Welcome to the book blitz for THE SHADOW OF THE APENNINES, a standalone adult contemporary/historical women’s fiction by Kimberly Sullivan. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess. Separated by a century, united by common dreams.
The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.
At first, the mountain retreat appears idyllic, but an outsider’s clumsy attempts at breaking into the closed mountain community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover Samantha’s snarky blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants.
Increasingly isolated in her mountain cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and a survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates the two women, Samantha feels increasingly drawn into Elena’s life, and discovers startling parallels with her own.
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Excerpt #2 LOOKING BACK to when I bought this house, I realize that I was bamboozled by the weather. I should have known better. A fool and her money are easily parted.
It was the kind of day real estate agents would trade their eyeteeth for. The air was still crisp, but the sun shone warmly, laden with promise for the long, lovely days beckoning just around the corner. Snow still capped the mountaintops, yet the grass was green and lush.
We approached a front yard, and I could see the wildflowers sprouting around the edges, forming sporadic beds of color against the imposing grey stone of the house.
Lost in my reveries, I forgot all about the agent beside me. She smiled as she switched off the engine. “Here we are. The lovely little cottage I told you about.”
“A drafty little money pit, to be sure,” said Tom from the backseat, a wide smile carefully plastered on his face as he spoke the words.
I started to regret having invited him along. Worried about understanding everything in Italian, and even more terrified about not understanding the local dialect, I’d asked Tom to join me on my house hunting. Now I was ready to strangle him.
To be fair, Tom had been honest from the outset about his lack of enthusiasm for my plans to purchase property in Abruzzo. He made those views abundantly clear on each house tour. Since the agent didn’t understand a word of English, he masked his caustic comments with a ridiculous smile. The routine was becoming old.
With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps I should have heeded Tom’s warnings. Back then, however, I was in no mood to entertain his negative thoughts. I summarily ignored Tom’s comments, instead concentrating my full attention on the little cottage from the passenger window. I unlocked the door and stepped out, breathing in the invigorating mountain air, the earthy smell of soil and grass freed from winter hibernation under thick layers of snow.
Now I see it was all staged. The agent gave me just enough time to drink in the idyllic scene as she fumbled slowly for the keys in her purse. Timing was crucial. Standing before the old stone house, its cool grey exterior bathed in bright sunlight, I began to imagine it as my own. I envisioned my new life within those walls.
I imagined the garden I would plant, and lounging in a hammock tied between two ancient oaks. I fantasized about finally finishing that book I’d never completed. How could I not be inspired, with the majestic views of the mountains all around?
I wondered who’d lived in the cottage before. Had children played in its big yard? The cottage was set slightly apart from the town, but an easy walk in. That isolation could mean it was particularly cold in the winter. I made a note to examine the heating system and fireplaces within its thick walls.
The agent and Tom stood at the gate as I walked around the entire cottage. Fruit trees were scattered out back. A lovely little garden appeared to have been untended for quite some time. A large table would be perfect there, a spot for gathering with new friends or working.
The cottage was simple, but solid. Like all houses up high in the Apennine Mountains, the windows were small, the walls thick. I’d heard complaints that newer constructions were built cheaply, with thin walls, while these older homes were built to withstand the harsh mountain climate.
Returning to the front of the house where Tom and the agent waited for me, I paused. Scattered white dots punctuated the ankle-high grass. Narcissus flowers. Six delicate white petals surrounded yellow pistils rimmed in a narrow edge of bright pink; its arching stem lent elegance to the dainty bloom.
I knelt down to smell the sweet nectar of the flower, the perfect little wild flower—the metamorphosis of the vain Narcissus, who was unable to part with his handsome reflection in the pond. I spared a thought for poor Echo, who pined away until only her voice remained, after she was unable to win Narcissus’ love.
Had I been much better when Michael’s indifference toward me was laid plainly at my feet? Hadn’t I pined away, hoping for his return? When I think back to the humiliation I endured in my useless attempts to win him back, I cringe with shame.
I looked with fresh eyes on the sun-drenched cottage so far removed from my former life, at the lawn scattered with the symbol of unrequited love. This must be a sign. Perhaps this was the place where I was meant to construct my new life.
I returned to the front yard walkway. The agent smiled at me, holding out the key that caught a glint of sunlight and appeared to burst into a glow of light. Another sign, surely?
“Signora Samantha,” she said, her tongue losing its battle with the difficult “th.” “Shall we look inside?”
The tour was irrelevant. My mind was made up.
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Author Kimberly Sullivan
About the Author Kimberly grew up in the suburbs of Boston and in Saratoga Springs, New York, although she now calls the Harlem neighborhood of New York City home when she’s back in the US. She studied political science and history at Cornell University and earned her MBA, with a concentration in strategy and marketing, from Bocconi University in Milan.
Afflicted with a severe case of Wanderlust, she worked in journalism and government in the US, Czech Republic and Austria, before settling down in Rome, where she works in international development, and writes fiction any chance she gets.
She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) and The Historical Novel Society and has published several short stories and two novels: Three Coins and Dark Blue Waves.
After years spent living in Italy with her Italian husband and sons, she’s fluent in speaking with her hands, and she loves setting her stories in her beautiful, adoptive country.
Welcome to the blog tour for HERE WITH YOU, the second 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.
HERE WITH YOU (Willow Bay Series #2) by Kelly Collins
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: HERE WITH YOU Series: Willow Bay Series #2 Author: Kelly Collins Publisher: Book Nook Press Release Date: October 13, 2022 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT
Synopsis A swoon-worthy family drama filled with heartbreak, happiness, and a happily ever after…
Emmaline Brown had been in love once, but when Miles McClintock cracked open his family’s secrets, he ruined a lot of lives and crushed Emmaline’s dreams. With Miles no longer an acceptable suitor in her family’s eyes, she chose the life she was born and raised for—to run The Brown Resort. As part-owner and operator of Willow Bay’s largest luxury property, she’d been delivering happily ever after to the hundreds who flocked there each summer. She thought she was content to live her life alone, but that all changed when Miles McClintock came back to town.
Paramedic Miles McClintock left Willow Bay decades ago in disgrace. One honest decision lost him everything, including his family’s honor and the love of his life, Emmaline Brown. Luck had never been on his side until the day he was summoned home by his ill mother. One stop at the Five and Dime would change his life. An opportunity to run the resort next door puts him exactly where he wants to be—straight in the path of Emmaline Brown. She had once loved him when he was a wealthy rancher’s heir, but could she fall in love with the poor man he was pretending to be?
He feels abandoned. She feels betrayed. Can their love for one another douse the burning rage that keeps them apart?
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Excerpt #2 “If you had to do it all over again, would you do the same thing?”
He reached forward and twisted a lock of her hair around his finger. She could see his mind moving through all the scenarios as the golden specks in his eyes shifted with his thoughts. Miles could never get away with much because his eyes were so expressive. He never had a great poker face, but she didn’t know what he’d say this time.
“I’ve thought about that a lot.” He cupped her cheek. “I hated what happened to us, but maybe it was a good thing. We weren’t ready for the love we deserved, and I don’t think we knew how to give the love we needed. So, to answer your question, yes, I would have done the same thing because when we leave this world, all we leave behind are memories, and I’d rather be known as a man with integrity.” His thumb brushed her cheek. “What about you?”
She reached out and laid her hand on his hip. It didn’t stay there long as the pull to know whether the hair on his chest was soft or course drew her to him. Those tiny hairs sprouting all those years ago were both, and she loved how her fingers felt as she brushed her fingertips through them.
“I regret not going away with you, but I don’t regret staying.”
“You can’t have it both ways.”
“By staying, I ended up with The Brown. That’s what I wanted all along.”
“You’re wrong.” They were close enough for his breath to tickle her cheek. For several seconds his gaze lingered on her mouth until he leaned in and touched his lips to hers. “Let me remind you of what you wanted.” She barely had time to take a breath before his mouth covered hers.
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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 book blitz for GIVE ME FOREVER, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance series, Beaumont: Next Generation, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
GIVE ME FOREVER (Beaumont Next Generation Series #5) by Heidi McLaughlin
Synopsis From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin delivers an emotional second chance romance about life, love, and what it means to truly be happy!
Elle James has it all: a loving fiancé in Ben, a promising career as a music manager, and a supportive family. She couldn’t be happier with her life. That is until the unthinkable happens and she must accept the consequences of her actions and figure out how to come clean to her family or continue living the lie.
Ben Miller had it all: a loving fiancée, a budding career, and the support of people who loved him like family. That was until he wanted more, and his fiancée was unable to meet him halfway. He makes a decision, one that affects everyone. When his life takes an unexpected turn and he’s diagnosed with a life changing illness, he finds himself fighting for more than just love.
With their happily ever after slipping through their fingers, will Elle and Ben be able to survive, or will life’s curveball be too much for them to handle?
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Excerpt #2: The fanfare at the stadium is something I’ve never seen before. People tailgate. They’re throwing parties in the parking lot, with food, music, and games. Some have televisions set up and they’re watching the pregame. Each time I hear Noah’s name, I block out what the announcer says. I don’t care to hear whether or not they think the Pioneers should be in the Super Bowl or not. They’re here, and that is the only thing that matters. Win or lose, Noah’s dreams of making it to the big game have finally come true.
