Today is release day for CHRISTMAS INN LOVE, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance series, Silver Bells Falls, by Samantha Chase. See below for information the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
CHRISTMAS INN LOVE (Silver Bell Falls #5) by Samantha Chase
About the Book Title: CHRISTMAS INN LOVE Series: Silver Bell Falls #5 Author: Samantha Chase Publisher: Chasing Romance, Inc. Release Date: November 5, 2019 Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks| Kobo | GooglePlay
Synopsis Running the family B&B has always been Cassidy Ryan’s dream. But first, she has to save it from neglect.
Closing the doors to the Silver Bell Inn for the holiday seasons seems like the perfect plan to give the B&B some much needed love and care. Or at least it would be if the inn didn’t need a lot more work than Cassidy can handle on her own. She needs help. But asking it is the last thing she wants to do.
Getting stuck in Silver Bell Falls was not part of Beckham Allen’s plans. Neither was this cross-country road trip, for that matter. He was supposed to be focusing on himself and on healing after the loss of his father. But nothing, not even his rescue dog Mazie, seems to be able to break him out of his funk.
Or so he thought until he met the sweet innkeeper who takes him in.
After an awkward start, Cassidy and Beckham discover the perks of being snowed in together. And with Christmas drawing closer, they find they may have just been given the greatest gift of all..
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Author Samantha Chase
About the Author Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Welcome to the blog tour for AN ALASKAN CHRISTMAS, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Wild River, by Jennifer Snow. See below for information on the book, buy links, the book’s trailer, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
AN ALASKAN CHRISTMAS (Wild River #1) by Jennifer Snow
Synopsis In Alaska, it’s always a white Christmas—but the sparks flying between two reunited friends could turn it red-hot…
If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds.
Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…
Advance Praise for An Alaskan Christmas:
“An Alaskan Christmas is heartwarming, romantic, and utterly enjoyable.”—New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster
“Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged! Pure Christmas delight.”—New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde
“Readers will enjoy the mix of sexy love scenes, tense missions, and amiable banter. This entertaining introduction to Wild River will encourage fans of small-town contemporaries to follow the series.”—Publishers Weekly
“An exciting contemporary series debut with a wildly unique Alaskan setting.”—Kirkus
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Trailer
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Excerpt #3 Erika took one look at the stairs and shook her head. “That’s not going to work.” She lifted one boot-clad foot so he could see the high heel and he caught her as she toppled off balance.
He gritted his teeth. Of course—her nonsensical, yet sexy as all fuck heels. Heels on boots that hugged her shapely calves nicely and forced a distracting sway in her hips when she finally did go to the restroom at the bar, but not exactly grate-friendly.
He sighed as he scooped her up.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you upstairs,” he said, jogging up the stairs with her in his arms. She wasn’t heavy and he held his breath, the scent of her soft perfume overshadowing the smell of tequila on her breath.
He was glad they were calling it a night before the bar got really busy. She was far too distracting, especially once she’d let her guard down. Her unexpected smile had mesmerized him and her easy-sounding laugh had surprised him. Her body was smoking hot, but it was her dark eyes and full, pouty lips that had him fighting an odd attraction to his sister’s best friend all evening.
When she stopped spouting bullshit, she was even kind of funny in a dry humor, self-deprecating way. Too bad she couldn’t have a sense of humor like this when she was sober.
“Shit. I forgot my gloves,” Cassie said behind them. “Here’s my keys, I’ll be right back.” She tossed the keys at him and turned to head back toward the bar.
He caught the keys. “What? No…what am I supposed to do with her?”
“Just set her down on the couch. I’ll get blankets and a pillow when I get back,” Cassie called as she disappeared down the street.
“Great,” he muttered.
“Oh come on. Don’t act like you’re not enjoying this macho act of heroism.” Erika struggled with the pronunciation. “You were always the protector type.” She touched his chest and her eyes raked him in. She was looking at him the same way she’d gazed longingly at the chocolate Santa moments before.
He wasn’t sure which unsettled him most, the look in her eyes, the fact that she remembered something personal about him or the hardening in his pants at her touch.
He unlocked the door and nudged it open with her body. Then he promptly discarded her on the couch as instructed.
Done. She was there safely. Just leave.
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Author Jennifer Snow
About the Author Jennifer Snow lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband and four year old son. She is a member of the RWA, the Alberta Writers Guild, Canadian Authors Association and SheWrites.org. Her first Brookhollow book was a finalist in the Heart of Denver Aspen Gold contest and the Golden Quill Award. .
Welcome to the book blitz for REMAKING CHRISTMAS, a stand-alone adult contemporary holiday romance, by Derra Snow. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
REMAKING CHRISTMAS by Derra Snow
About Book 1 – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: REMAKING CHRISTMAS Author: Derra Snow Release Date: June 11, 2019 Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Ada’s love life is a wreck. She knows true love and happily-ever-afters only exist in the books she reads.
It’s Christmas again. For the first time, she’s going to Green Mountain Inn to get away from her woes. But there’s not the only reason. It’s her favorite romance author Patricia Millett’s rumored hangout spot.
There, Ada runs into Warren, a charming guy, who’s also has his share of woes. But there’s more to Warren than just his good looks, something Ada could never imagine. And Ada soon finds herself lured by the hope of romance that has failed her terribly before. Will Warren restore trust her trust in love or become yet another mistake?
