Welcome to the book blitz for EVERY BIT A COWBOY, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance series, Creedence Horse Rescue, by USA Today bestselling author, Jennie Marts. See below for information on the book and series, and exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
EVERY BIT A COWBOY (Creedence Horse Rescue Series #5) by Jennie Marts
Synopsis “Filled with humor, heart and real love.” —Michelle Major, USA Today bestselling author
USA Today bestselling author Jennie Marts proves there’s nothing quite like a cowboy.
No matter how swoony the cute cowboy is, romance is the last thing on Carley Chapman’s mind. But it’s hard to ignore Knox Garrison and the spark of attraction she feels every time he’s near. When a water line break floods her building, she’s forced to move her salon out to the Heaven Can Wait Horse Rescue ranch, and Knox shows up to help. But things get even more complicated when Carley’s no-good ex comes sniffing around and Knox “fixes” the problem by telling him they’re engaged…
Praise for Jennie Marts’s cowboy romances:
“Funny, complicated, and irresistible. Sometimes a cowboy isn’t perfect but you got to love him anyway.”— JODI THOMAS, New York Times bestselling author, for Caught Up in a Cowboy
“Full of hope, humor, and undeniable swoon.”— A.J. PINE, USA Today bestselling author, for How to Cowboy
“Deliciously steamy but still sweet, with a secret at its heart.”— JOANNE KENNEDY, award-winning author, for Wish Upon a Cowboy
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Excerpt #2 He gently pulled her into his arms then tenderly smoothed the spot on her forehead. “You can trust me you know.” He spoke softly, saying the exact words she ached to hear.
She didn’t need platitudes or stupid pet names. She needed a man she could trust.
She fought against the emotions building in her as she stared into his gorgeous brown eyes, so full of care and conviction. “I do trust you,” she whispered then lowered her gaze. “Just not with my heart.”
About the Author Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.
Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister family in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.
Welcome to the book blitz for CAPTURED SECRETS, the first book in the adult contemporary western romance series, Seven Tine Ranch, by Carmen Peone. See below for information on the book, and exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
CAPTURED SECRETS (Seven Tine Ranch Romance Series #1) by Carmen Peone
Synopsis “Brimming with suspense and adventure, Captured Secrets, is a love story I’ll not soon forget. An engrossing tale with all the twists and turns that make a contemporary Western so hard to put down.” Debra Whiting Alexander, award-winning author of Zetty
After her parents die in a horrific car accident, Sydney Moomaw is thrust into running their guest ranch in eastern Washington. She soon discovers that her parents were keeping secrets. Why is the ranch in serious debt? Why did her parents allow the insurance to lapse? Why didn’t they tell her about it? And where are their wills? Sydney needs to figure out a way to save the ranch she loves before her sister sells it.
Photographer Trey Hardy arrives at the ranch the same day Sydney’s parents are killed. His working-vacation plans change when he decides to help Sydney save her ranch. But, his offers to help are met with resistance. Her stubbornness and independence are both maddening and alluring.
Amid the tangle of finances, tensions with her sister, and her own grief and anger, Sydney begins receiving threatening notes. They must be from her abusive ex-husband, but he’s in jail. Isn’t he? When a teenager appears at the ranch insisting she is Sydney’s daughter, Sydney finally realizes she’s going to have to start trusting people to help her. Will Trey’s plan work? Can they save her beloved ranch? Can she really have the life she’s dreamed of?
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Excerpt #3 Sydney found Trey resting under the shade of a ponderosa pine tree near the mare and foal pen. She rode one horse and led a second. “Wanna take a ride?” She leaned back and padded her bulging saddle bags. “I have a picnic.”
“Your talk with Glenda must have gone well.”
“Something like that.”
“Where we going?”
Trying to keep her composure, she said, “Somewhere special.”
Trey took the reins that were attached to a blue roan with the Seven Tine brand on its rump and mounted.
Shade and cool air from towering trees and valleys, wildflower’s Sweet aromas, streams trickling over rock beds surrounded them on the north pasture, and he became more enamored with the setting the longer they rode.
Sydney led him to a cool spot in a copse of aspen by a creek. She dismounted, then pulled out two sacks and a thermos from the worn saddlebags. After finding a nice patch of green grass, she arranged cheese, crackers, and apple slices on the bags and poured two tin cups of iced tea, handing him one of them.
“Trying to butter me up for something?” He winked at her, then took a drink.
“No.” Her face warmed as she gave him a sassy sideways glance. “Maybe a little.”
“Maybe?”
“This is one of my favorite spots. I come here to think.” She gestured to the food. “Dig in.”
Trey put a slice of cheese on a cracker. “I’d like to bring the stud colts here, a couple at a time, and take photos for the website.”
She looked around and pointed to a backdrop of aspen and rock bluffs. “Over there’d be a nice spot.”
“It sure would.” He ate the cracker and took a sip of tea. “Why did you bring me here?”
Oh. Why? She held her hands in her lap so he couldn’t see them shaking. “Um.” Do I tell him straight out, or should I ease him into it? “I thought you’d like this spot for taking pictures.”
He set his cup on the grass. “This isn’t about horses, is it?”
Of course it wasn’t. Here goes nothing. “I’ve considered your offer.”
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Author Carmen Peone
About the Author Carmen Peone is an award-winning author who has lived in Northeast Washington and on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation since 1988. She had worked with a Tribal Elder, Marguerite Ensminger, for three years learning the Arrow Lakes Language and various cultural traditions. She owns and trains her horses and competes in local Extreme Challenge and Mountain Trail competitions. With a degree in psychology, the thought of writing never entered her mind, until she married her husband and they moved to the reservation after college. With the love of history and western-woman lifestyle, she brings stories of hope, family, relationships, and faith to her novels.
These books were a labor of love, especially the second edition of the True to Heart Trilogy.
Thank you to my cover model, Shayna Palmanteer of the Colville Confederated Tribes, for your willingness to be a part of this adventure. Visit my website for information on the workbooks that go along with my young adult books at https://carmenpeone.com/books/..
Welcome to the book blitz for THE DOLL MAKER, a stand along young adult historical mystery, by Morgan Shamy. See below for information on the book, and exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis
No one is safe. Not when the Dollmaker lurks in the shadows.
When Dawn Hildegard’s best friend Rose is kidnapped by “The Dollmaker,” a crazed serial killer who creates “art” from women’s bodies, she drops everything to find her—including her dream of becoming a doctor. With the help of a handsome new acquaintance and his mysterious brother, they set off to find the killer. Although they quickly become friends, Dawn cannot shake the uneasy feeling that the brothers know more about the murders than they admit.
As more and more victims are found murdered and displayed throughout town, Dawn must use her wits to find Rose before it’s too late. And before she too becomes the Dollmaker’s next victim.
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Excerpt: He slowly began to pace in front of her, his shaded head tipped in thought. His legs were long in the dark, though he wasn’t much taller than her. Bits of slanted light streamed in from the floorboards above them, highlighting the divots of his face. She still couldn’t see him clearly.
“I’ve never had anyone find me before,” he said. “And I take pride in the fact that no one does. I lead a quiet life, and uninterrupted life, and now… you’ve interrupted it.”
He paused, facing her head on. He was nothing more than a shadow in front of her.
She held still, silent. If he was The Dollmaker, she didn’t want to make him upset. He hadn’t killed her yet, but maybe he liked to toy with his prey before he slaughtered them.
“I won’t tell anyone about you,” she choked out. “Just let me go.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “And why should I believe you?”
“Why are you trying to stay hidden?”
Both of their questions hung in the air.
He started pacing again. Her heart was hammering its way up into her throat, she could barely breathe. She edged back a step. His head snapped up and he sprung forward once more.
He gripped her upper arm and began to drag her into the dark, away from the orchestra pit. She struggled against him, trying to rip out of his embrace, but his hold was concrete. He led her through a dark hallway that slanted upward at an incline, until the hallway stopped at a dead end.
A door towered in front of above them. She still couldn’t see his face.
He moved in close, yanking her up against him, until she felt his breath on her cheek. “If you tell anyone about me—anyone at all—I will know. And if you do, there will be consequences greater than you can imagine. Death will follow, I can assure you that.”
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Author Morgan Shamy
About the Author Morgan Shamy is an ex-ballerina turned YA writer. She has been immersed in the arts since the young age of 4, where she performed various roles alongside a professional ballet company for over seven years, and has danced on prestigious stages like soloing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She has taught hundreds of girls in her fifteen years of teaching, where some of her students have received full-ride scholarships to schools like School of American Ballet, the Harid Conservatory, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, to name a few.
Morgan discovered writing when her three-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. It was through that experience which instilled the need to share art and magic with children through words on the page.
Morgan is also an accomplished concert pianist. She was the first girl in Utah to receive the 75 pt. Gold Cup in the Utah Federation of Music in piano solo/concerto competition. Morgan currently lives with her X-Games gold-medalist husband and four children in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE NEW SINGLE DAD BILLIONAIRE, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance/romantic comedy series, Bronson Billionaire Romance, by Tina Gabor. See below for information on the book and series, and exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE NEW SINGLE DAD BILLIONAIRE (Bronson Billionaire Romance Series #5) by Tina Gabor
About the Book – FREE for a limited time!
Title: THE NEW SINGLE DAD BILLIONAIRE Series: Bronson Billionaire Romance Series #5 Author: Tina Gabor Publisher: Sparks Fly Romance Release Date: February 28, 2023 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT
Synopsis Tyler Bronson’s hot dating app eMingle just went public, but despite his success at finding matches for other people he’s still single.
His on and off relationship with his unstable ex has finally stayed off that is until he finds out he has a son.
