2022 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
Hopelessly in love with my best friend’s brother.
That’s what it will say on my tombstone. Here lies Junior “June” Dorsey. Tomboy. Car lover. Bookworm. She suffered from a severe case of unrequited love syndrome.
It’s not like I haven’t tried liking other guys. I have. It’s just none of them measure up to him.
Baylor O’Brien. Beautiful. Cocky. Talented (on the field and in the bedroom—or so I’ve heard).
And completely oblivious to my love for him.
When Bay asks for my help, I can’t say no. He needs my PR expertise to revamp his reputation and up his chances of being scouted after one scout—the one he really wants—dismisses him as nothing more than a party-loving playboy.
When he asks me to be his fake girlfriend, I accept his proposal.
But how am I supposed to act like I’m in love without revealing the truth? And why is Baylor so good at pretending?
One thing I know that’s true:
All’s fair in love and baseball.
Wish me luck,
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Excerpt His arm tightened around me.
I felt his breath hitting my neck.
If this wasn’t some form of heaven, I didn’t know what was.
“Where’s your dad?” he asked.
“He’s away for a few days,” I said. “So, I’m in charge of the garage.”
“Nice.”
“How was the game going before it got rained out?” I asked.
“Honestly, Sunshine? I couldn’t tell you,” he said. “There were other things on my mind.”
“Ah.”
We were quiet for a few moments, and then Baylor started to stand.
“I think you’re warm now,” he said. “No chance of hypothermia, so that’s good.”
“I don’t think I was ever in danger of that,” I said dryly.
“You never know, Sunshine. I’ll see you later then.”
Before he could move from the bed, I looked back and reached for his hand. Baylor looked down and then back up at me. He’d ditched the baseball cap, so his hair was wet around the sides. Baylor shirtless was a thing of beauty. His muscles glinted under the lights in my room, and I couldn’t believe he was actually here. His piercing gray eyes held a question in them.
“Will you stay?” I asked, hoping it didn’t sound too desperate. “You can leave later if you want, but…could you stay? Just for now?”
Baylor gave a small smile and got back under the covers.
“Of course,” he said, dropping a kiss against my shoulder. “I wouldn’t want any of your toes falling off.”
“Not funny, Bay.”
“You’re delirious from the rain. I’m hilarious.”
“And you are surprisingly sweet.”
“Nah, that’s the fever talking.”
“My fake boyfriend carried me through the rain,” I said like a damsel in distress. “It was glorious.”
“And now she’s hallucinating. Get some sleep, Sunshine. You need it,” he said, settling me more firmly against him. Tiredness swamped me in a wave. “We can talk about getting you a first aid kit in the morning.”
“I’m fine,” I said softly, feeling my eyelids begin to droop.
“You are,” he said.
“Is this lesson two?”
“Yeah, it’s called spooning.”
“I think I like it.”
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Get Caught Up on the Series – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
About the Author Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, and The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romance, The Best Mistake..
Welcome to the blog tour for CROW, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, The Sinful Guardians M.C., by C.M. Marin. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
CROW (The Sinful Guardians MC Series #1) by C.M. Marin
About The Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: CROW Series: The Sinful Guardians MC Series #1 Author: C.M. Marin Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Release Date: August 30, 2022 Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
CROW
One minute I’m content just enjoying life with my club, running one of the businesses we own, and the next a woman sneaks her way under my skin for the first time in my life.
I never saw her coming.
Wild hair, almost black, and dark brown eyes star in my fantasies, but Paisley keeps herself out of reach. She’s shielded behind a solid brick wall that I want to knock down more than I’ve ever wanted anything. As I get to know her, my hero complex grows as fast as the chemistry burning between us. Maybe it’s just the former soldier and the sergeant at arms in me talking, but I want to protect her from both my past and whoever sent her running to Montana.
And I will protect her, because this woman is mine.
PAISLEY
Three months ago, I found out how much cruelty can flow through someone’s veins. My whole world collapsed, and suffocating fear for the most precious thing life has ever given me sent me running.
Now, Montana is my new home. For how long? Only time will tell.
But when fate puts a sturdy, intense biker in my path, everything changes. The connection between Seth and me is palpable, and it grows stronger every day that I get to know him. It lures us together despite my efforts to stay away. And clearly, I fail at staying away. Because soon, what scares me the most is no longer the dreadful ghost of my recent past.