Nola and I walk around the parking lot, taking in the energetic atmosphere. I’ve been to concerts where the tailgating is a giant party, but not to this extent. Venues normally open the parking lot two, maybe three hours before a concert starts, unless it’s a festival. Still, I’d love to see 4225 West or Sinful Distraction have something like this.
“I’m hungry,” Nola says. My stomach growls loud enough for her to hear. She covers her mouth and cackles. I roll my eyes and pray no one else heard it.
“Thanks.” It’s her fault. Lately, food doesn’t interest me. My mother has picked up on the fact I’ve lost weight and barely eat. I don’t have the heart to tell her or anyone in my family about Ben and what we’re going through. How do I tell my loved ones when I don’t understand myself?
“We can head into the stadium and get something,” I tell her.
“Or we can introduce you to people, tell them who you are, and see what they give us.” Nola waggle’s her eyebrows and she smiles like the Cheshire cat. Nola doesn’t care that she’s intermingled with a famous family, and rarely tells people who she’s engaged to, until she wants something. Even then, she’s joking. She’s never used Quinn’s name to get anything from anyone. She likes to tease though.
“Or we go find my dad and drag him around the parking lot with us.”
Nola’s mouth drops open and she gasps. “Oh my, can you even imagine? We wouldn’t make it past the first row. Of course, if we did this, I’d have to get a bullhorn to let everyone know Harrison James walks among us.”
About the Author Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
Welcome to the cover reveal for GIVE ME FOREVER, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance series, Beaumont: Next Generation, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin, releasing October 11, 2022. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, preorder links, a link to read the first chapter for free, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
GIVE ME FOREVER (Beaumont Next Generation Series #5) by Heidi McLaughlin
Synopsis From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin delivers an emotional second chance romance about life, love, and what it means to truly be happy!
Elle James has it all: a loving fiancé in Ben, a promising career as a music manager, and a supportive family. She couldn’t be happier with her life. That is until the unthinkable happens and she must accept the consequences of her actions and figure out how to come clean to her family or continue living the lie.
Ben Miller had it all: a loving fiancée, a budding career, and the support of people who loved him like family. That was until he wanted more, and his fiancée was unable to meet him halfway. He makes a decision, one that affects everyone. When his life takes an unexpected turn and he’s diagnosed with a life changing illness, he finds himself fighting for more than just love.
With their happily ever after slipping through their fingers, will Elle and Ben be able to survive, or will life’s curveball be too much for them to handle?
About the Author Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
LOVE YOU S’MORE (The Campfire Series #3) by Beth Merlin
Synopsis Having successfully designed the wedding gown of the century, Gigi Goldstein is on top of the world – that is until it all suddenly comes crashing down around her. When the paparazzi captures her and Perry Gillman in a compromising moment the night of the royal wedding, she finds herself entangled in a scandal of global proportion. Convinced her carelessness has ruined every relationship in her life, she’s surprised and moved by her boyfriend, Gideon’s, sudden proposal of marriage and accepts it without a second thought.
Four months later, Gigi’s living at Badgley Hall contemplating an entirely new kind of life, while guilt, regret, and obligation keep calling her back to her old one. Will Gigi stay in South Gloucestershire, marry Gideon, and become the Countess of Harronsby?
Or, will unfinished opportunities and an old flame bring her back across the pond to confront her past and reclaim her future?
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My Review This is the final book in The Campfire Series, and it wraps up Gigi and Perry’s story with a heartfelt bow. Author Beth Merlin brings her dynamic characters back for a final performance, and it’s well worth the wait. After the royal wedding blew up in spectacular fashion, Gigi has retreated to Badgley Hall with Gideon to escape the limelight and regroup. But she soon realizes she doesn’t really fit in Gideon’s world either. As tabloid fodder, she doesn’t feel at home in English society and Gideon’s friends aren’t making things any easier. The longer she practices to be the future Countess of Harronsby, the more she misses designing. It’s in her blood, after all. Gigi has some tough choices to make once again, and this time, it’ll be harder than ever.
Plot The plot moves along at the perfect pace, with plenty of unexpected twists. Because this is Perry and Gigi’s story, I might have known loosely how it would end, but not how it would get us there, and that was the most fun of all. Once again, the author does a masterful job of providing detailed descriptions, bringing her world to full, colorful life.
Characters All of our favorites return, but the addition of some fun, new characters only adds to the vivacity of the cast. Merlin is a master at creating fully fleshed out characters that are people you’d love to hang out with. Even though they inhabit a world none of us could ever hope to be a part of, they remain down-to-earth and relatable in the best possible ways.
What I Loved About LOVE YOU S’MORE 1. Fashion. Once again, we’re deep in the fashion world with vivid descriptions that make the couture jump off the pages.
2. Jamie and Thom. Now the dads to twins, these two got their HEA, and it’s so satisfying.
3. Gigi. She’s more poised now than ever before. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it.
4. Perry. He’s the same McDreamy-esque guy both Gigi and I fell in love with way back at Camp Chinooka.
5. Ending. A perfect wrap up to one of the best escape-read series I’ve enjoyed in a long time.
About the Author Beth Merlin has a BA from The George Washington University where she minored in Creative Writing and a JD from New York Law School. She’s a native New Yorker who loves anything Broadway, rom-coms, her daughter Hadley, and a good maxi dress. She was introduced to her husband through a friend she met at sleepaway camp and considers the eight summers she spent there to be some of the most formative of her life. One S’more Summer is Beth’s debut novel.
Welcome to the book blitz for WILD AT HEART, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Wild Love, by Stacy Gold. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway. For a limited time, you can pick up the eBook for just $1.99!
Synopsis
They each hit the trail solo in search of themselves…
Overworked entrepreneur Jules Martinez is sick and tired of men leaving her for their exes. Determined to wipe the giant, scarlet Rfor rebound off her forehead, she kicks off a yearlong vow of celibacy with five, blissful weeks backpacking her favorite trails through Washington State. Solo.
Out-of-work financial analyst Evan Davenport hasn’t been happy since camping in Scouts as a kid—before his wealthy parents and now ex-fiancé made all his major life decisions. Hoping to find joy and purpose, he buys all the latest ultralight backpacking gear, flies to Washington, and sets off alone on a weeklong speed hike through the wilderness.
Mother Nature has other plans, though, and keeps shoving Evan and Jules in each other’s paths. Usually naked. When sparks fly, can they find what they’re looking for in life together instead of apart?
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Excerpt #4 Scrabbling for my headlamp, I unzipped my tent and aimed the beam across the small clearing. Raindrops formed silver lines, obscuring my view.
My light caught a bit of reflective material. And a bare leg. And what looked like a pile of fabric thrown over a boulder but had to be a rainfly tossed over the asshole who woke me up.
“Um, helloooo. What the fuck are you doing out there?” My breath hung like a ghost in the beam of light.
“Oh, nothing. Just trying to get some shut eye. Except my tent just broke, it’s pouring rain, and I’m soaking wet.”
“And why, exactly are you setting up in the middle of the night in a rainstorm?”
“Because I need somewhere dry to sleep.”
Fuck. I knew I shouldn’t have asked.
“Don’t you have rain pants?”
“If I had rain pants, don’t you think I’d be wearing them?” The pile of nylon shifted and settled, and the bare leg disappeared.
“You’re going to go hypothermic dressed like that.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” The rain pounded down. “Are you going to turn off that light, or what? I am trying to get some sleep over here.”
“Sure thing.” I clicked off my headlamp and sat in the dry comfort of my tent, staring out into the dark, wet night.
The chances of my random neighbor getting any shuteye out there were pretty much nil. Ditto the chances of me sleeping through the night with his periodic shifting and cussing.
The chances of him getting hypothermia dressed like that in forty-five-degree rain, on the other hand, were pretty damn high.
I clicked on my headlamp. “Aren’t you freezing?”
“Pretty much.”
Something told me I would regret my next words. But I didn’t want his death on my conscience. “You can’t stay out there all night like that. My tent isn’t big, but I can make room for you. If you want.”
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Author Stacy Gold
About the Author Award-winning adventure romance author Stacy Gold would rather be in the middle of nowhere than almost anywhere else. To that end, she’s run more than 50 rivers in three countries, been heli-dropped into remote ski huts multiple times (and made it into even more under her own steam), worked for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service as a backcountry ranger, river ranger, and naturalist, and spent fourteen years as a commercial river guide and kayak instructor. Her last “real job” was serving as Communications Director for a state-wide mountain biking non-profit.
When she’s not busy kayaking, skiing, mountain biking, or hiking, with her husband and happy dogs, Ms. Gold writes about independent, badass women finding love and adventure in the great outdoors. Her latest release, Wild at Heart, came out May 2nd, 2022.
Welcome to the book blitz for BLY, a standalone new adult urban fantasy by Kelsey Ketch. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis I left the United States to find inner peace. Instead, I find myself confronting a malicious ghost.
Astyr Salt is a spiritual and emotional empath who moved to England with the intent to forget about a traumatic, supernatural event that occurred during her freshman year of college. However, when she takes a spiritual cleansing assignment in a haunted country home in Essex, she is isolated with all her own pent-up emotions.