Now, he’s not just a new billionaire. He’s a new single dad. And he has no time for love until …
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Excerpt #1
Tyler She took a step to steady herself and tripped on my foot. I grabbed her before she fell onto the coffee table.
“Whoops!” I said. “Are you okay?”
I had my arms around her to keep her from falling, her shoulder leaned against my chest. She turned toward me and looked up. Her long eyelashes blinking.
“Nice catch,” she said, her voice a sexy whisper. The feeling of one of her tits pushed against me along with that voice and that look made my cock stir.
This girl was effortlessly sexy.
She put her hands on my arms to regain her footing and giggled. “So big. And hard,” she said, running her hands on my biceps.
She was drunk, but damn. This girl was killing me.
“Let’s check out that view,” she said, tottering over to the sliding glass doors.
I stayed close to make sure she didn’t stumble again.
We stepped out onto the balcony, and I slid the glass door shut behind us. She swayed on her feet, and I put my hand on her back to steady her. “Easy, easy.”
She’d only had two glasses of champagne, and she was already tipsy. Cute, but dangerous.
She giggled. “We’re up so high!”
“Have you been to New York before?”
“I’ve barely been anywhere,” she said. “This is amazing.”
I looked down at her as she stared at the New York skyline. She let her head rest against me. A warm summer breeze blew across my face. A giddy feeling shivered through my body. I’d only had one glass of champagne, and I weighed over two hundred pounds. I couldn’t be drunk, could I? Maybe it was the drink and the sugar from the dessert. I rarely ate it.
But I doubted that was the reason. This fluttery feeling in my chest was because of Betty.
I leaned down to kiss the top of her head and stopped myself. This wasn’t a date. This was my nanny.
About the Author Are you like me? Do you enjoy funny, contemporary romances with spicy love scenes? Because if you do …You’ve landed in the perfect place.
I’m Tina Gabor, and it’s so much fun getting to write the books I love reading. Gorgeous men and fierce, feisty, and funny women are my jam. And since there’s nothing like a love story with a dash of sun and fun … I set most of my in Southern California and Florida. I grew up in South Florida, and now I live in Southern California with my fiancee and a stray cat we named Fred.
To get special deals on new releases and updates on what your favorite book couples are doing after the story ends, go to SparksFlyRomance.com/Tina
Welcome to the book blitz for SAPPHIRE EYES, the second book in the adult romantic suspense series, The Red Club, by Aurelia Yates. See below for information on the book and series, and exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SAPPHIRE EYES (The Red Club Series #2) by Aurelia Yates
About the Book – Read for Free on Kindle Unlimited
Title: SAPPHIRE EYES Series: The Red Club Series #2 Author: Aurelia Yates Release Date: February 24, 2023 Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT
Synopsis Innocent, doe-eyed Rose is living the life in New York, interning at the largest law firm in Manhattan with a year left in law school. That is, until her parents tell her they can’t afford to continue paying her tuition. While she’s stressed over how she’ll make ends meet and finish her degree, her friend tells her a secret she’s kept hidden—that she works at a strip club with many rich, good-looking men as her customers.
Rose enters Club Red, looking only for a waitressing position, but what she finds ends up being so much more.
A large man with blond hair and the most hypnotizing sapphire-blue eyes, Blaze wants to put Rose into positions that have nothing to do with serving anything or anyone but him. And he will not stop pursuing her until he makes the darling Rose his.
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Excerpt #1 Trying to gather my nerves, I walk up to the door. It’s large, and it looks to be made out of steel. I try to turn the handle, but it’s locked. I knock twice, waiting for someone to answer the door. I take in the surroundings. If it wasn’t for the flashy cars in the front of the building, it would appear to be an abandoned building.
When the door swings open, a very large man with blond hair, and the most hypnotizing blue eyes stands in the doorway. I take a step back. To say he intimidates me is an understatement.
He’s wearing a cobalt-blue dress shirt, rolled up on his forearms. The color makes his sapphire eyes shine bright. I take in his body. The rippling muscles on his arms, the strong jawline he possesses, and the tattoos that crawl up under the sleeves of his shirt and peek out of his collar. The man screams badass.
He scans me from the toe of my shoes to the top of my head, and when his eyes come back to meet mine, he gives me a wicked grin. He has to be the most breathtaking man. I have had the pleasure of sharing the same space with.
I’m barely able to get the words out. “I’m here to see Liz Black.”
His tongue darts out, licking his lips, and then his teeth slowly pull in his bottom lip. I try my best not to seem effected by his good looks, but it appears the cocky bastard notices how much he has affected me. My attention is tuned in to how long and thick his tongue is. Holy Mother Teresa, my mind is in overdrive as to what he could do with that weapon.
About the Author Aurelia writes contemporary romance and enjoys reading it just as much! She lives in Alabama with her husband, daughter and fur babies. She spends most of her time taking care of her loved ones and plotting stories. Excited to begin this new journey, she’s looking forward to sharing her stories.
Welcome to the book blitz for MAGGIE’S MARK, the first book in the adult romantic suspense series, Ceiba Cartel, by Michelle Cornish. See below for information on the book and series, and exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
MAGGIE’S MARK (Ceiba Cartel Series #1) by Michelle Cornish
About the Book – FREE for a limited time!
Title: MAGGIE’S MARK Series: Ceiba Cartel Series #1 Author: Michelle Cornish Publisher: SolVin Creative Release Date: January 31, 2021 Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT
Synopsis
The CIA told me to hunt him down. Instead, I fell in love with him.
It’s 1987 and CIA officer Maggie Barnes has the opportunity of her life—take down Ricardo Ceiba Colombia’s most prominent drug lord.
But the more Maggie learns about Ricardo and the deeper she goes undercover, the more she sees Ricardo for who he really is. Her mission becomes an impossible choice—take down the man she loves or betray her country.
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Excerpt #2 In front of them was the lush jungle, where the shooting had come from the night of the party, but Ricardo led her to the right. A six-foot wooden gate blocked their path. Ricardo pushed it open with such gusto Maggie thought it might come right off the hinges.
“Care for a swim?”
He left the gate open as he stepped closer to the pool. It was a simple lap pool—no diving board—but the turquoise water took Maggie’s breath away. Sand-colored paving stones edged up to the pool and the relaxing sounds of a water feature along the far wall threatened to overtake the piano music coming from inside.
The sun had already set by the time Maggie had arrived for dinner, but the lights around the pool were all they needed. Of course, she wasn’t planning on swimming any laps.
Ricardo unbuttoned his short-sleeved shirt, took it off, and placed it on a lounge chair nearby. Two towels were neatly folded on the chair as if he’d planned this the whole time.
She bit her lip as he pulled her close. Her whole body tingled when he kissed her neck and slowly worked his way to her lips. She closed her eyes and savored every moment. When he pulled her top over her head, she thanked God she hadn’t worn a wire. Did the bug on the balcony have enough range that the team in the apartment would hear them? She pushed the thought out of her head. At this point, she didn’t care.
Ricardo lightly caressed her shoulder, and she dragged her fingers down his jaw line, his dark five o’clock shadow rough to her touch.
As he tugged off his pants, she reached behind her back and undid her bra, shaking it off and letting it fall to the ground at the same time as Ricardo’s pants. To her surprise, he wasn’t wearing underwear.
“Ay,” said Ricardo, running a hand along her hip. She placed his hand on her breast, letting him know she wanted him to touch all of her. He trailed a finger along the side of her nipple, causing it to double in size.
She let her head fall back and stretched her arms out, and he pulled her close. The hard bulge of his erection pressed into her hip as they kissed again. Her groin throbbed, and she paused to take off her skirt. Ricardo strolled to the pool then sat on the stonework, dangling his legs in the water.
He cringed. “Wow. That’s a little cold.”
Maggie laughed. Instead of joining him at the edge of the pool, she slipped her naked body into the waist-high water and stood in front of him. She took a deep breath as her body adjusted to the cool temperature of the water, then placed her hands on his thighs. He tilted her chin upward with his fingertip and bent his head to press his lips to hers. They were full and soft, and Maggie forgot all about the cold water.
About the Author Michelle strives to write the kinds of books she enjoys reading–complicated characters, a little romance, and a lot of mystery and intrigue. Strong women in sticky situations is her specialty!
You can find Michelle at www.michellecornishauthor.com. She also writes children’s books with her kids as A.J. Kormon
Welcome to the book blitz for SECOND TIME AROUND, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Willow Bay, by Kelly Collins. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway. Between now and February 20, you can get the eBook for free!
SECOND TIME AROUND (Willow Bay Series #1) by Kelly Collins
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: SECOND TIME AROUND Series: Willow Bay Series #1 Author: Kelly Collins Publisher: Book Nook Press Release Date: June 2, 2022 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT
Synopsis
A swoon-worthy second chance romance with all the feels.
Brie Watkins had loved two men in her life. One abandoned her at the altar twelve years ago, and the other died in the war. She is no stranger to loss, but she’s still learning how to move on. When her sick aunt asks her to come back to Willow Bay to help at the family resort, Brie says yes. After all, she’s a southern girl at heart, and a southern girl never turns her back on kin. Brie sells her beloved home, quits her job restoring historic properties, and goes back to the last place she wants to be, only to find her aunt healthy, The Brown Resort thriving, and the man who left her at the altar living next door, looking as handsome as ever. Why can’t life be fair?