Now, I’m terrified I’ll have to run away again and lose the man I’m falling in love with.
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Excerpt I know that staring down at the nasty mush of food splashed across my kitchen sink is going to awaken the urge to vomit the rest of the lunch I ate three hours ago—most likely before I even manage to get my breathing under control. My churning stomach is the only proof I need. But for a long couple of minutes, the loathsome prospect of a repeat doesn’t set off enough motivation for me to move. But maybe motivation isn’t the problem. Maybe I’m simply not sure it’s wise to take the leap yet. If my legs shake with as much fervor as my hands when I try to walk away from the repugnant smell, the chances of cracking my skull on the hard, light gray tiles of my kitchen floor are sky-high. It doesn’t help that my brain has started to race despite myself, trying to come up with an explanation for the discovery that forced me to puke into the sink, the sickness arising too suddenly to allow me to race to the bathroom. It’s searching for any explanation that would give me even the slightest flicker of hope that the past fourteen months of my life haven’t been a pure lie.
A complete sham.
But as I finally push off the countertop and stagger back to the kitchen island despite the risk of collapsing on the way, my gut, my heart and my head are all on the same page. When my gaze falls back to the few papers that literally made me sick, every part of me knows that the last fourteen months have come to an end. There can’t be many explanations for the papers I found hidden under a loose board of the living room hardwood floor ten minutes ago.
These papers have changed my life. It sounds dramatic, but it’s not. It’s a fact.
My eyes stay anchored to the passport displaying the picture of the man I’ve loved for the past fourteen months, despite the need to fight back a new wave of nausea as more food threatens to make its way up my throat. Through my frenzied heartbeat, my trembling body, and my roiling stomach, I keep reading the name adjoined to the very familiar face with sharp features and soft blue eyes, topped with a mop of light brown hair. The first name is the same I’ve always called him. Brendan. But the last name isn’t his. At least, it’s not the one I thought belonged to the man that I thought was the love of my life until about fifteen minutes ago. And now, the face I’m staring at is the one of the man I love, but strangely, it also isn’t.
If not for the three other pieces of paper I found with the passport, I could have let my mind wander through far-fetched explanations like how the man I’ve shared so much with was some kind of secret agent who had to keep me in the dark for safety reasons. I might have let my love for him convince me of that. But the other papers are spread out here, right before my eyes, and two of them drape a layer of cold chills all over my skin, worsening the shaking that’s taken over my body. The two train tickets scheduled for the same day Brendan booked me a spa day don’t leave much doubt as to what’s going on.
Just for you. You deserve a long day of being pampered.
Those were his words when he gifted me the thoughtful spa day a few days ago, kissing me like I was a treasure. His treasure. But I’ve never been a treasure to him, and he’s never been some undercover hero fighting the most dangerous criminals in the world. I’m a fool, and he’s a fraud. A fraud that is intending to leave Oregon in less than a week.
Why is this happening? Why is he doing this? To me? To us? The possible answers to those questions send an even stronger wave of sickness rolling through me than the papers in front of me, so I’m not even going to think about it. At least not now. Does knowing why matter anyway? To me, in this moment, it doesn’t. All that matters to me is that the man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with is planning to rip away from me the most precious thing life has ever given me. The last piece of paper on the counter is proof of that. I didn’t even know it had arrived yet. The past three weeks have been nothing but adjustment and trying to sleep when I can, so it’s no surprise that administrative stuff hasn’t entered my mind once. But it has been on Brendan’s, obviously. Now I’m back to staring at one of the last names appearing on the document; Travis. Brendan Travis. I’m then reading my own name again, not knowing if it’s a consolation or not. I don’t know much anymore, except that the man who is now a stranger to me is planning to do something heartless and unfathomable. But so help me God, the only way I’m going to let that happen is if I’m dead. And when the door of my apartment opens and footsteps get closer before I have time to put away the incriminating documents, I’m sweating with the thought that something irreversible is really going to happen.
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Author C.M. Marin
About the Author C.M. Marin is an author of romantic suspense and contemporary romance.
Even though she lived in the crowded and beautiful city of London for a few years, she is now a small-town girl. Quiet and nature are all she really needs now… as long as there are books and a box full of assorted teas within easy reach!
She hasn’t found her own happily ever after yet, but she sure loves to write about falling in love and finding forever. With a touch of suspense, just the right amount of sexiness, and plenty of love, she writes books for every lover of romance around the world!