These emotions energize the ghosts inhabiting the country home, helping them draw their own tragedies to the surface. Searching for the truth, Astyr is forced to relive the past. And the deeper she dives into the country home’s horrific history, the more the intertwined memories place her in the path of an evil and demented predator.
A blend of contemporary fantasy, horror, and mystery, Bly is inspired by Henry James’s classic novella, The Turn of the Screw.
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Excerpt #2 I find myself sitting on the bench in the center of the box hedge maze behind Bly. To some relief, there are no endless hallways, staircases, or doors. Nothing unusual. Well, for the most part. The lake glistens in the distance, yet there is no light in the sky. No moon. No stars. Even the tree line that separates the manicured lawn from the woodlands and fields is swallowed by the inky blackness that conceals the sky. The only light is the candle that sits on the bench next to me. The flame steady, but dim. I take in a breath of crisp air and turn toward Bly. The house is completely dark, and from the exterior, nothing appears out of the ordinary. No extra windows or doors. Yet, something is still off.
Touching the pentacle charm on my bracelet, my thoughts travel to Nolyn. Despite his absence, I sense a small amount of his energy radiating from the tourmaline, acting as my anchor. Ever since I came to Bly, the anxiety I once felt in my dreams has started to ease. Maybe it’s because my mind has been focusing on Bly and the spirits of the house. Or maybe it’s because I have been wearing the bracelet both day and night since Nolyn gave it to me. I’m not really sure. Yet, I’m still feeling an emptiness. Especially right now, sitting in the darkness alone. I didn’t realize how much I have been missing him. How much I want him here with me.
The candle beside me suddenly sputters out, and a deafening silence envelops the estate. The temperature drops to the point that I cross my arms over my chest and rub my hands over the sleeves of my white nightgown. A presence glares down at me from the windows of the third level, above the governess’s rooms. I tilt my head to meet its gaze, only to find nothing but thin air. For several moments, I refuse to avert my eyes. My breathing becoming shallow as my chest constricts. Then I hear childish giggles and leaves crackling under a pair of running feet. I stand and turn, accidently knocking the candle from the bench in the process. The box hedge around me begins to grow vertically, climbing from two feet to four feet to six feet. In a matter of seconds, I’m in the middle of a box hedge maze that reaches ten feet high. My heart pounding, I work my way down the path that should lead me out of the maze. Unfortunately, having left the unlit candle by the bench, I’m walking blind. I lightly brush the palms of my hands over the branches and leaves on either side of me. My hyped-up imagination half expects large spiders or creepy vines with a mind of their own to crawl out of the evergreens.
I take several turns that should have led me out of the maze only to find myself trapped in a dead end. I back myself out and continue down the last path I was on. Taking a few more turns, I find myself at another dead end. This happens again for a third, fourth, and fifth time. Obviously, the maze has become more complex than when I first started. I take a breath and silently ask for Geb’s guidance as I attempt to draw energy from the earth. Finally, a soft, prickling sensation tickles the soles of my feet. I continue to walk until I feel it becoming stronger. The energy of the earth leading down several bends and U-turns. The box hedge falls away from my palms, opening into a wider space. In front of me are two doors, one a black-stained oak and the other a light honey-stained pine.
The prickling energy fades when I step forward to examine the doors. There is nothing obvious. No signs. No guards. No sphinx. I place my palm on the first door to see if I can get a sense of the energy on the other side. Nothing. I try the other door, just to be sure, but the only thing I can sense is the masked energy approaching me from behind. I turn, hoping to catch sight of the presence. Sadly, all I can see is darkness. The presence brushes the back of my head, running over my neck. I shiver while I feel the presence pick up several strands of my hair. The smell of fresh cut grass, tobacco, and alcohol wafts by as a frigid chill envelops me.
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Author Kelsey Ketch
About the Author Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.
Welcome to the blog tour for SHY GIRLS CAN’T DATE BILLIONAIRES, the first book in the young adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Shy Girls Sweet Romances, by Milly Rose. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SHY GIRLS CAN’T DATE BILLIONAIRES (Shy Girls Sweet Romance Series #1) by Milly Rose
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: SHY GIRLS CAN’T DATE BILLIONAIRES Series: Shy Girls Sweet Romances #1 Author: Milly Rose Publisher: Halo & Claws Publishing Release Date: September 5, 2022
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis
I never existed until the wrong guy took notice…
I was born shy. And near him, I fall apart. No wonder he can’t stand the sight of me.
After a fire destroys our home, my family is taken in by a billionaire tycoon. His mansion has countless bedrooms, yet my room is next door to his son, Thomas Ashworth III. Yes, he’s as pompous as the name suggests. And, for some reason, he hates my guts.
Even though his arrogance drives me crazy, his chiseled features turn me into a stammering, awkward mess. I hate being stuck with someone I can’t stand. And when he does something unexpectedly kind, it confuses my heart.
When I bump into him in the middle of the night, I’d never guess it lead to us sharing secrets.
He’s impossible to get out of my head. But he wouldn’t consider dating someone like me. Would he?
You will love Christie and Ash. They are stuck together in forced proximity, becoming practically roommates. He is a billionaire, alpha male type who is learning to love. She is the new girl in school, dealing with past trauma. Together they will go from enemies to lovers in an adorable young adult romance.
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Excerpt “Hi,” Thomas says, folding his arms across his chest. “What’s your first class?”
I stare at him as bags pull under my eyes. My lack of sleep and the adrenaline from panicking have taken their toll.
He unfolds his arms and tilts his head. “What’s up?” he asks.
I smooth my clammy palms over my blazer and fidget in my shoes.
“I told you, you don’t need to panic,” Thomas says, stepping closer to me. “This school is a piece of cake.”
I run a hand over my hair and turn my face away from him. I’m gonna lose it again. My insides contort with another urge to launch over a toilet bowl.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, placing a hand on my arm.
I jolt in surprise.
He removes his hand and takes a step back. “Sorry,” he says.
I look away. “It’s okay.”
Thomas smiles. “Glad you got your voice back.”
I blush, and mumble, “Me too.”
“Why do you look so freaked out?” he asks. “They showed you where to go, didn’t they?”
I shake my head. “Not exactly.”
“What happened when I left? Ms. Thornesmith usually handles everything, so I figured you wouldn’t have an issue.”
I fidget in my shoes again and turn my head in the other direction, staring at the closed bathroom door.
“A girl offered to show me around. Somewhere along the way, we kinda parted ways… I don’t have my schedule, and I don’t know where I’m going.” Huffing, I pause my ramble to throw my arms in the air. “I don’t know what classes I have… and I’m just lost again, like usual.”
“Don’t sweat it,” he says. “I’ll take you back to admin, and we’ll get you a new schedule. Then I’ll show you around.”
I cross my arms and let out a tired, “Humph.”
“What?”
“You’ll show me around?” I say, looking at the floor. It is as confrontational as I get. It’s shocking the words have come out of my mouth.
I doubt he’d help me. Why would he?
“Christie, you need to know where you’re going. I’ll show you where to find your classrooms. It’s not a big deal.”
“It was a big deal earlier,” I say.
It’s baffling that I’m continuing with this conversation.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” he says, taking another step back. “My parents kind of threw this on me. I already had plans for this morning that I needed to follow through on.”
“Fine, whatever,” I say, crossing my arms in frustration. “You could have at least told your parents or me that you couldn’t show me around. If you had said you couldn’t help me, my mom would have come with me.” I pull my arms tighter across my midsection. “It’d be better than being alone.”
“I’m sorry you felt alone,” he says, taking a step forward. “But, be honest, you don’t exactly enjoy my company. I assumed you’d be relieved when I left.”
His words surprised me. I look up to meet his eyes, finding them filled with sincerity.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
He puffs a laugh and slides his hand into his trouser pockets. “Don’t act like you don’t hate when I’m around.”
I place a hand over my heart. “Me?”
“You’re always judging me.”
“I haven’t said anything bad to you.”
A nervous laugh seeps out of him. “You don’t have to say it. It’s in your eyes. I know you can’t stand me.”
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Author Milly Rose
About the Author Milly Rose is an animal-loving romance enthusiast with a swoon-inducing book formula. Shy girl + hot guy + first kisses. Her YA sweet romance books will have you falling in love every instalment. Milly Rose is the quintessential shy girl, who you can contact via her mailing list and reply to her monthly email blasts! Milly spends her days vying for her cat’s affection, dreaming up her next book boyfriend, and writing a fun meet-cute under candlelight with a lovely brewed cup of tea.
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Welcome to the cover reveal for ECHO, the sixth book in the adult contemporary romance/romantic suspense series, Alpha Elite, by USA Today bestselling author Sybil Bartel, releasing January 19, 2023. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
Synopsis Joining the military wasn’t a choice, it was survival. The Navy was the last place they’d think to look for me. Hiding in plain sight, I lived in the shadow of deployments… until an off-the-books mission put me in the crosshairs of my past.