Carpenter Carter Kessler left Willow Bay a dozen years ago and never looked back, but he never forgot his first love, Brie. He’s spent the rest of his life regretting his decision to leave her all those years ago. After his father’s death, he reluctantly returns to find his family’s resort a mess. But it is not a total disaster – Brie is next door and as beautiful as ever. He talks her into helping him refurbish The Kessler Resort, but first she lays out the ground rules: they aren’t friends, they’ll never be lovers, and she’ll never stop hating him. As far as Carter is concerned, it’s a start.
But as summer heats up, so does their relationship. As they peel back the layers, what will they find hiding beneath the surface? Can what they started all those years ago be restored, or are some things better left buried in the past?
Find out in The Second Time Around…
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Excerpt #2 She ran to her bungalow, yelling, “I’ll beat you to the buoy, Carter Kessler. You’ll see.” She threw open her door, and it bounced off the wall and nearly coldcocked her, but she sidestepped, and it slammed shut. “Game on, Carter. You are going to regret a lot of things. The first is leaving me twelve years ago. The second is challenging me to swim to the buoy because I’m fierce. Mark my words, you will most definitely regret hiring Margot Kincaid. That girl was once the bane of my existence, and I’ll be darned if she’s going to be a bee in my bonnet now.”
Brie opened a drawer and rummaged through her things to find the teeniest, tiniest bikini she owned. If Carter thought he’d only had eyes for her in high school, let him see her in this.
He was waiting for her on the end of his dock. She strolled toward him, exaggerating the sway of her hips. Was she too thin? Probably, but that didn’t stop him from gawking at her and then glaring at the men who followed her with their eyes as she went by.
“This isn’t a nudist beach,” he said.
“I’m wearing a bathing suit.”
“I think you forgot to put it on. What you’re wearing is more like floss and Band-Aids.” He stood behind her like a wall, blocking anyone’s view. “Let’s go.” He pushed her into the water.
She came up sputtering. “Why would you do that?”
“You looked cold standing here in the nude.”
She trod water. “You’re jealous.”
“About as jealous as you are of Margot.” He dove in, and when he broke the surface, he said, “Go.”
He was a body length ahead of her before she realized the race had begun. There was little chance of her winning, but she had a feeling her competition with Carter had just started. Was it more important to win the battle or the war, and what was she fighting for?
She chased him to the buoy and back. When she reached the dock, he was there, leaning down and holding out a hand to help her up, lifting her like she weighed nothing. He wrapped her in the towel and a hug.
“Good job.” He rubbed his hands over the towel, helping dry her off, as he had all those years ago. She melted into him for a second but caught herself and stepped back. It would be so easy to fall into a time when life was easy, when summer break meant sleeping in until ten, and nights were spent sneaking kisses under the old willow tree.
He stepped aside to reveal a candlelit table. “Just to be clear, I didn’t set this up.”
Tilly was peeking around the resort’s welcome sign. “I can see the culprit. She’s about five-foot-five and makes the best apple strudel known to man.” She lifted her nose. “And if my senses haven’t misled me, I think she’s made her famous schnitzel with spätzle.”
He pulled out a chair. “Will you have dinner with me? You can hate me again tomorrow.”
She sat. “I don’t hate you, Carter.” I just can’t let myself fall in love with you again.
About the Author Like FREEBIES? Join the VIP readers at http://bit.ly/KellyCollinsFreeBook for members-only exclusives!
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International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.
Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers’ Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.
Welcome to the pre-order blitz for CONTROL, the first book in the young adult paranormal romance series, The Lockwood Trilogy, by Melissa Cassera, releasing March 28, 2023. See below for information on the book, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
CONTROL (The Lockwood Trilogy #1) by Melissa Cassera
Synopsis
For Natalie Covington and Henry Thorne, only one thing is certain: things are about to get out of control.
18-year-old Natalie has big ambitions but very little control over her situation. She’s trapped at an elite boarding school on a private island, where cell phones are forbidden, militant guards line the iron gates, and her practically prearranged boyfriend has eyes for another girl.
Everything changes when a mysterious new student arrives named Henry Thorne. Henry is a “precog”—a hidden society of people who can see the future, and who are forbidden to reveal their powers. When Henry has a grisly vision of Natalie being murdered, he ultimately decides to save her and face the consequences. But the consequences of changing the future are more dangerous than Henry imagined, unlocking a wide conspiracy among his kind that’s linked to Natalie’s past, and a desire that threatens to consume them.
CONTROL is the first installment in The Lockwood Trilogy. This fast-paced Upper YA/New Adult Paranormal Romance is filled with thrilling turns, self-discovery, spicy language, light steam, and a cliffhanger ending that will leave you obsessing for more.
Reader Discretion: this book contains graphic language, violence, and some heat. Best suited for 16+.
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Author Melissa Cassera
About the Author Melissa Cassera is a Professional Screenwriter, Author, and award-winning Publicity Expert based in Washington State.
Melissa and her work have been featured in Variety, LA Times, Success Magazine, and Fast Company. She was named one of the nation’s Top Personal Branding Experts by The Huffington Post.
On-screen, Melissa is the writer of THE OBSESSION THRILLOGY (Lifetime Network’s first trilogy of movies.) She is also the writer of the films SECRET LIVES OF COLLEGE ESCORTS, NIGHTMARE NEIGHBORHOOD MOMS, MOMMY’S LITTLE STAR, DADDY’S PERFECT LITTLE GIRL, HER STOLEN PAST, and GIRL FOLLOWED. Melissa also sold an eight-episode dark comedy series, ADDICTED, to Fullscreen. She has two additional feature films, WHO KILLED OUR FATHER and NIGHTMARE PAGEANT MOMS, coming to Lifetime Network in 2023, and six additional film projects in active development.
When Melissa is not whipping together obsession-worthy words, she can be found drinking too much coffee, playing at the lake with her dogs, or getting lost in the romance section of a bookstore.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE ITALIAN HOLIDAY, a standalone adult contemporary romantic comedy by Nicole Sharp. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE ITALIAN HOLIDAY by Nicole Sharp
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE ITALIAN HOLIDAY Author: Nicole Sharp Publisher: The Writing Moose Release Date: February 7, 2023
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Struggling writer Keats McCall is Italy bound by Valentine’s Day – but it’s certainly not for amore. She needs to escape her mindless barista job, the four walls of the rented room closing in on her, and the memories of last year’s disastrous break-up. Thank the Roman gods she can pack a bag and passport and run to her sister in Florence, Italy, in the hopes of getting her life back on track.
Keats expected to spend her days meandering through the rain-soaked cobblestone streets of Florence. What she didn’t expect was Lorenzo, who smells of espresso, Italian history and self-assurance, to propel her on an unimaginable journey.
From Florence to Venice, Keats basks in a luscious exploration of Italy and Lorenzo while she tries to figure out if the escapist mindset of an Italian Holiday can duct tape her life back together.
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Excerpt #2 “God, that will be romantic, won’t it? Rome with someone you love…”
It was nice to hear that a man could still surprise his girlfriend in a romantic way, that there was still love out in the universe.
Lorenzo didn’t respond to my posturing about the surprise, but his study of me took on an intensity. I wanted to lean away from his intrusive stare, but forced myself to stand my ground and keep my smile steady. After all, I had spent the last hour studying him, and I interrupted first.
He moved then, thankfully breaking the strange moment as he rummaged around in the soft briefcase at his feet. “Ah…” He turned back and produced a small velvet box, took a deep breath and then proceeded to open the box slowly, reverently. His hand was shaking just showing me the ring.
“Oh…wow,” I whispered. “It really is going to be a romantic trip.”
He looked down at the ring and his shaking hand, frowning. “I was thinking about doing it on Valentine’s Day.” He cleared his throat. “I haven’t really been able to talk to anyone about this…” he excused as we both continued to silently study the ring. He nervously cleared his throat again, then quietly asked, “Does that seem…cheesy?”
“No,” I whispered, then reached out and gently touched the ring. I couldn’t imagine a world where someone flew to a foreign country to propose to me with a gold ring that glittered and blinked. But that was the insecurity brought on by the recent breakup. Of course, I couldn’t imagine that world because my ex-asswipe hadn’t even been able to bring himself to go to the store and get my antibiotic filled when I was really sick.
“It’s beautiful,” I verified. Though how could anyone question the breathtaking beauty of the large oval diamond encircled by a halo of smaller diamonds. It was truly stunning.
“It took me two weeks to choose one,” he admitted.
“What’s your girlfriend’s name?”
“Annabella.”
I smiled and pointed to the ring. “So, it would seem that you are just as excited and anxious as I am about this trip.”
He gave a soft laugh. “I am excited,” he turned the ring toward him so he could study it at a different angle, “and anxious…” he admitted, then cleared his throat once more. “I would argue, however, that some of us are better at handling our emotions than others.”
I finally met his eyes as I exclaimed, “I can’t help it! Excitement works me up…it flips and kicks in my gut. It makes me wear my emotions on my sleeve.”
“Well–” He might have been meaning to say more when a passing flight attendant’s gasp interrupted, “Oh, oh! Did she say yes?”
I blinked up at the flight attendant and then glanced over at Lorenzo; we frowned at each other.
A woman across the aisle leaned over and when she saw the ring, added her own gasp. “I’ve never been on a flight where someone proposed.”
“Oh, no…” I started.
Lorenzo shook his head and emphatically pointed. “No no, not her.”
“Gee, thanks,” I muttered over my shoulder at him.
“No, sorry. You seem…interesting,” he tried as he closed the ring box.
I leaned across the aisle and explained to both the passenger and the flight attendant, “He’s going to propose to his girlfriend in Rome. He was just showing me the ring.”
They were evenly disappointed.
“Such a shame, you make a cute couple,” the flight attendant said, then continued down the aisle.