My cover blown, I walked away from the SEALs and sought refuge at the one place where I’d be more invisible than on the Teams—Alpha Elite Security. As a Black Ops government contractor, AES was the world’s leading provider of security solutions. High stakes, higher price tag, and complete anonymity. I fit right in.
But then I made a mistake. A single misstep and I was face to face with the only woman who could kill me faster than a bullet.
Code name: Echo.
Mission: Evade.
ECHO is a standalone book in the exciting Alpha Elite Series by USA Today Bestselling author, Sybil Bartel. Come meet Echo and the dominant, alpha heroes who work for AES!
About the Author Sybil Bartel is a USA Today Bestselling author of unapologetic alpha heroes. Whether you’re reading her deliciously dominant mercenaries, bodyguards or military heroes, all of her heart-stopping, page-turning romantic suspense novels have sexy-as-sin alpha heroes!
Sybil resides in South Florida and she is forever Oliver’s mom.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE MESSY TRUTH ABOUT LOVE, a standalone new adult contemporary romance, by C.L. Walters. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
A fresh start is exactly what Hannah Fleming needs after getting dumped by her cheating ex-boyfriend. While getting rejected was awful, nine weeks removed she’s recognizing the benefits, seeing that relationship for what it was: unhealthy. Then, Hannah bumps into her high school crush, Seth Peters, and is offered a second chance to see if what was in the past can once again be magical in the present. But when her past threatens her second chance, she must determine how hard she’s willing to fight for her future.
SETH
A fresh start is exactly what Seth Peters needs. New place. New people. New opportunities. Except, he runs straight into one of the greatest unresolved moments of his past, Hannah Fleming. Suddenly life is offering a second chance with her, but can he hold onto all he’s learned over the last few years to make a future with Hannah work? Or will he backslide into old ways of being to hide the truth of his darker past?
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Excerpt #1 I rush through the first set of doors at Hammill, my eyes unfocused, replaying where I went wrong in the conversation with Sebastian, and bump into someone hurrying out. The books in my arms flop out, falling to the ground in a syncopated succession of thuds. “Oh. I’m so sorry,” I say and bend down to pick up the books, which I don’t want to get wet.
Shoot. Shoot. I’m so late. Matilda is going to string me up by my nails.
“So sorry,” a deep voice says at the same time. “My fault. I wasn’t–” A familiar voice, stalled now on his last word.
I look up into a face I recognize. Warm amber eyes. A dimpled smile. My heart remembers jumping around in my chest with that familiar rhythm before my eyes and mind put that recognition together. “Hannah?”
“Seth?” A smile spreads across my face and every nagging thought evaporates. “What are you doing here?” My smile won’t stop and communicates with the rest of my body that it needs to get involved in the joy. My heart hammers against my ribs. My face heats.
The last time I saw him–
My heart trips over the memory and won’t let me visit it out of self-preservation. He looks like high school Seth, but different. Older. His nose is still slightly crooked. His mouth, with perfectly proportional lips, still cuts adorable dimples into his cheeks when he smiles, which he does, causing his amber eyes to sparkle. His brown hair is darker now, effortlessly styled so that wavy locks stray across his forehead. He’s still taller than me. His face is wider, and it makes me wonder about the rest of him hiding underneath the jacket.
My heart adds a hot hum of awareness in my chest.
He’s a friend—I tell myself—one I haven’t seen in a long time.
He bends down to help me with the books. “Wow. I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. And it’s you!” We’re crouched down together in the entryway of Hammill between the sets of doors. Someone opens the outer door, and a burst of cold finds its way under the hem of my coat and drifts up my back.
I shiver.
“What are you doing here?” I don’t know why I glance around, but I do, as if he’s materialized from thin air and will disappear again when the spell wears off. “How are you? It’s been, what?” He grabs the last book.
We stand.
He holds the book out to me, and his eyes grasp ahold of mine. “Since that summer after senior year.” July. The beach. I remember.
He remembers?
I tilt my head, surprised.
I know the last time I saw him. The memory played on repeat in my mind, my dreams, my inner overthinking-monologue far too long after it happened. I try to play it cool. “Yeah! I think it was on the 4th of July get-together at the beach. After graduation.” I can’t stop smiling, and my cheeks are starting to ache. I wonder what he remembers about that night. We texted some after. Then he moved away, and the chats became fewer and farther between until they stopped altogether.
Someone opens the door from the library on their way out.
I step to the side and grasp the sleeve of Seth’s coat to draw him to the side with me. The girl walking past glances at Seth and does a double take. Not surprising. He’s always captured the girls’ attention. I refocus on his smile. No dimples.
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Author C.L. Walters
About the Author As a kid, CL Walters, world revolved around two things: stories and make believe. She’s built a real life around those two things: a teacher of stories and a writer of make believe.
With four books now published, she’s looking forward to her fifth release October 13, 2020, a YA Contemporary Romance called The Stories Stars Tell.
Sign up for her newsletter for news, goodies, and fun (www.clwalters.net)
Welcome to the book blitz for THE SWEETEST GAME, the third book in the new adult contemporary sports romance series, Southern U O’Brien Brothers, by Cookie O’Gorman. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE SWEETEST GAME (Southern U O’Brien Brothers Series #3) by Cookie O’Gorman
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: THE SWEETEST GAME Series: Southern U O’Brien Brothers Series #3 Author: Cookie O’Gorman Release Date: September 8, 2022 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
Hopelessly in love with my best friend’s brother.
That’s what it will say on my tombstone. Here lies Junior “June” Dorsey. Tomboy. Car lover. Bookworm. She suffered from a severe case of unrequited love syndrome.
It’s not like I haven’t tried liking other guys. I have. It’s just none of them measure up to him.
Baylor O’Brien. Beautiful. Cocky. Talented (on the field and in the bedroom—or so I’ve heard).
And completely oblivious to my love for him.
When Bay asks for my help, I can’t say no. He needs my PR expertise to revamp his reputation and up his chances of being scouted after one scout—the one he really wants—dismisses him as nothing more than a party-loving playboy.
When he asks me to be his fake girlfriend, I accept his proposal.
But how am I supposed to act like I’m in love without revealing the truth? And why is Baylor so good at pretending?
One thing I know that’s true:
All’s fair in love and baseball.
Wish me luck,
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Excerpt His arm tightened around me.
I felt his breath hitting my neck.
If this wasn’t some form of heaven, I didn’t know what was.
“Where’s your dad?” he asked.
“He’s away for a few days,” I said. “So, I’m in charge of the garage.”
“Nice.”
“How was the game going before it got rained out?” I asked.
“Honestly, Sunshine? I couldn’t tell you,” he said. “There were other things on my mind.”
“Ah.”
We were quiet for a few moments, and then Baylor started to stand.
“I think you’re warm now,” he said. “No chance of hypothermia, so that’s good.”
“I don’t think I was ever in danger of that,” I said dryly.
“You never know, Sunshine. I’ll see you later then.”
Before he could move from the bed, I looked back and reached for his hand. Baylor looked down and then back up at me. He’d ditched the baseball cap, so his hair was wet around the sides. Baylor shirtless was a thing of beauty. His muscles glinted under the lights in my room, and I couldn’t believe he was actually here. His piercing gray eyes held a question in them.
“Will you stay?” I asked, hoping it didn’t sound too desperate. “You can leave later if you want, but…could you stay? Just for now?”
Baylor gave a small smile and got back under the covers.
“Of course,” he said, dropping a kiss against my shoulder. “I wouldn’t want any of your toes falling off.”
“Not funny, Bay.”
“You’re delirious from the rain. I’m hilarious.”
“And you are surprisingly sweet.”
“Nah, that’s the fever talking.”
“My fake boyfriend carried me through the rain,” I said like a damsel in distress. “It was glorious.”
“And now she’s hallucinating. Get some sleep, Sunshine. You need it,” he said, settling me more firmly against him. Tiredness swamped me in a wave. “We can talk about getting you a first aid kit in the morning.”
“I’m fine,” I said softly, feeling my eyelids begin to droop.
“You are,” he said.
“Is this lesson two?”
“Yeah, it’s called spooning.”
“I think I like it.”
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Get Caught Up on the Series – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
About the Author Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, and The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romance, The Best Mistake..
Welcome to the blog tour for CROW, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, The Sinful Guardians M.C., by C.M. Marin. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
CROW (The Sinful Guardians MC Series #1) by C.M. Marin
About The Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: CROW Series: The Sinful Guardians MC Series #1 Author: C.M. Marin Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Release Date: August 30, 2022 Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
CROW
One minute I’m content just enjoying life with my club, running one of the businesses we own, and the next a woman sneaks her way under my skin for the first time in my life.
I never saw her coming.
Wild hair, almost black, and dark brown eyes star in my fantasies, but Paisley keeps herself out of reach. She’s shielded behind a solid brick wall that I want to knock down more than I’ve ever wanted anything. As I get to know her, my hero complex grows as fast as the chemistry burning between us. Maybe it’s just the former soldier and the sergeant at arms in me talking, but I want to protect her from both my past and whoever sent her running to Montana.
And I will protect her, because this woman is mine.
PAISLEY
Three months ago, I found out how much cruelty can flow through someone’s veins. My whole world collapsed, and suffocating fear for the most precious thing life has ever given me sent me running.