I gave a snort of disbelief and muttered, “You know, going to Rome to propose on Valentine’s Day is just as exciting.”
As Lorenzo put the ring back in his bag, I touched his arm and reassured, “That is beautiful. Good job. All around.”
“I feel…” He stared over the seats stretched in front of us, trying to find what he was feeling. A shake of his head, he asked once more, “Do you think it’s trite to propose on Valentine’s Day?”
“Not at all. It’s going to be perfect.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he affirmed.
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Author Nicole Sharp
About the Author Legend has it that Nicole Sharp was born to hippies during an ice storm in Stone Mountain, Georgia. While confirmation of said events cannot be agreed upon, one fact is for certain, it was a Tuesday.
By age twelve, Nicole was sure of two things: 1) She wanted to be a writer and 2) She wanted to travel. She begged her parents to allow her to voyage alone to exotic lands. They permitted her to go from California to Boise, Idaho to visit a great-grandmother.
After muddling through the college years, Nicole graduated with a Bachelors in History (think Greeks and Romans). Why didn’t she major in English if she wanted to be a writer? There were better stories in history class.
Nicole is Italian. According to Ancestry.com it’s a rather low percentage, but she feels that she is at least 51% Italian. When she returned to the homeland, she fell in love with the Italian cappuccino, so much so that she studied the language until she was fluent; thus she could order the magical elixir herself: Posso avere un cappuccino, per favore!
Nicole’s first concert was to see the bluegrass group The Seldom Scene when she was a fifteen-year-old, thanks to her parent’s bluegrass phase. However, she never admits it, and instead tells everyone that They Might Be Giants, whom she saw in college, was her real first concert.
Her first car was a yellow Chevy Celebrity and her favorite job was working as a docent in a museum in an old mining town in Colorado. She has written extensively about both.
Welcome to the book blitz for DEFY THE STARS, a standalone young adult fantasy by Cathrina Constantine. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Growing up within the grind of the enchanted Circus Faire, Crew’s unique talents have blossomed. Though, he’s been warned that the King of Hawkswing is determined to eradicate a certain species, and for his own sake Crew must keep his formidable gifts under wraps.
Relations between interspecies caused an imbalance of power and now are strictly forbidden. Dolorans, like Sage and her sister, are being hunted and persecuted because of their intense powers, leaving them no choice but to run to escape the genocide of their kind.
She possesses a forceful energy for good and evil.
His untapped powers are growing stronger by the day.
Survival will demand they rely on each other.
When Crew learns a dark wizard is holding his brother captive, he enters into a deal with him in hopes of getting close enough to free those he has imprisoned. Yet, what he uncovers is far more sinister than Crew could ever imagine. Can Crew harness the strength within him to save his brother and Sage and all those in the wizard’s clutches? Or will he be trapped by the wizard’s wicked plan?
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Excerpt #3 Crew spun at the sound of her voice. The hag in all her ungodly glory, a decrepit example of a woman, materialized a mere yard from him. Short in stature, her hunchbacked-frame leaned on the staff for support, and up close, her cat-eyes glared at him. Folds of wrinkles poured down her face, but what drew his sight was a cambered bone piercing the septum of her nose. “I’m too tired to play your games, woman.” He fingered the ring on his pinkie.
“No!” Her robed arm shot out, hands gaunt. “I know your ancestry. Intrigued, are you not? I feel it, in the racing of your heart, the flow of your blood.”
He left the ring on, turning it.
“Boy—I am your grandmother.” Her smile looked painful on her face. “Many generations removed.” Attempting a snicker, it came out as a wheeze. “I am Queen Esta. Sovereign Ruler of Misbegottens. Souls conceived by the mightiest, indomitable beings of creation. Our kinfolks were feared and revered by everyone, great and small.” With each spoken word the hag’s stooped vertebrae realigned. Chink by chink, her backbone straightened.
“This is your world, then.” Crew took a gander at Griggan, who was trimming his clawed nails with the tip of his sword. “You are a witch, a sorcerer—a deceiver? Am I supposed to be impressed, reverent even, to be in your presence? This is my ancestry, my inheritance? Well I think I’ll go back to being a grunt in the—”
“You profane, insolent shit.” The planes of her face changed, as if a potter’s fingers were molding, reshaping her skin. Stretching and tightening it over the bones of her face. The hood slipped off her head, bunching on her shoulders. Bedraggled locks were replenished with a growth of satiny snow-white hair. Her cat eyes flashed him a silvery wink. “Don’t trifle with me, boy.”
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Author Cathrina Constantine
About the Author I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them.
I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I’m devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.
I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.
Welcome to the book blitz for ANNIHILATION ARCHETYPES, the first book in the adult fantasy series, Annihilation Archetypes, by M.M. Gargiulo. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
ANNIHILATION ARCHETYPES (Annihilation Archetypes Series #1) by M.M. Gargiulo
About the Book – Read for free with Kindle Unlimited Title: ANNIHILATION ARCHETYPES Series: Annihilation Archetypes Series #1 Author: M.M. Gargiulo Publisher: Sommelier Stories Press Release Date: January 13, 2023
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Born to siren humans to their watery graves, Nefertiti feels trapped in her life of violence. She leaves her home to venture on shore and falls in love with humans. Her duty brings her back to the sea, and fate tightens its hold on her from an unexpected source.
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Excerpt: The next day Evgenís was eager to talk about my training. I was evasive, trying not to make eye contact with her. I thought the details of my night were too embarrassing to share with my proud sister, and I had no wish to relive them. I did not know if other huntresses took so long to learn how to walk, but Diana made it seem like they did not.
“Okay, you do not want to talk about it,” she sighed after a few minutes of this ensued. “Tell me this, did you learn something?”
I looked up into her beautiful blue eyes and found myself both comforted and sad. I wished I was better at walking, but Evgenís would still love me even if I was a terrible huntress.
“Yes, I absolutely learned lots of things yesterday.” I smiled at her, forcing myself to look excited and happy.
“Interesting,” she murmured under her breath. “I am glad,” she said at full volume.
“Okay, well do you have anything you would like to do today?” she asked me, her voice bright and cheerful.
“I think I am to meet with someone today.” Guilt washed over me again. Evgenís had given up living with me to come and live here, in isolation.
“Oh, no matter, I am sure I can find something to do while you are busy. Perhaps we can pick a night soon and go to our favorite wreck?” Her hopeful tone had me agreeing before I thought it over.
“I’d love to!” The wreck was a smallish fishing boat that had sunk off the coast of a tropical island. Many species of fish lived inside it, and coral grew off the outside of it. I was particularly in love with the spot because of the bright white sand. It seemed to be made of thousands and thousands of tiny corals, smashed and rounded by the tide and the wind. It was one of our favorite places to go. Evgenís always found it difficult to find fish while we were there. I had many happy memories of the two of us laughing and relaxing in the sand.
Evgenís smiled at my enthusiasm and kissed me on the cheek, excited at our prospective time together.
We ate some kelp together that apparently someone had dropped off in excessive amount while we slept. Things almost felt back to normal, despite our vastly different surroundings. I felt as though removing my tail somehow made me less of a mermaid than Evgenís.
When we were done eating, I bid Evgenís farewell and started to swim through the caverns and tunnels toward the surface to an area similar to the one where I met Diana. If my new teacher was anything like Diana, she would show up near the surface. I watched the moon move in the sky for hours, feeling my anxiety rise. Maybe I was supposed to go somewhere specific, but Diana forgot to mention it.
I was just starting to swim back and forth when I heard a voice.
“Nefertiti! How are you?” Santiago was swimming by, with two others.
“I am well, thank you.” My eyes drifted to the two others with him. One was a beautiful fair blonde female, the other a dark-complexioned male.
“Oh, this is Kane,” he said, gesturing toward the male merman. “And this is Danica.”
“Pleasure to meet the both of you.” I nodded my head in their direction. Kane bent at the waist in my direction.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Huntress.” His deep dark eyes met mine.
“Lovely to meet you as well,” Danica said.
“We were going to visit a reef down in the tropics,” Santiago said. “Would you care to join us?”
“Thank you, but I am supposed to be meeting someone,” I said. I took note of Kane’s and Santiago’s eyes that seemed to linger, and Danica’s, which seemed full of contempt.
“Next time, perhaps.” Kane’s eyes were still locked on me.
“I would love to.” I smiled at Kane, and could feel Santiago stir slightly next to him.
“Farewell then, Nefertiti.” Santiago nodded his head, and the three of them turned and began to swim away. I watched them go with a pang of loneliness and wondered if there would ever be a time where I did not feel so isolated from my own kind. My thoughts turned to Evgenís, who probably had an even harder time with it than I did. Guilt flashed through me at the idea of Evgenís leaving everyone she knew to raise me on her own.
I watched the stars turn in the sky and thought about their stark and naked beauty. Not unlike our people, but less dangerous. I imagined the answers to all of my questions were up there, winking at me in some code I could not understand. I wished I could speak their language of light. I wondered if the Gods were there, Evgenís had told me they lived up in the clouds.
When the sky began to lighten, I gave up my quest. Perhaps my next mentor had forgotten about the time. Maybe Diana gave her the wrong name. I started to swim toward the castle, taking one last look back at the sky. Suddenly a massive hammerhead shark emerged from the haze in the distance. I paused on my journey back home to watch the magnificent creature swim. His gait was the most elegant thing I had ever seen. The way he swam back and forth was reminiscent of how the sea seemed to part for the king himself. I loved the movement of his tail fin.
The shark seemed to notice me as soon as I noticed him. He adjusted his path slightly so he was headed straight toward me. I reached my hand forward, not in the slightest bit frightened of him. He was the hunter equivalent to myself. Even his skin was made of the tiniest teeth. I would probably grow to be more dangerous than he was. At the last second he turned his giant head, swimming by me to allow my outreached arm to pet the length of him as he swam by.
I felt my heart stir at the scars that decorated his side. He was a beautiful creature, full of an ancient sadness. I wondered how anyone could ever hurt such a creature. My hand ran the length of him, ten times my own size, and I felt the rough, textured body under my delicate soft hand.
He circled me once, clearly as eager as I was to remain closely connected, even if it was for a short while. When he came by me a second time, I grabbed onto his dorsal fin and let the length of me rest on top of his body. He seemed pleased by the attention and slowed his pace, allowing me to feel the gentle sway of the giant beast as he moved his tail back and forth. My own body swayed with his movements, and I felt as though we were one. I traced the deep gashes of scars on his back with my fingers, wondering what had caused them. I rode atop him for longer than I should have, the sun starting to really shine on the top of the sea.
He circled back after quite some time of me lying on top of him and swam with dignity back to where he had first found me. I turned my head to kiss the top of his back, my hair swirling around my face.
“Goodbye friend, I hope to see you again soon.” I watched him turn and be swallowed up by the dark sea. Maybe I would never get to play with the other merpeople, but at least I would have shark friends. I turned tail, and made my way back to the cave, exhausted from lack of sleep the previous night. Just before I approached the entrance to the first tunnel, I was startled by a stunning woman waiting by the entrance to the hall.
She had waist length red and silver hair (I gathered she was a huntress), a green tail fin, and a fair complexion. Her giant blue eyes were staring, unblinkingly, at me. I assumed she was older due to the streaks of silver in her bright red hair, but it was difficult to tell, there were no lines on her face.
“Nefertiti.” It was not a question, and I tried to figure out if I had met this woman before.
“Yes, that is I.” I smiled at her, hoping she was less crass than Diana. “I apologize, have we met?”
“We have not, although I have heard tell of you.”
“Well it is truly a pleasure to be acquainted with you.” I nodded my head in her direction.
“Yes, it is, but there is no need to be so formal with me.” She tossed back her hair, and it shimmered out behind her with such finesse I felt a ping of envy. I wondered if I would grow up to be so beautiful. “I am Arianna.”
“Arianna.” Her name sounded like a story I had long forgotten.
“Come, let us go for a swim.” She smiled at me, and I noticed her teeth were not sharpened, but similar to Evgenís’s. Maybe she wasn’t a huntress after all. She reached out her tiny soft hand, and I put mine into hers.
“I am here to teach you the ways of those on land,” Arianna stated. “Much has changed since I walked up there, but I have the best understanding of humankind. I am one of those who brought the best of the land back to the sea.”
Welcome to the book blitz for A CROWN FORGED BY VICTORY’S CONSEQUENCE, the first book in the adult fantasy series, The Blackened Tablet, by Aaryanna Abbott and Marlayna James. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
A CROWN FORGED BY VICTORY’S CONSEQUENCE (The Blackened Tablet Series #1) by Aaryanna Abbott and Marlayna James
About the Book Title: A CROWN FORGED BY VICTORY’S CONSEQUENCE Series: The Blackened Tablet Series #1 Authors: Aaryanna Abbott and Marlayna James Publisher: Friends with Pens Author Group Release Date: January 3, 2023
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Synopsis Three hundred years ago, the sacred tablet granted by their god, Jezabet, turned black, and eight kingdoms broke free, plummeting into the bottomless sea. There was no warning, and no one knows why.
Now, a strange illness plagues Aldersward. Crowned Prince Aedyn’s sisters, Achelle and Annora, his father, and countrymen are desperate and grief-stricken. All hope is lost…
Until someone dreams, and Aedyn leaves behind his mistress and his betrothed to cure their nation. He enlists his friends; a brazen playboy, a gentle strongman, and an ancient mentor. Together, they set out on a perilous journey—few believe they will survive.
This isn’t a fairy tale—s3x becomes currency, murder is ordinary, and love doesn’t conquer all.
Everyone loves a hero—good triumphs evil. But few dare to question how victory ripples into consequences. Explore this exciting concept in the Blackened Tablet Series.
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Excerpt #2 As the sun rose, Aedyn and four groups rowed onto the beach. Two groups would swap out every day, providing all a reprieve from the vessel’s confinement. Women responsible for the horses’ care would utilise an assembled tent next to a makeshift paddock. The men saddled the mounts and rode out, following a Slay guide. Aedyn rode mid procession as they navigated the grassy land toward Slaysfold castle.
“It’s monotonous. I see nay trees, merely a mix of grasses and flowers with the odd shrub. Not even around that lake.” Bennet surveyed the landscape.
“The meadows appear dead, scorched, and yet the sun is cooler here than home.” Aron included himself in the conversation.
Aedyn, puzzled, glanced around. “Where’s Auren?”
“His pouch made quite the racket this morning when he disembarked. He was speaking to a woman as we headed out. He must travel behind.” Asa twisted, not seeing Auren amongst them.
Hundreds of vibrant blue birds, the colour of the Aldersward blue lagoon, landed playfully nearby, then took flight moments later, seeming to play a childhood game of chase. In the distance, a herd of heavy-framed, large beasts with shaggy coats and hunched backs observed the men’s movements. Their heads were wide with a set of horns and bearded chins. Not creatures the Alders recognised.
After a couple of hours, Auren galloped upon them with a wide grin. “This feels much like home. The women here also demand my attention.”
“You make a dreadful lead. Remind me to dismiss you once we return home.” Aedyn ridiculed as the others chuckled.
He feigned an indignant tone. “I was gaining intelligence. It was strategic.”
Amused, Bennet asked. “Strategic?”
He boasted. “While they were busy exercising me, they couldn’t kill Prince Aedyn, could they? Furthermore, you’re welcome.”
They all laughed, aware that Auren’s vulnerability was women and someday, not a magical creature, but a woman would be his demise. Emissary Aron poked Asa, then pointed to Auren’s purse, which sounded considerably less noisy than it had earlier.
“Did ye learn anything of value during yer, um,” Bennet slicked back his hair, “visit?”
“King Sumner executed his father, the last king, and sexually enslaved his mother. They sounded disgusted. They also spoke of another imprisoned slave the king has. Apparently, the king brutalised her until she was unrecognisable and contorted. They were very forthcoming.” Auren explained, knowing his information was valuable.
“His people should be disgusted. I imagine we all will be, but let’s keep it hidden. It’s none of our business. I’m not here to create enemies.” Aedyn advised. “Did the women say anything else useful?”
“Trees are rare now and the king has taken the few remaining, planted them together, and now protects them.” Auren grinned. “Otherwise, they moaned, cried, and pleaded for me to continue my skilled invasion. I’ll spare you your jealousy.”
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Author Aaryanna Abbott
About the Authors Aaryanna Abbot is another of my pen names. For every pen name, I use a different part of who I am. I imagine this is how she looks. What’s this part of me like? I was a daddy’s girl. The very epitome of spoilt.
I love to be wild and crazy—experience everything the world has to offer. I’m adventurous and my carefree disposition is contagious. I’m loyal to a fault and don’t care what expectations or labels society has bestowed upon me. I believe one’s truth is more valuable than anyone’s perception.
This part of me writes for escapism—to be free of my mundane day to day and live in a magical world almost as real to me as earth. Except in my imaginary world, I control all things and it pleases me to no end. Do you know how happy you would be living there?
Author Marlayna James
Marlayna lives in Canada where she writes romance, erotica, women’s fiction, and fantasy. She loves video games, TV, reading, and writing.
Welcome to the book blitz for HER BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Six Gems, by Yahrah St. John. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
HER BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER (Six Gems Series #1+) by Yahrah St. John
Synopsis
Childhood friends become forbidden lovers in this sexy start to the Six Gems series from Yahrah St. John.
Their fiery affair fulfills her fantasies…
And puts everything at risk.
When travel blogger Wynter Barrington’s wealthy, disapproving family cuts her off, she finds comfort in a passionate chance encounter with Riley Davis, her best friend’s brother. He’s hot as hell…and totally off-limits.
And when they meet again months later, they begin a sizzling affair. Wynter knows Riley doesn’t do love and marriage, but her youthful crush is feeling more and more like a real relationship. If she’s not careful, Wynter may put more than her relationship with her best friend on the line. Can she survive falling in love with the one man she was never supposed to touch?
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Excerpt #1 Riley led Wynter out of the restaurant and to the passenger side of his Bentley, waiting at the curb, and then came round to the driver’s side. Before turning on the car, he turned to her. “Are you sure about this, Wynter? Because if we do this, you need to understand that it’s only for one night. I don’t do commitments or relationships. Besides which, I just became partner at my law firm. I have no room in my life for personal entanglements.”
She understood, because she wasn’t looking for more than tonight. Her world was already topsy-turvy. Spending the night with Riley would be her choice, something she could control. She was owning her feminine power and taking what she wanted. “Yes, I’m sure. I want you, Riley, but if the feeling isn’t mutual…”
He snorted. And before she knew it, Riley’s mouth came down hard and demanding on hers. Desire rushed through Wynter as her arms slid around his neck. She returned the kiss and gave him everything. Riley growled against her mouth as he plundered its depths. His tongue mated with hers in an erotic dance that made her belly swoop and dive like a flight of doves taking off. Wynter’s mind became frenzied with a blur of sensations. If they didn’t stop, she was afraid of what she might let him do right there in the car. Slowly, she pulled away.
He frowned. “Did I come on too strong?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. You were just right, but unless you want to get cited for indecent exposure, I think it might be a good idea for us to take this back to your place.”