Now, Montana is my new home. For how long? Only time will tell.
But when fate puts a sturdy, intense biker in my path, everything changes. The connection between Seth and me is palpable, and it grows stronger every day that I get to know him. It lures us together despite my efforts to stay away. And clearly, I fail at staying away. Because soon, what scares me the most is no longer the dreadful ghost of my recent past.
Now, I’m terrified I’ll have to run away again and lose the man I’m falling in love with.
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Excerpt I know that staring down at the nasty mush of food splashed across my kitchen sink is going to awaken the urge to vomit the rest of the lunch I ate three hours ago—most likely before I even manage to get my breathing under control. My churning stomach is the only proof I need. But for a long couple of minutes, the loathsome prospect of a repeat doesn’t set off enough motivation for me to move. But maybe motivation isn’t the problem. Maybe I’m simply not sure it’s wise to take the leap yet. If my legs shake with as much fervor as my hands when I try to walk away from the repugnant smell, the chances of cracking my skull on the hard, light gray tiles of my kitchen floor are sky-high. It doesn’t help that my brain has started to race despite myself, trying to come up with an explanation for the discovery that forced me to puke into the sink, the sickness arising too suddenly to allow me to race to the bathroom. It’s searching for any explanation that would give me even the slightest flicker of hope that the past fourteen months of my life haven’t been a pure lie.
A complete sham.
But as I finally push off the countertop and stagger back to the kitchen island despite the risk of collapsing on the way, my gut, my heart and my head are all on the same page. When my gaze falls back to the few papers that literally made me sick, every part of me knows that the last fourteen months have come to an end. There can’t be many explanations for the papers I found hidden under a loose board of the living room hardwood floor ten minutes ago.
These papers have changed my life. It sounds dramatic, but it’s not. It’s a fact.
My eyes stay anchored to the passport displaying the picture of the man I’ve loved for the past fourteen months, despite the need to fight back a new wave of nausea as more food threatens to make its way up my throat. Through my frenzied heartbeat, my trembling body, and my roiling stomach, I keep reading the name adjoined to the very familiar face with sharp features and soft blue eyes, topped with a mop of light brown hair. The first name is the same I’ve always called him. Brendan. But the last name isn’t his. At least, it’s not the one I thought belonged to the man that I thought was the love of my life until about fifteen minutes ago. And now, the face I’m staring at is the one of the man I love, but strangely, it also isn’t.
If not for the three other pieces of paper I found with the passport, I could have let my mind wander through far-fetched explanations like how the man I’ve shared so much with was some kind of secret agent who had to keep me in the dark for safety reasons. I might have let my love for him convince me of that. But the other papers are spread out here, right before my eyes, and two of them drape a layer of cold chills all over my skin, worsening the shaking that’s taken over my body. The two train tickets scheduled for the same day Brendan booked me a spa day don’t leave much doubt as to what’s going on.
Just for you. You deserve a long day of being pampered.
Those were his words when he gifted me the thoughtful spa day a few days ago, kissing me like I was a treasure. His treasure. But I’ve never been a treasure to him, and he’s never been some undercover hero fighting the most dangerous criminals in the world. I’m a fool, and he’s a fraud. A fraud that is intending to leave Oregon in less than a week.
Why is this happening? Why is he doing this? To me? To us? The possible answers to those questions send an even stronger wave of sickness rolling through me than the papers in front of me, so I’m not even going to think about it. At least not now. Does knowing why matter anyway? To me, in this moment, it doesn’t. All that matters to me is that the man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with is planning to rip away from me the most precious thing life has ever given me. The last piece of paper on the counter is proof of that. I didn’t even know it had arrived yet. The past three weeks have been nothing but adjustment and trying to sleep when I can, so it’s no surprise that administrative stuff hasn’t entered my mind once. But it has been on Brendan’s, obviously. Now I’m back to staring at one of the last names appearing on the document; Travis. Brendan Travis. I’m then reading my own name again, not knowing if it’s a consolation or not. I don’t know much anymore, except that the man who is now a stranger to me is planning to do something heartless and unfathomable. But so help me God, the only way I’m going to let that happen is if I’m dead. And when the door of my apartment opens and footsteps get closer before I have time to put away the incriminating documents, I’m sweating with the thought that something irreversible is really going to happen.
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Author C.M. Marin
About the Author C.M. Marin is an author of romantic suspense and contemporary romance.
Even though she lived in the crowded and beautiful city of London for a few years, she is now a small-town girl. Quiet and nature are all she really needs now… as long as there are books and a box full of assorted teas within easy reach!
She hasn’t found her own happily ever after yet, but she sure loves to write about falling in love and finding forever. With a touch of suspense, just the right amount of sexiness, and plenty of love, she writes books for every lover of romance around the world!
Welcome to the cover reveal for FIRE WITHIN, the first book in the new adult contemporary romance series, Beyond the Stage, by Nicki Rae, releasing October 20, 2022. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
FIRE WITHIN (Beyond the Stage Series #1) by Nicki Rae
Synopsis Music brought us together six years ago. Our love existed between guitar strings and every beat of the music. Song lyrics spoke the words of our souls – words only meant for us.
He was a coworker at my first job – a record store. So many great songs surrounded us. But I was only interested in what our song would become.
With Kelley Shane, I found the first love song that filled my soul with fire. But he also introduced me to my first sad song – heartache that filled my veins with ice water.
Marketing a new band has brought us back together. Going on a three-week tour with Kelley is not how I pictured our reunion. I’m not sure I can trust him to have my back, let alone to confide in him.
But what worries me most? What if my heart decides to trust him without my permission?
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Author Nicki Rae
About the Author Nicki is the author of The Moore Love Series: Lather and The Date: A Moore Love Short Story, The Perfection Series: Damaged Perfection and Resisting Perfection, Broken Minds, and Angel Face. She is a born Buckeye turned Hoosier who loves to spend time with her family. Along with being an avid reader, she also loves her animals and the Indianapolis Colts!.
THE RUMOR GAME by Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra
Synopsis “A juicy, elegant, absolutely flawless thriller with a twist. It’s the diverse Gossip Girl we’ve been waiting for!” —Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times best-selling author of Grown and White Smoke
“Explosive.” —Entertainment Weekly
All it takes is one spark to start a blaze.
At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for the children of DC’s elite, a single rumor has the power to ruin a life.
Nobody knows that better than Bryn. She used to have it all—the perfect boyfriend, a bright future in politics, and even popularity thanks to her best friend, cheer captain Cora. Then one mistake sparked a scandal that burned it all to the ground.
Now it’s the start of a new school year and the spotlight has shifted: It’s geeky Georgie, newly hot after a summer makeover, whose name is on everyone’s lips. When a rumor ignites, Georgie rockets up the school’s social hierarchy, pitting her and Cora against each other. It grants her Foxham stardom . . . but it also makes her a target.
As the rumors grow and morph, blazing like wildfire through the school’s social media, all three girls’ lives begin to unravel. But one person close to the drama has the power to stop the gossip in its tracks. The question is—do they even want to?
From Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, authors of the Tiny Pretty Things duology (now a Netflix series), comes another edge-of-your-seat social thriller perfect for fans of We Were Liars and Cruel Summer.
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My Review High school drama has never been so dramatic. When a scandal hits an elite DC private school, no one is safe. Three daughters of some of the most powerful people in Washington become embroiled in a dangerous game of rumors and online bullying that goes beyond just out of control into a careening disaster with victims well beyond the prep schoolers. Senior Bryn has a shattered reputation after she let her anger at her cheating boyfriend take control of her actions, even unintentionally. Now, trying to reclaim her spot as the queen bee, she elicits the help of her shy, Desi neighbor, Georgie. But Georgie has massive issues of her own, so when the rumors start swirling around her, she turns to Bryn’s ex-BFF, super popular, Cora, to out the perps and regain control of her life. With so many behind-the-scenes maneuvering and games being played with peoples lives at stake, the fallout will be wide and detrimental.
Plot The plot was interesting with several unexpected twists. It centers on the rumors swirling around campus and online. The comments are brutal and they impact all three girls’ lives. The whispers, stares, and snide comments in the hallways at school means the online rumors don’t stay online. So even if they wanted to delete their social apps to escape the bullying, they really can’t. It’s a well-written story of how cyberbullying can take a toll on even the strongest individuals and tear their lives apart.
Characters The characters were absolutely the best part of this story. All three main characters are really well developed, deeply flawed, and worthy of the way we come to care about them.
What I Enjoyed About THE RUMOR GAME 1. Own Voices. The authors helped bring their diverse characters to vivid life the way only #ownvoices authors can.
2. Fighting Back. I love stories where victims turn the tables on their bullies, but this had a twist that made it more realistic than just a feel good kind of story. Because even when you fight back with good intentions, you can leave unintended damage in your wake.
3. Consequences. The consequences for all were the natural fallout of bad behavior and I felt like everyone more or less got what they deserved.
4. Indian Food. Georgie has an interesting relationship with her food, but the way she described it all in detail left me salivating for some samosas and biryani.
5. Baez. Cora’s long-term childhood friend turned boyfriend was as loyal as they come. I hated that he got caught up in all the drama, but he remained so devoted to Cora, it was heartwarming.