Riley grinned. “I think you’re right.” After giving her a heated stare, he turned on the ignition and eased the car out of the parking lot.
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Author Yahrah St. John
About the Author Yahrah St. John is the International author of forty books. She became a writer at the age of twelve when she wrote her first novella after secretly reading a Harlequin romance. Throughout her teens, she penned a total of twenty novellas. Her love of the craft continued into adulthood. She’s the proud author of thirty-nine books with Arabesque, Kimani Romance and Harlequin Desire as well as her own indie works.
When she’s not at home crafting one of her spicy romances with compelling heroes and feisty heroines with a dash of family drama, she is gourmet cooking or traveling the globe seeking out her next adventure. For more info:www.yahrahstjohn.com or find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bookbub or Goodreads.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE MATCHMAKER’S ROYAL MESS, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, The First Three Dates Matchmakers, by Frieda J. Downing. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE MATCHMAKER’S ROYAL MESS (The First Three Dates Matchmakers Series #1) by Frieda J. Downing
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE MATCHMAKER’S ROYAL MESS Series: The First Three Dates Matchmakers Series #1 Author:Frieda J. Downing Publisher: Pinkies High Publishing Release Date: November 22, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis She’d rather give a mountain lion a bikini wax than mess with love again.
Been there, went viral, never going back. Hattie Montague’s life as a backcountry guide for the spoiled and famous suits her just fine, thanks. It’s the only place she feels completely safe being herself. So what if she has nightmares that she can only speak squirrel and craves pine cones for breakfast? It beats leaving yourself vulnerable to humans. Fine, all of them aren’t bad. She likes probably three, so when one needs her help, she drags herself back to civilization. If she can navigate white water rapids, she can babysit a matchmaking office for a weekend. It’s not like she’ll have to deal with people or, you know, be nice. Ew.
Alexander Greye ruined her life ten years ago. Not his proudest moment. Known as the Winter Warlocke, he’s a man born and raised to lead a country with logical precision. Yet around her, he can’t seem to think rationally. He’s never met anyone who dives into the unknown like she does or tames chaos like she can. In a world as perfectly controlled as his, that makes her irresistible and utterly dangerous. And he’s willing to risk it all to thaw his frozen heart.
It’s half past too late when he realizes his carefully laid plans to win her over covered everything except the theft of the Crown Jewels, an abandoned mine where they’d have to face their deepest fears, and the betrayal that forces them to let go.Quite literally.
Warning: Not for the faint of heart. Sassy romantic adventure, with instances of chaos, misunderstandings, and feels. Oh, and the occasional sheep. Sparks will fly, it’s gonna get awkward, and the Happily-Ever-After will be well-earned.
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Excerpt #2 Since the office doesn’t have a bathtub, I get resourceful. The closet, unfortunately, is a disaster of pillow guts and shelving covered in sheep-sized bite marks. No one would confuse me for a sheep expert, but I always thought it was goats that chewed everything to pieces. Maybe Calambity is part goat. Thankfully, the blue pillow tub is in one piece.
I carry it to the kitchenette and place it on the tile next to the sink. Once I have it situated, I pull the large plastic dustpan off the broom and place the wide bit under the faucet of the tiny sink with the narrow handle hanging off the side. When I crank the hot water, I watch the makeshift waterfall begin to fill my soon-to-be luxurious bath. I shut the curtains in Zoe’s office, then lay out the single towel I had packed. After I strip down, I test the water one more time. A quick soak to freshen up, then I’ll curl up with my pizza and catch up on some Netflix until CataXanderclysm shows.
I snort, rather pleased with myself for that one, then put some tunes on my phone. A summery, reggae sounding track fills the office. With arms overhead, I dance over to Zoe’s desk and snag the bath bomb I found earlier when I was looking for printer ink. Since Zoe said help yourself to anything, I’m doing just that. I’ll replace it tomorrow, along with everything else.
At long last, I get the thin, clingy plastic off the blue ball and, lifting it in a toast to the peace and quiet, I ease myself into the oversized bucket. If I were a tall girl, this could’ve been problematic. As it is, I have to bend my legs all the way for them to fit. It mostly works; only my knees poke out of the water. Despite that, it’s pure bliss. I drop the bright bath bomb in with a satisfying bloop. Tiny bubbles escape and an indigo cloud disperses. To my delight, it also appears to be a low-powered bubble bath. It doesn’t produce heaping mounds of fluff, but it’s enough to cover the surface with bluish white foam and fill my nose with the tantalizing fragrance of cupcakes. I close my eyes, inhale, and settle in as far as my coiled up appendages will let me. I savor the warmth and scent as they wrap around me. Since I don’t know the upbeat song playing, I make up words so I can sing along my way.
I can feel my hair still sticking up in all directions, so I tip first to one side, then the other to wet it down. However, I can’t get the middle strip, so I take a scoop of bubbles and form the remaining dry hair into a floppy fauxhawk. After that, I splash some of the scented water across my face. In the midst of one of those scrubbing sessions, the door to the office opens. Surprised, I suck in bath water and spend a solid ten seconds coughing and sputtering.
Lo-and-behold, my Personal Pain in the Stuff Sack leans against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his chest, one ankle casually crossed over the other. Too bad GQ isn’t here with cameras because Xander is cover model material in the flesh. The navy, single button suit he wears looks more expensive than most of the furniture in this office. Unfortunately, it also sets off his stormy eyes, making it practically impossible to notice anything but him.A smug grin creeps over his arrogant mug. “You look a little crazy right now.”
I scowl and hug my arms to my chest, doing my best to hide my panic. Natalie’s reminder to lock the door chooses that moment to waft through my brain, taunting me. “Why thank you. I owe it all to you. What on earth are you doing here?”
His grin grows. “I love what you’re wearing for our date.”
I hunker down deeper in the plastic storage tub and pull my knees a little tighter to my breasts. My heart’s pounding so hard it may be enough to churn more bubbles all by itself. How can he just stand there and flirt? “You act like you’ve never seen a woman having a bath before. Do us a favor and grow up.”
His lips twitch. “I’ve never seen you having a bath before. There’s a very important difference. Also, in all fairness, I’ve never seen any woman bathe in a storage bin, nor turn herself blue doing so.”
“Blue?” I glance down, then hiss. “Son of a cupcake scented bath bomb.”
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Author Frieda J. Downing
About the Author Nice to meet you. I’m Frieda. I write sweet contemporary romance as well as romantic adventure.
I blame it on my childhood babysitters. For some reason they thought I shouldn’t ride our family’s buffalo. Believe me, I was just as shocked as you. Though I never did get that buffalo ride, I found plenty of other creative outlets for my adventure needs. Some were good clean fun, some got me kicked out of various and sundry events, and others ended with me getting lost in catacombs. (Not metaphorically speaking. Somewhere there’s an Austrian catacomb caretaker? guy whom I owe dinner and a large apology.)
I like to think I’ve gotten a tiny bit wiser.
I married my best friend and dove head first into the magnificent cyclone known as raising kids. I mountain bike every chance I get, lose my coffee cup daily, and bake a mean lemon merengue pie, if I do say so myself. I may indulge in shenanigans on a regular basis, but I plead the fifth every time.
I suppose it’s important to me that you know how very much I love us crazy, broken humans. We dream so big. We try so hard. Yet somehow, so often, things just go terribly, horribly wrong.
That’s where my books begin… because that’s where the real love story’s found. I hope you enjoy reading them. Most of all, I wish you adventure, joy, and more love than you knew was possible.
Welcome to the book blitz for WINTER DRAGON, the second book in the adult fantasy romance series, Season’s War, by Olena Nikitin. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
WINTER DRAGON (Season’s War Series #2) by Olena Nikitin
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: WINTER DRAGON Series: Season’s War Series #2 Author: Olena Nikitin Publisher: Viper Dawn Press Release Date: December 18, 2022
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis “When a Chaos mage fights, only blood and scorched earth remain.”
Mage War Chronicles
Some victories are more costly than others, and Ina was the one that paid the price.
Determined to rescue her dragon, the newly appointed royal witch embarks on a gruelling journey through the wintery Grey Mountains. The weather is not her only obstacle, as the enemy forces gathered in the kobold mines have only one goal.
To capture the Chaos mage and deliver her to the heart of the mountain.
With the help of Sa’Ren, Ina arrives at Castle Liath almost unscathed, but her joy is short-lived, as its granite walls hide a shocking revelation.
With blossoming love shattered by a possessive dragon’s claim and an impossible mission to fulfil, will the mysterious Blessing of the Mountain help or hinder her efforts to protect Cornovii?
Immerse yourself in the second book of Season’s War, where passion mix with cruelty and the world-changing power is buried deep in the ancient tomb guarded by the stern Mountain God.
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Excerpt They charged again, but Ina was prepared, and she released her vipers, one wrapping around her sword, another coiling around her, acting as a shield. Mar and Ren exchanged grins and attacked. The clash of steel from Ina’s sword parrying Mar’s attack was a sharp counterpoint to the hiss of magic as Ren’s strike was repelled by the viper protecting her body. Her protagonists instinctively controlled their assault, allowing Ina to learn how to fight, but she was soon sweating and panting from wielding both magic and sword in combat. Too proud to stop, Ina fought on, despite waves of dizziness and nausea, barely hearing the cheers from their audience. Just on the brink of fainting, a sudden commotion interrupted the sparring.
‘My chickens! A beast is eating my chickens!’
A serf from the household ran onto the training field and pleaded with Alleron.
‘My lord, help us. A beast is eating the chickens.’