Bottom Line An intense look at the devastation wrought by online bullying among teens, told with heart and grace.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
About Dhonielle Clayton Born and raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Dhonielle spent much of her childhood hiding beneath her grandmother’s dining table with a stack of books. As an English teacher at a ballet academy, Clayton rediscovered her passion for children’s and young adult literature. To ground herself in the canon, she pursued her Masters in Children’s Literature from Hollins University before receiving her MFA in Writing for Children at the New School. She is a former middle school librarian, where she pestered children to read and curated a diverse collection. An avid traveler, Dhonielle’s lived in several foreign countries, but she’s now settled in Harlem, where you’ll find her writing late into the night, lurking in libraries, and hunting for the best slice of New York pizza. She is the COO of We Need Diverse Books and the co-founder of Cake Literary. The co-author of the dance dramas Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Pieces, as well as the upcoming Rumor Game, Dhonielle is the author of the New York Times bestselling YA fantasy series The Belles. Find her on the web at DhonielleClayton.com or on Twitter @brownbookworm..
About Sona Charaipotra The author of the YA doc dramedy Symptoms of a Heartbreak, SONA CHARAIPOTRA is not a doctor — much to her pediatrician parents’ chagrin. They were really hoping she’d grow up to take over their practice one day.
Instead, she became a writer, working first as a celebrity reporter at People and (the dearly departed) TeenPeople magazines, and more recently contributing to publications from the New York Times to TeenVogue. She was also the editor of the Barnes & Noble Teen blog. These days, she uses her Masters in screenwriting from NYU and her MFA in creative writing from the New School to poke plot holes in her favorite teen TV shows — for work of course. She’s the co-founder of CAKE Literary, a boutique book packaging company with a decidedly diverse bent, and the co-author of the YA dance dramas Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Pieces (now a Netflix original series!), as well as the upcoming psychological thriller Rumor Game. Her follow-up to Symptoms will be the YA contemporary romp How Maya Got Fierce, which draws on her magazine world experience and is pitched as the Bold Type meets Younger. She’s a former We Need Diverse Books board member. Find her sharing pictures of her kids and her chai on Instagram @sonesone2, talking writing and books on Twitter @sona_c, or pinning gorgeous lenghas and her favorite Indian food on Pinterest...
Welcome to the cover reveal for THE SWEETEST GAME, the second book in the new adult contemporary sports romance series, Southern U O’Brien Brothers, by Cookie O’Gorman, releasing September 2022. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
THE SWEETEST GAME (Southern U O’Brien Brothers Series #2) by Cookie O’Gorman
About the Book
Title: THE SWEETEST GAME Series: Southern U O’Brien Brothers Author: Cookie O’Gorman Release Date: September 2022 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Links: Goodreads
Synopsis
Hopelessly in love with my best friend’s brother.
That’s what it will say on my tombstone. Here lies Junior “June” Dorsey. Tomboy. Car lover. Bookworm. She suffered from a severe case of unrequited love syndrome.
It’s not like I haven’t tried liking other guys. I have. It’s just none of them measure up to him.
Baylor O’Brien. Beautiful. Cocky. Talented (on the field and in the bedroom—or so I’ve heard).
And completely oblivious to my love for him.
When Bay asks for my help, I can’t say no. He needs my PR expertise to revamp his reputation and up his chances of being scouted after one scout—the one he really wants—dismisses him as nothing more than a party-loving playboy.
When he asks me to be his fake girlfriend, I accept his proposal.
But how am I supposed to act like I’m in love without revealing the truth? And why is Baylor so good at pretending?
About the Author Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, and The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romance, The Best Mistake..
Welcome to the book blitz for SAVING SOPHIE, a standalone young adult contemporary romance, by Debbie Schrack. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Seventeen-year-old Gabe Hunter knows he has a purpose in life. He has always strived to be the “best of the best,” but lately nothing has gone his way. Gabe was devastated six months earlier when his half-brother Josh had a drunk driving accident that killed four members of a family and left a sixteen-year-old girl named Sophie an orphan. Josh went to prison and Gabe struggles to forgive him because how can he forgive the unforgivable? When Gabe reluctantly agrees to do math tutoring for his senior service project, he discovers that the girl he will be tutoring is also named Sophie. But in a town of eighty thousand people, what are the odds it will be the same person? Astronomical, Gabe figures.
Gabe soon discovers, though, that it is the same Sophie. A former National Merit Scholar finalist, Sophie had a severe brain injury in the accident. She has seizures, amnesia, and can barely read or write. When he meets her, Gabe realizes what his purpose in life must be—to help Sophie and make amends for his brother. His plan is to spend the rest of the school year tutoring Sophie, then say goodbye and go quietly off to college without ever telling her that his brother was the one who killed her family. What Gabe doesn’t count on is falling in love.
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Excerpt #2 After Mom got the call that Josh had been in an accident and had been taken to the hospital, it was our bad luck to have to drive right by the place where it happened, the intersection of King and Park. It’s one of those intersections that’s needed a traffic light for years—a four-way stop where no one really stops. It’s just far enough on the outskirts of town that people usually get away with it.
I will never forget what I saw there. Splotched sheets on the road. Glass everywhere. A burned-out Chevy Suburban, upside down on its roof. Josh’s silver Camaro, farther down the road, also upside down and so flat it looked like a crushed soda can. Red and blue flashing lights casting a garish purple glow over everything.
I wasn’t prepared for the horror of it all, the obliteration of both vehicles, the number of police and firemen sifting through the aftermath. I remember the smell of burnt metal, the sound of Mom’s gut-wrenching sobs, the way my insides shriveled into a twisted knot. Because even if Josh was alive when they pulled him out of the car, there’s no way he could have survived that. No one could survive that.
A police officer approached our car and I rolled down the window. He leaned in to look at us. “This road is closed. You’ll have to find another way around.”
“That’s my son’s car,” Mom wailed, pointing at what was left of the Camaro. She was sobbing so hard her whole body was shaking. “Please. I need to see my son.”
“Sorry, ma’am,” the officer said, glancing back at Josh’s car, his face grave. “I’ll get you an escort.”
While we waited, his words tumbled over and over in my mind. Sorry, ma’am. Sorry, ma’am. Did that mean that Josh was already dead? That taking him to the hospital was just wishful thinking?
Within minutes, the officer was back, and we were hauling ass behind a cruiser, sirens screaming in our ears. As I drove, I kept thinking about the people in the Suburban. Where were they headed in such a hurry that they didn’t have time to stop? Why didn’t they see Josh’s car? Because there was no doubt in my mind that they were the ones who caused the accident.
I’ve never been so wrong.
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Author Debbie Schrack
About the Author Debbie Schrack has spent her professional life working with children and young adults. She has a B.S in Special Education from the University of Virginia, and an M.Ed. from George Mason University. Although the character Sophie in her debut novel SAVING SOPHIE is fictional, she is a composite of many of the struggling learners Debbie has taught over the years.
Debbie lives with her family in Fairfax, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Debbie finds personal fulfillment in creating new things, whether it be a novel, a painting, or a batch of croissants. She loves animals, and horses are her special passion. When she’s not writing or horseback riding, Debbie is a sucker for musicals, enjoys visiting art galleries, and desperately wants to travel more. She also loves hanging out with her three children, who she will always consider her most amazing creations.
Welcome to the cover reveal for REASONS WHY NOT TO DATE YOUR NEMESIS, the second book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Shell Grove, by Melanie Munton, releasing October 4, 2022. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, preorder inks, and details on her giveaway.
REASONS WHY NOT TO DATE YOUR NEMESIS (Shell Grove Series #2) by Melanie Munton
About the Book Title: REASONS WHY NOT TO DATE YOUR NEMESIS Series: Shell Grove Series #2 Author: Melanie Munton Genre: Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy Release Date: October 4, 2022 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis There’s a new sheriff in town…
And he’s her worst nightmare.
Reason #1: Ben Crawford is Olivia Knight’s long-time arch rival. They’ve been sworn enemies ever since she wore overalls to school one day, and he asked her in homeroom where she parked her cow. Now that he’s back, it doesn’t appear much has changed. He’s still arrogant. He’s still trouble. And this time, he’s got a badge and handcuffs. Which will make murdering him and disposing of his body much more challenging for her.
Reason #2: Sheriff Ben has done a lot of growing up during his time away from Shell Grove. He went and got himself some muscles and tattoos, and has the nerve to wear that sheriff’s uniform absurdly well. For some reason, that’s all she can seem to focus on whenever they cross paths. All the nice changes he’s made, instead of how vehemently she’s vowed to hate his guts for all eternity.
Reason #3: The complicated connection that has forever entwined their lives doesn’t have a pleasant backstory. As adults, they should be able to forget what happened when they were teenagers and move on. But in a small town where everyone has long memories, there are reminders everywhere of the nasty events that destroyed both of their families years ago. And she’s not sure their growing feelings for each other are enough to forgive the sins of the past and carve out a future…together.