Ina was trying to catch her breath, and the servant’s words made little sense, but she followed everyone as they followed the lord of Liath and the distraught woman.
As they arrived at the kitchen garden, Ina skidded to a halt, eyes wide in shock at the sight of her horse, perched on the poultry house like an animated gargoyle, watching the panicked chickens run around, occasionally snatching one when it came too close, consuming it messily and with great enthusiasm. Before she could collect her thoughts, two soldiers approached the horse and tried to grab its reins, but with a disdainful shake of her head, Zjawa twisted around and leapt over their heads, trotting happily over to Ina to beg for a cuddle.
Ina looked at her ‘horse’, who dropped a half-eaten chicken at her feet, shook her mane, and whinnied happily. The witch sighed deeply and looked down. As her gaze rested on Zjawa’s feet, Ina frowned, perplexed, watching her mount pawing at the ground. Her horse had five toes where a hoof should be, each ending with a sharp talon that easily tore through the grass underneath. Ina looked at the other feet, studying the bunched fingers, their claws almost like a normal hoof.
‘What the hell are you?’ the witch asked, looking at the horse, her question met with an amused animal stare.
‘She is an orein.’ Ina heard Alleron’s mournful voice behind her and turned around to look at him. The witch noticed Ayni heading in their direction with an unreadable facial expression.
The dragon nodded respectfully to the horse, taking a long look at the mare before turning to Ina.
‘Care to tell us how a mere human earned the blessing of the mountains?’ Ina’s head snapped up at those words, and a chill ran down her spine when her gaze met the assessing stare of the dragoness.
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Get Caught Up on the Series – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
About the Authors Olena Nikitin is our pen name. We are an enthusiastic couple of writers who are fascinated by the fantasy/paranormal romance genre and decided to write a book we would love to read.
Behind the Pen name:
Olga – is Polish, armed with a wicked sense of humour and typical Slavic pessimism she is the wicked witch from the East. She has written stories since childhood, initially mostly about her work. As an emergency physician, she always has a story to tell and often not much time to write.
Mark is a typical English gentleman whose charm, refined taste and an impressive collection of books were tempting enough to make Olga leave her homeland. Don’t tease him too much; this man has an impressive sword collection and he knows how to use it. He also can fix everything, including Polish syntax in English writing.
Welcome to the book blitz for NATURAL DISASTER, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic suspense series, Deserted Island, by New York Times bestselling author, Skye Warren and USA Today bestselling author, Amelia Wilde. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
NATURAL DISASTER (Deserted Island Series #1) by Amelia Wilde and Skye Warren
Synopsis Carter Morelli had a plan when he left London: deliver the wildlife photographer and then complete his secret mission. Except a lethal enemy has watched their every move. They tampered with the plane, leaving them stranded on a deserted island.
And they kidnapped June Porter, the innocent photographer.
In order to save her, Carter must confront the mysterious man in the jungle.
Who is he? Savior or betrayer?
He has no choice but to face the greatest enemy of all: the powerful feelings that draw him toward both June and the man in the jungle. Those feelings might kill them all.
Welcome to the Midnight Dynasty… The warring Morelli and Constantine families have enough bad blood to fill an ocean, and their brand new stories will be told by your favorite dangerous romance authors.
WARNING: This book is intended for readers eighteen years old and over. It contains material that some readers could find disturbing. Enter at your own risk…
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Excerpt #1
A shadow stands up from the sand.
One shadow. Theo.
Alone.
He’s standing in sand that has been thoroughly fucked up by a plane landing on it, and that motherfucker, that green-eyed innocent who needed encouragement to fuck June, is alone. What happened to her? He looks rough, but not particularly beaten. Not shot. The relief is threaded through with stark cold fear. Where the hell is June?
I’m running before I realize it.
Before I’ve had time to catch my breath and assess the situation. Doesn’t matter at all that I’ve just run through the jungle. I could run forever, but I don’t have to. It’s against mission protocol to drop my entire backpack on the ground, but I shrug it off and let it fall.
Theo turns at the sound.
I have two strides to notice his black eye—he has a black eye, someone hit him—and then I’m on top of him. “Where is she? Where the fuck is she?”
He’s just strong enough to stay upright when my fists collide with his chest. His shirt pulls tight in my fists. The crash of the ocean is loud in my ears, or maybe it’s my pulse. “Don’t.”
I want him to tell me she went for a swim. That she’s hiding behind the goddamn jungle leaves. That she’s building a fucking sandcastle.
Anything to disprove the desolation in his beautiful dark eyes.
Don’t. That one word is my worst nightmare.
“What did you do with her?” I shout into his face.
His cheeks are red with the fight and the bruise under his eye is going a deep purple already. It speaks to the force of the hit. I want to brush it with my fingertips, want to demand to know who did it so I can kill them, and that would be the wrong fucking thing, because he’s here and June’s not and her absence strikes me as offensively wrong.
I’ve gone wrong. I’ve gone so fucking wrong.
I shouldn’t want her here at all, but I do. I shouldn’t be relieved that he’s here, but I am. I shouldn’t want to punch him and kiss him at the same time.
“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice hoarse.
A heartbeat passes, maybe two, and I back him up toward nothing, toward more sand, and drag him in closer. I make my voice dangerously soft. “Sorry about what, Theo?”
He doesn’t make any move to touch me.
He doesn’t lift his hands to shove me off.
He just…looks away. “I didn’t want to ruin her, Carter. We were touching her. Kissing her.”
“We fucked her six ways to Sunday. I know that. What did you do?”
“I saved her the only way I could. By sending her away.”
About Skye Warrent SkyeWarren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.
“ESCORT is perfection only Skye Warren can deliver—a poetically erotic tale of exquisitely damaged characters, devastating secrets, revenge and redemption.” – Samanthe Beck, USA Today bestselling author
“Hypnotically romantic…this book reads like a sensual dream and I didn’t want to wake up.” – Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author
About Amelia Wilde Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside.
Amelia is a USA Today best selling author from northern Michigan. Be her friend!
Welcome to the book blitz for CONFESSIONS OF A FANGIRL, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Her Confessions, by Kirsten S. Blacketer. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
CONFESSIONS OF A FANGIRL (Her Confessions Series #1) by Kirsten S. Blacketer
Synopsis Life is good. I have a plush job, supportive friends, and a close-knit family. When the new hottie at the office asks me out on a date, I think I just won the jackpot.
Until movie night with the girls leads me down a dark rabbit hole. Who is he? An innocent Google search about a handsome actor has my imagination spinning. Now I’m drowning, and I don’t want salvation. I want him.
But I already have the perfect man. This obsession might just ruin my life.
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Excerpt: Between the alcohol simmering in my blood, the heated glances and gentle brushes of his fingertips against my skin have me teetering on the edge during the entire trip back to my apartment.
As I fumble with the key in the lock, Shaun’s hands settle on my hips. His mouth ghosts across my neck. I nearly drop the keys.
“If you keep it up, we won’t make it inside.” My throat is hoarse and the words tangle together in a jumbled, breathy exhale.
His hand covers mine, taking the key. In two seconds, he has the door open and pushes me through it. It slams behind us with a force that shakes the building. Shaun pins me against it and covers my mouth with his.
I’m drowning in sensations. He deepens the kiss, darting his tongue between my lips. I’m completely at his mercy. I’ve wanted this, him, for weeks. But until this moment, I wasn’t able to give in to the temptation. My own insecurities, maybe. Truth is, I’m still terrified this will change everything. Sex always does, and not always for the best.
He slides his hands beneath my jacket and under the silk top. The press of his hot fingertips against my skin drives my need higher. When he rocks his hips against me, I groan.
“You taste so good.” His words make my face warm. “You drive me crazy. Do you know how hard it is to see you at work and not touch you?”
“It’s torture.” I rest my hand against his chest. “I know.”
“I’ve been tempted to call you into my office a few times,” he whispers against my throat.
“That would definitely cause some talk.” I release him so he can slide my coat down over my arms. It drops to the floor.
“Maybe the rest of the women in the office would stop hitting on me if they knew I had my hands full already.” A wicked grin curves his lips as he grabs my ass with both hands.
Need courses through me, and I know if he touches me, he’ll see exactly how much I want him. I’ve never been so wet. His teasing words set me on fire.
“Shaun…” I stumble over his name because his hands are on a mission to distract me from everything but the heat building between us.
“Do you want me to stop?” He pulls back but doesn’t stop touching me.
“No. Don’t stop.” I grab a fistful of his shirt and push his coat over his shoulders.
He shrugs it off and tosses it aside. We stumble back and start pulling clothing off. He slips the green silk top over my head. I grab his belt and unfasten it. He rips off his sweater and the shirt beneath in one fluid motion. On it goes until both of us are standing in my living room in our underwear panting.
Shaun tugs me by the hand and motions toward the couch. I turn to the door on my right leading to my bedroom, but he stops me with a tug of my hand. When I turn back, he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me against him. His cock is hard against my stomach.
Shit, it’s been so damn long since I got laid. I don’t remember it being this scattered like I can’t find direction in an open sea. I focus instead on the man holding me. His gaze penetrates the haze clouding my floundering mind.
“What do you need, baby?” His hands never stop moving. They caress my spine, my hips, sliding beneath the fabric of my panties.
“My bed. In there.” I sound like a babbling idiot.
He grins. “Is that where you keep all your toys?”
I blink at him in disbelief. “Toys?” I don’t think of myself as a prude. I have a vibrator, yes, but do I keep a treasure trove of sex toys hidden in my bedroom? Hell no. I wouldn’t know where to start with that whole…lifestyle.
His throaty laugh sends a pang of lust straight to my core. “I’m teasing you, Jen.”
“Are you into that…kind of stuff?” I swallow the lump in my throat.
“Not really.” His sexy smirk tells a different story. “I’ve dabbled, but honestly, life is complicated enough. I like to keep sex simple.”
“Simple?” I gape at him as he slowly backs me toward my bedroom. “Like casual or like vanilla?”
Shaun cocks his head. “Which worries you more? That sex with me will be boring or that everything will change afterward.”
My heart stops. How the fuck did he know? “I…uh.” I drop my gaze.
He hooks a finger beneath my chin and forces me to meet his intense whiskey stare. “I get it. This is new for me too. I gave you time and space because I didn’t want to ruin this.”
About the Author Kirsten Blacketer writes the stories she’s dying to read. She likes mystery and intrigue, handsome heroes, sassy heroines, and a chance to break the rules. She lives for sexual tension and loves kissing scenes. There’s no way she can write in just one era, so don’t be surprised if you see her jumping from medieval Scotland to prohibition on the Mississippi River to late Victorian London then onto contemporary Brooklyn. She follows wherever the muse leads her.
The KSB Guarantee: A Steamy Getaway and Always a HEA!
Welcome to the book blitz for THINGS I OVERSHARED, the second book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Heartlanders, by Kelsey Humphreys. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and details on her giveaway.
THINGS I OVERSHARED (Heartlanders Series #2) by Kelsey Humphreys
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THINGS I OVERSHARED Series: Heartlanders Series #2 Author: Kelsey Humphreys Publisher: Magnamour Release Date: December 6, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Things I Overshared, an extrovert/introvert romantic comedy
Samantha Canton has had a rough year, to put it mildly. So, she is overjoyed to find out she gets to go on her dream work trip to Europe. But she’s not going alone. She’ll be crossing the pond with the company’s CFO, Emerson Clark.
Icy Emerson, as the industry calls him, is logical, serious and quiet. He likes solitude, the color gray, rain and hot tea – he is British, after all.
And he cannot stand Samantha in all her southern, chatty, upbeat, neon-dress-wearing glory.
No problem, she’s never met someone she couldn’t befriend. Until Now.
Commence nervous verbal diarrhea.
And commence the ultimate Grumpy Sunshine, Billionaire, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn Romance with rich characters and a payoff that will leave you absolutely giddy.
**This is a swoony, steamy, full-length standalone adult contemporary romance. Prepare for Manhattan, London, Paris, surprise twists, laugh-out-loud banter, a happily ever after, and a sisters group text thread you’ll wish you could join.
This is the second book in the Heartlanders Series but can be read on its own.**
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Get Caught Up on the Series – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
About the Author After tens of millions of video views, comedian Kelsey Humphreys has captured her hilarious, heart-warming characters in book form. Her steamy stories dig into deep truths about love, identity, purpose, and family. When she’s not writing romance or creating comedy videos, she is reading, running, mom-ming and wife-ing in Oklahoma. Follow her funnies on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.
Welcome to the book blitz for COPPER WATERS, the fourth book in the adult crime mystery series, Annalisse, by Marlene M. Bell. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
COPPER WATERS (Annalisse Series #4) by Marlene M. Bell
Synopsis A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.
Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.
Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.
But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.
Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.
The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.
As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.
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Excerpt #2: Today we’re on the way to Woolcombe Station and in livestock country big time. I’ve researched the current sheep population at almost thirty million, at a rate of about five sheep for every person in New Zealand. Sheep and lamb numbers continue to drop due to loss of the land needed to produce meat and wool. Raising vineyards for wine grapes has become popular, and many farmers have turned to dairy farms, not to mention the urban development to house an increase in the country’s overall population. In the past twenty years, New Zealand has gained two million residents. What began as seventy million sheep in 1982 has rapidly been on the decline.
The animal kingdom still dominates this nation. From the moment we hop in our SUV and hit the main route toward Woolcombe Station, the hillsides’ deep crevices spill into miles upon miles of rocky pastures less suitable for humans but more to grazing animals like sheep and crossbred cattle. I don’t recognize any single cattle breed except perhaps black Angus. Cows of mixed colors and shapes, some with horns, most without, support a hearty gene pool of four-legged critters, with ancestors that made ship voyages as far back as the 1800s. In addition to the one hundred thousand indigenous Māori population, first New Zealand settlers were convicts from penal colonies in Australia, or they traveled over three months on the ocean, seeking seals and whales for fur, fat, and lamp oil.
Out my window, red-roofed homesteads nestle at the base of taller peaks, surrounded by large, natural Totara shade trees, owner-operator granaries, woolsheds, and cooking stations. Bunkhouses for workers and shearers are rough and unpainted, broken down from age—a throwback from the war years when the world began to hum back to life in the 1970s after Vietnam. Those wars include Aussies and Kiwis fighting alongside the United States against aggressors pushing communism on a gullible public.
Bill and I drive past a smaller station, paddocks and chutes sporting little white bodies awaiting the shearers. I hope Bill will get to see how shearing is undertaken while we’re visiting, or Ethan can show us another station with shearers at work. I’d like to photograph them in action.
“This is going to sound like a stupid question, but what exactly is a sheep station?” Bill asks. “We have farmers raising sheep in our country, but I’ve never heard anyone call them stations. What am I missing?”
I smile. “Kate says there’s no such thing as a stupid question, and she’s right. A sheep station is their terminology for sheep farms in Australia and New Zealand. We’re going to see how farmers and ranchers make a living in rough, mountainous country. Their livelihoods depend totally on their sheep and cattle management.”
Bill nods.
“With sheep, there’s more labor involved because of the shearing. Most breeds grow fleece that have to be shorn at least once a year. A few breeds in the US no longer grow fleece because the farmer wants to concentrate on a meat market. They’re called hair sheep. Small amounts of wool grow but shed off on their own, leaving hair on the hides. In the US, we don’t wear as much wool clothing as we did in the 1700s and 1800s. Our founders raised sheep because woolens were in demand for warmth and military uniforms. The price for wool was high back then because it was needed in society.”
“If there’s wool in the cloth, I run the other way. It’s too scratchy for me,” Bill says.
“Mills have an answer to that. It’s called worsted wool. It’s stronger, finer, and smoother than regular wool that’s rough and scratchy. Men’s and women’s suits are usually made with worsted wool because it has a softer feel. Your short lesson on wool for today.” I laugh softly. “New Zealand sheep stations take the all-of-the-above approach. Stations employ sheep shearers and rouseabouts, sell the wool, and raise lambs for meat. Much of that is exported around the world.” I change the subject. “Are you okay with going to the police station first? If you think it’s better that we go in together, I can put off the station visit until this afternoon.”
I have a guilty conscience about sending Bill Drake to the wolves once he takes me to the station.
“It’s best that I test the water with the police. See Ethan and meet his family.”
About the Author Marlene M. Bell is an award-winning writer and acclaimed artist as well as a photographer. Her sheep landscapes grace the covers of Sheep!, The Shepherd, Ranch & Rural Living and Sheep Industry News, to name a few.
Her catalog Ewephoric began in 1985 out of her desire to locate personalized sheep stationery. She rarely found sheep products through catalogs and set out to design them herself. Ewephoric gifts may be ordered online or request a catalog at TexasSheep.com.
Marlene and her husband, Gregg reside in beautiful East Texas on a wooded ranch with their dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep, a large Maremma guard dog named, Tia, along with Hollywood, Leo and Squeaks, the cats that believe they rule the household—and do.
Welcome to the book blitz for A FOREST OF STOLEN MEMORIES, the first book in the young adult fantasy romance series, Backward Fairy Tales, by Callie Thomas. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
A FOREST OF STOLEN MEMORIES (Backward Fairy Tales Series #1) by Callie ThomasA FOREST OF STOLEN MEMORIES (Backward Fairy Tales Series #1) by Callie Thomas
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: A FOREST OF STOLEN MEMORIES Series: Backward Fairy Tales Series #1 Author: Callie Thomas Release Date: December 2, 2022
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis A royal wedding turns to disaster when a curse goes awry.
A victim of the Sorcerer’s prophecy, Roselyn’s memories are instantly erased, leaving her panicked at the altar. Confused, she flees to the place her prince fears most—the enchanted Mistbrooke Forest. Danger lurks closer than she can imagine, forcing her to seek help from a dark stranger who may be the key to recovering her lost memories.
Can she break the curse without breaking her heart?
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Excerpt #4: Could my life be altered after one kiss? My body craved it more than my next ragged breath.
“Do you feel it?” He traced his thumb across my lip. “Tell me you feel it.”
The tingle on my lips? The heat of his words? The intense desire to curl up in the safety of his arms forever?
I do, I thought since my mouth could barely function.
“How could you think this is magic?” he asked. “Nothing could duplicate this.”
I wanted to brand his words to my soul so that not even a curse could steal the memory of this moment away. My eyes fluttered closed and I waited, hoping.
“Don’t ask this of me,” he begged, his voice raspy. “One kiss could ruin everything.”
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Author Callie Thomas
About the Author Callie Thomas was born in California but moved away immediately after, living in more places in the United States than she can remember. Even now, she can’t stay in one spot too long, but you can usually find her on the sandy shores of someplace tropical, possibly with a coconut drink in her hand. Callie has been writing since middle school when her teacher caught her writing stories instead of vocabulary words in her 7th grade English class. Plagued by doubt, she went in a completely different direction and graduated college at George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic and Web Design. But the stories never stopped. Older and wiser (she hopes), she is finally ready to take a leap of faith with her writing. She recently published her first Vella series, A Forest of Stolen Memories, and is currently writing her first novel, The Captain’s Daughter.