Ben has a secret. A big one. The longer he’s in Shell Grove and surrounded by people who know his sordid history, the more likely that secret is going to come out. But if it does, Olivia will never speak to him again. Which will not do. Because he’s finally realized that Olivia is the reason why he came back to town in the first place. And if he doesn’t want to lose her forever, he needs to correct the mistakes he made a long time ago and prove he’s not the NEMESIS she’s always thought him to be.
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Excerpt: “Well, if it isn’t Livvie Knight. Long time, no see.”
You would think his head had just rotated around 360 degrees before he projectile vomited all over the place for how fast she scurried to the other side of the room.
“Not long enough, in my opinion,” she hissed. “And don’t call me Livvie.”
He clutched his chest dramatically. “You wound me. What, you don’t have a smile for your old pal?”
“Oh, there are many things I have for my old pal,” she said through gritted teeth. “And all of them would require you to wear some sort of protective gear.” She snorted. “Or not.”
Damn.
Even as she spewed venom like a viper, her eyes murdering him on the spot, she was still one of the most gorgeous women he’d ever seen. Even more gorgeous than she’d been in high school.
And that had always been the crux of his contradicting feelings when it came to Liv. His unwanted attraction toward her. It had slowly and unwittingly developed in high school and evolved with every encounter they’d had. He’d been disgusted with himself, causing him to lash out at her even more viciously. As if the way she had stirred his dick to life every time he saw her was her fault. He supposed it was, in a way, but it wasn’t like she’d been doing it on purpose.
Fortunately, he’d been able to focus on other aspects of her personality that he’d convinced himself drove him crazy. Like the fact that she’d been a goodie two shoes, straight-A student who won everything and never broke the rules. Never got reprimanded by the adults around her. Everyone she came into contact with swooned over her within two seconds of meeting her. Ultimately, the perfect child. Basically, she was everything Ben wasn’t.
As his eyes raked over her, his mind mentally replaced all the teenage images of Liv he had stored in his brain with the adult version. A hell of a lot of appreciation accompanied those images too. Her toffee brown hair fell past her shoulders now, with blunt bangs that framed her oval-shaped face and complemented her features well. Her breasts had gone from a small A to a full C—clearly a late bloomer—and her shorts hugged her flared hips like a dream. There definitely hadn’t been that much shape to her figure at sixteen years old.
She was no girl now.
Beauty aside, how did he really feel about seeing her? Honestly, he had no fucking idea. It wasn’t completely enjoyable, but it wasn’t wholly unpleasant either. He had years of negative impressions of her swirling around in his head, but he couldn’t discern whether those still held water or not. Or if they rationally ever had in the first place.
The sound of her snapping fingers had his eyes darting back up to hers.
“You getting a good look?” she asked acerbically.
Propping himself up on his hands, he lazily stretched out across her table, putting his entire torso on display. She had dropped the sheet in shock when she’d realized who she’d been massaging and was now trapped in a room with. The sheet was splayed across one of his legs and part of his other thigh, barely covering his package. He had no inclination to move it.
He had changed a lot since high school too.
And part of him wanted her to see that.
“Figured I’d return the favor,” he drawled. “You know, since you’ve been getting a good look for the past half hour.”
Her nostrils flared. “Believe me,” she seethed, “if I’d known it was you, I never would have taken the appointment.”
“Funny. It sounded like you were enjoying yourself a minute ago.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think it was me asking you out for a drink.”
“Well, I thought I was asking out a funny, intelligent, kind woman.” He waved down at her. “Amazing how anonymity can warp the mind.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, plumping up her full breasts. Her low-cut tank top revealed just enough cleavage to have him discreetly adjusting the sheet to conceal more of his rising issue.
Stay down, you dumb bastard. This one’s not for us.
“Great attitude, Sheriff Crawford. I’m sure you’ll be very popular among all the other smug jackasses in town.”
Wrapping the sheet around his waist, he rose to his feet and moved toward her. He couldn’t prevent his grin from forming when she refused to back up. Classic Olivia, always giving back as good as she got, never afraid to stand up for herself. While she might have been a goodie two shoes in high school, she’d never been a pushover. At least, not with him.
“Careful, Livvie,” he warned in a low voice. “You don’t want to get on a law officer’s bad side.”
About the Author Traveler. Reader. Beach-goer. St. Louis Cardinals fan. Pasta-obsessed. North Carolina resident. Sarcastic. Bit of a nerd.
Author of the Cruz Brothers, Possession and Politics, and Timid Souls series, Melanie loves all things romance, comedies and suspense in particular because it’s boring to only stick to one sub-genre! From light-hearted comedies to sexy thrillers, she likes to mix it up, but loves her some strong alpha males and sassy heroines.
Go visit Melanie’s website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!
Welcome to the blog tour for BUCK UP BUTTERCUP, the first book in the new adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Montgomery Brothers, by Anna Alkire. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
BUCK UP BUTTERCUP (Montgomery Brothers Series #1) by Anna Alkire
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: BUCK UP BUTTERCUP Series: Montgomery Brothers Series #1 Author: Anna Alkire Publisher: Water’s Edge Publishing Release Date: June 30, 2022 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis All’s fair in love and war.
With Randi and Buck, it’s hard to tell the two apart…
An uptight, self-contained college girl, Randi Becker just needed one thing: a room. Somewhere she could study, and keep away from the things that most confuse and frighten her: people.
Unfortunately, the “nice quiet place” she reserved turns out to be a room in the campus’ most raucous house. A place seemingly designed to make studying impossible, made even worse by the other girls’ non-stop drama.
But then Buck, a fun-loving cowboy whom all the ladies love, shows up…and everything gets much worse.
Buck seems to have it all: friends, fun, and a never-ending line of admirers. But what he most desires is a break. So when Buck spots Randi, he figures she’s a perfect decoy: he can play up a “crush” on her that will take him off the market; buy him some breathing room. And if he can tease her a bit, and get under the skin of the uptight busybody? Well, that’s just gravy.
But Buck is about to find more than he bargained for. Randi’s strong-willed, opinionated, difficult—and maybe just what he needs. And Buck isn’t alone. Soon Randi wonders as well…if the world she wanted is really the world she needs. If her future is nothing more than a diploma on the wall. And if the most important thing in her world isn’t a grade, but the cowboy who’s planted his boots firmly in her heart.
Fans of Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare and Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game will delight at this mix of romantic comedy, contemporary romance, and cultures colliding in a campus town with a western flair. Grab your copy today, and fall in love with Buck Up, Buttercup!
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Excerpt The cab driver obviously smoked cigarettes and didn’t use his air conditioner. Or deodorant. Randi pulled off her thin cardigan in the stuffy backseat. It still felt like mid-summer down here, even with October twelve days away.
She would finish her degree and get out. Done is better than perfect, she told herself for the hundredth time. Companies hiring for business, marketing, and graphic design (her combined major) wanted graduates, not perfect grades. A good thing because she’d be lucky to pass everything.
At last, the car turned onto a gravel road winding into an orchard. The cab’s high-beams lit up the bushy branches and thick gnarled trunks of hazelnut trees. She couldn’t wait to see it in daylight.
“Shit!” the driver yelled. He slammed on the brakes and the cab jerked to a stop, swirling dust up from the gravel road. Randi gasped. Someone ran right in front of the cab, pink, naked skin glowing in the headlights.
Male butt cheeks sprinted up the middle of the road blocking them from passing. Pale, hairy legs ended in cowboy boots. One of his hands was holding a cowboy hat on his head. He whooped and veered off into the orchard.
They sat in silence for a stunned moment. If that was somebody’s boyfriend, she would be moving out.
“Did a naked guy jump in front of the car?” Randi said, taking her glasses off to rub her eyes.
The cab driver grunted.
“Do you see that kind of thing often?”
“Hazing week,” he grumbled. “You want to keep going?”
She paused, her head a foggy cloud. What did he mean, keep going? Did he want her to jump out and walk the rest of the way? Not with insane naked men running around. “Yes,” she said.
Belatedly, her brain caught up with the conversation—he’d meant he could turn the cab around with her in it. A lump the size of a fist lodged in her throat. Something was brewing up ahead and it wasn’t herbal tea before bedtime.
The cab rolled forward at a slower pace, veering around the largest potholes. Her clenching stomach churned with acid. She couldn’t think. They rounded a bend. Cars lined both sides of the road, wedged between the trees. Women came tumbling out of one of them—young, wearing cowboy hats, short shorts, and halter tops.
Randi’s mouth opened and closed. The cab kept going. Beer cans and red keg cups littered the gravel and the dirt shoulder. Noise was filtering in: shouts and high-pitched laughter. She realized the seat belt was clenched in both her fists. They drove out of the orchard. A sea of cars spread out in row after row on the grass in front of a farmhouse, like the parking lot of an outdoor concert.
People swarmed everywhere, blocking stairways, twenty deep around the sides of the house. A huge bonfire burned in front of a barn.
The driver turned off his radio. The overwhelming muddle of music, shouting, whooping, and a few hundred people talking at once brought reality crashing home. She sat suspended, unable to speak, chest heaving, panting in short gasps. Her sweating back could have been glued to the sticky leather seat.
“Hey, kiddo,” the driver said, “got a pickup in twenty minutes. You want a ride back into town?”
She stared at the house number. It was correct. Not to mention the old farmhouse matched the picture online. And so did the orchard. Over the summer, Trish had emailed her back promptly, answering all her questions. This was the house of “studious women serious about school.” When asked directly about parties, Trish had responded, “Little get-togethers— yes. Massive parties—absolutely not.”
Anger boiled up, burning away the paralyzing fear. She huffed in dawning realization. They’d taken her savings. Conned her. After working fourteen-hour days, seven days a week for three months in Buenos Aires, she’d spent everything to secure her spot living at this house. She would get her money back, tonight—first and last month’s rent, plus a deposit. Her stomach roiled.
“Meter’s running. What’s it going to be?”
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Author Anna Alkire
About the Author Anna Alkire has been a long-term college student, a business owner, and a world traveler. Now “settled”—with a sigh and a cup of decaf—Anna lives in Washington state, where she splits her time between a husband who thinks the North Pole would be a great place to live, chasing her hurricane of a son, learning new handicrafts, and creating worlds full of the kind of romance and fun she most wants to read. Find more about her (and grab a freebie or two) at her website, annaalkire.com.
Welcome to the book blitz for BLACKMAIL, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Controlling Interest, by USA Today bestselling author Amelia Wilde. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
BLACKMAIL (Controlling Interest Series #1) by Amelia Wilde
Synopsis Bristol Anderson will do anything to protect her younger siblings. Even if it means embezzling from the company where she’s a temp. No one will find out. And the wealthy owner of the investment firm will never notice.
Except Will LeBlanc doesn’t miss a thing.
He could call the police, but he has more interesting plans for her. In the copy room. On the conference table. Under his desk.
The coldhearted venture capitalist will make her pay back every last cent.
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Author Amelia Wilde
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 PEACHES AND CREAM, the latest release in the adult contemporary romance series, Lunchtime Chronicles, by USA Today bestselling author, S. London. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
PEACHES AND CREAM (Lunchtime Chronicles #37) by S. London
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: PEACHES AND CREAM Series: Lunchtime Chronicles #37 Author: S. London Publisher: Juno Waves Publishing Release Date: August 3, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
Gabriel Abruzzo
Soft.
Ripe.
Juicy.
Her name is Empress. I asked, she didn’t tell. The new masseuse at The Governor is quiet and delicate. Delicate things get broken in the underworld, but Empress is on edge, those dark eyes harboring a thousand nightmares. Edgy gets my attention. And drawing my attention means trouble is coming. I should send her packing, but she clings to me, a man without a soul. One touch and all I think about is the taste of sweet nectar on my tongue. I know she has secrets but I’ll protect my little peach from bruises…at all costs.
Empress Reign
Dark.
Lethal.
Haunted.
I ran from a dangerous man. Now, I’m attracted to one with a darkness that frightens even my demons. Distractions, in the form of my new client, Gabriel could prove deadly. Touching him, stroking my fingers over all his sinewy muscle makes my mouth water for a taste. Getting involved would mean trusting him with my secret. Gabriel’s no angel, yet being close to him transforms my living hell into heaven. Maybe I’m biting off more than I can swallow, or am I?
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Excerpt “Bill ain’t here, lady. Now get out.”
Bill? Now I’m for real confused. “I don’t know Bill.”
He twists those gorgeous full lips into a lopsided smirk. “With the road dust on you, thought you were here for a kill.”
I can’t help the eye roll at the movie reference. “Haha. You made a funny.”
“I don’t joke,” he rasps. “Who are you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Answer my question. A name.”
“I would like to see The Doctor,” I repeat, lifting my chin, staring him in those dark pits that are swallowing me up like shadow giving way to darkness.
“No. Leave,” he says.
“Why is that?”
“Because you don’t belong here.”
“Tell me something I don’t know, Mr. No. But it’s a free country.”
“Not in these walls. Management reserves the right to say leave… while you can.” He smiles, flashing me one gold canine.
My heart slams in my chest. What the fuck? I will myself not to take a step back. He’s trying to intimidate you, Empress. Inhaling, I slow my rapid breathing. Who in the hell on the management team thought a bully with a double flare plug in each earlobe and a polished fang should greet the guests? Not that it’s my business, but I ain’t scared… that much.
“He’s expecting me. You can do your job and tell him that his guest has arrived. I will wait right here.”
He narrows dark eyes on me. The broad muscles across his chest bunch in agitation. I can see it even through his suit jacket, that looks so out of place on a man built like a mountain. Images of him shirtless, no, naked and alone on a mountain peak, the world perfectly poised on his broad shoulders, have me sucking in a breath. He-man tattoos all across his chest proclaiming him the biggest and the baddest of them all.
I forget that Jada is on speaker until she says, “Tell that asshole that you have an appointment with The Doctor, don’t let him stop you.”
He looks to the phone I’m still holding in my hand. I tuck it behind my back as if he might take it from me. Like I’m a child who’s touched something that daddy says I can’t have.
“Yeah, what she said. Go get The Doctor, now.”
“Why do you need his help?” The way he asks the question gives me pause. Like he’s trying to decipher an agenda beyond medical necessity.
“That’s none of your business. Why don’t you just do your job, you glorified jackass. And go get The Damn Doctor like I asked.”
“Not wise to call me names, pretty girl.”
“Woman,” I correct. “And, normally I don’t, but when the ass fits, wear it. You’re giving me a hard time. So, I do what I have to do.” It’s true. I’ve always done what I had to do. It may have taken me a little bit longer to get away from Rafa, but I did it. I’m not going back.
No one is gonna stop me. Not even this asshole who’s trying to play gatekeeper in this fancy hotel. No one gives shit about women like me. Those who choose the wrong men. Who are stalked and hunted by men with money, power, or both.
I don’t give a shit what this man thinks of me. I have responsibilities. Jada is depending on me to protect her. And Alfie… I have to figure a way out of this.
“You know what? Never mind. I don’t need your help. I’ll find The Damn Doctor myself.”
I pivot on one soggy sneaker, a deliberate drag of my feet to scuff the clean tiles. Looking from left to right for something that hints at where a doctor’s corner would be in a palatial hotel.
There’s this club to my right. Al Di La is elegantly carved into the sign above double paned doors. It looks like some type of lounge. Inside, people are huddled in semi-circular booths chatting and laughing. Distracted by the opalescent, I missed the soft jazz accompanying a female vocalist floating through the air.
I turn to my left. There’s a bank of elevators. I’ll start with them.
Before I can take a step, Mr. No is around the counter. I see him coming towards me. I take a step back, stumbling over another guest’s personal luggage behind me.
Mr. No reaches out an arm and snakes it around my waist.
Panic. Fear. It all crushes into me.
“Let go of me. Don’t!” I scream. My arms are flailing as I curl my fingers into talons to fight off my attacker.
“Sis, what’s happening? Say something. I swear, if that jackass lays one finger on you, I’m gonna come down there and a kick his jolly green ass.”
“Whoa,” he grumbles while blocking my blows with ease. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Too late. Cramps shoot up my balled fists. Pain explodes in my shoulders. “Damn it.”
“That’s enough!” His voice rumbles over me, weighted and slow, crushing my anger. The previous agitation tumbles over at the impact. A new, more troubling sensation emerges. Attraction.
He holds me firm in his arms, but his touch is gentle. Our size difference is comedic. His big beast nostrils flare to my round-eyed dark beauty. I relax my fighting stance and cling to him. But then, like a well-trained pet, I remember. Big hands bruise. Big hands hurt. Big hands kill. Tensing, my demons break free, their defenses fighting a battle one touch from this stranger could defend.
I draw back my hand. With my open palm, I make contact, across his bearded jaw as hard as I can.
“What the fuck was that for?” he bellows, but he doesn’t release me.
“Don’t ever touch me!” I yell, shoving his hands away. “Stop being an asshole. Stop telling me no. Stop holding me.”
My breath is a choppy, high pitch. My inside voice is gone. All hope of staying invisible vanishes. The other guests watch the beginnings of what I’m sure is an emotional meltdown.
My clothes have shifted, and the scars to both wrists are on display. He looks at them, then back at me. I refuse to feel shame for surviving Rafa’s hell. Steeling my spine, I point in the direction of the lounge.
“Is The Doctor in there?”
“No,” he says, lifting one of my wrists for a closer examination. “Who hurt you?”
It comes out as a growl. His eyes darken to an obsidian I’ve only seen under museum glass. His whole body seems to grow before my eyes like the hulking beast he is. I grab the edges of my secondhand sweater, yanking the sleeves lower.
“No one,” I lie, averting my gaze.
“Hate liars, pretty woman.”
“Well, that’s all you’re gonna get from me, beast boy.”
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Author S. London
About the Author Siera writes heroines you know, heroes you love, and romance you feel.
USA Today Bestselling & Award-winning author, Siera London pens contemporary and paranormal romance, romantic suspense, and crime fiction. She crafts stories of diverse characters navigating their journeys to love with intelligence, wit, and heart-gripping emotion.
When away from the literary world, Siera lives on the east coast with Mr. Awesome and a color patch tabby named Frie. Visit her website at www.sieralondonauthor.com to subscribe to Siera London News or follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorsieralondon. Repped by Latoya Smith / ArtHouse Literary Services