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Excerpt Turning, Ada saw the last person she expected to.
“It’s you,” she said.
“It’s you,” he said.
Still, Ada didn’t know what to say. Last time, he’d basically run away from her like she had a catching case of pneumonia, and now he was genuinely happy to see her?
Was this guy bipolar something? Either that or suffering from some dark secret.
Well, Ada reflected a bit sadly, we all have our secrets.
“Sorry about before,” he said now. “This place has a lot of memories for me. Good and bad. I’m still trying to get over the bad.”
“It’s okay,” Ada admitted. “I came here to get over some things, too.”
He nodded, not prying more. That worked for Ada just fine. She wouldn’t ask him to show her his if he didn’t ask her to show him hers.
Warren’s gaze had moved to the cookies in her hand. “Good choice.”
Ada’s brow rose – really?
Warren gave an adorable, crooked smile that Ada was starting to realize was his signature. “Ok, got me. Main thing is, are you a cookie and book type of person or not?”
“Definitely,” Ada said. “Although we probably don’t like the same type of books.”
” Try me.”
“Okay.” Ada could feel her cheeks heating up already. Harlequins were her guilty pleasure, emphasis on the guilty. She never had any problem confiding in other women of her little hobby, but for some reason, maybe because of Robbie’s outright mockery of them, she always had trouble telling men. “Okay. I read romances.”
Warren’s face, sometimes such an open book, was hard to read.
“There,” Ada said. “Laugh if you want. But I even came here because I heard one of my favorite romance novelists Patricia Millett does.”
“I’m not going to laugh,” he said simply.
“But you think it’s stupid,” Ada persisted.
“No,” he said. “Not at all. There’s something about romances that other books don’t have. Maybe it’s the happy endings or the belief of the best in human relationships, I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’s nothing worth taking lightly or laughing about.”
Ada’s jaw dropped. “What are you, some kind of literature prof?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
“Aren’t you going to ask what my job is?” she teased.
“Only if you want me to.”
“No,” she decided. Her office job bored her to tears. “Ask me about my cat.”
“All right. Tell me about your cat.”
Ada was about to say, I could do you one better and have you meet him, but she clamped her lips shut. What was going on with her?
Being around Warren like this made her forget herself. She felt so open and free, like she could say anything, and he would still smile at her with those kind eyes. She felt like she’d lost ten years in ten minutes.
Ada bit her lip. She had to be careful. Despite how she left, she hardly knew Warren, and hardly even knew what he did for a living. Literature professor? Was he serious?
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About the Author Derra Snow loves clean and wholesome romance and the surrealism that winter brings. Hence, what better way to express her love for both elements than writing Christmas romance. She is also a firm believer that true love never comes easy and any love that’s worth living for deserve a second chance.
Surprise! USA Today bestselling author, Daisy Prescott has released VERY MERRY WINGMEN, a limited release collection of holiday shorts starring everyone’s favorite wingmen on Whidbey Island, including an all new Olaf Christmas story. See below for information on the book and buy links. But don’t wait, once it’s gone, it’s gone.VERY MERRY WINGMEN will not be published again in this format.
Synopsis Very Merry Wingmen is a new, limited release collection of holiday shorts starring everyone’s favorite wingmen on Whidbey Island, including an all new Olaf Christmas story.
Characters from Wingmen and Modern Love Stories book gather together to celebrate the holidays in these festive tales of love and community.
In addition to this year’s brand new short, I’ve gathered together all of the previously published Wingmen holiday stories and newsletter exclusives into a single collection for the first time.
Here’s what’s included in this book and where you may have seen it before:
Give and Take (previously published on its own; later published in Love, Laughter and Happily Ever After, which is no longer for sale)
Olaf’s Christmas Carol (previously available free in my December 2016 newsletter, later published in Love, Laughter and Happily Ever After, which is no longer for sale)
Wingmen Babypalooza (currently published and available separately for $2.99)
Olaf’s Christmas Miracle (BRAND NEW)
A Dan & Roslyn bonus scene (previously available free to newsletter subscribers)
A John and Diane bonus scene (previously available free to newsletter subscribers)
A Tom & Ashley bonus scene (previously available free to newsletter subscribers)
A Carter & Ashley Thanksgiving bonus scene (previously available free to newsletter subscribers)
An Erik & Cari Christmas bonus scene (BRAND NEW, will be available free to newsletter subscribers in late December 2018)
10% of this content is new and/or exclusive to this collection. This will be a limited release. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Very Merry Wingmen will not be published again in this format.
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Excerpt Roslyn stood a few feet away, blocking the path into the rest of the apartment. “Ready?”
I peered over her head and attempted to see more of the stylish space. “Are you hiding a body back there?”
She blanched and her laugh sounded too high. “No, of course not.”
“You’re hiding something.”
“And you’re nosy. Don’t we have reservations? You know how this city is these days with all of the hard core foodies. If we’re late, we’ll lose the table. Plus traffic is a nightmare with all the Viaduct construction.”
“Fine. Plausible deniability is probably for the best. If you are a serial killer, I don’t want to know.”
“You say the words every girl dreams of hearing, Ashland.”
The way she formed the letters of my name made think she wanted to replace land with hole.
Giving her my best grin, I surrendered. “Shall we go? I don’t want some hipster in a floppy hat getting our table and eating all the best oysters.”
She grabbed her purse and a coat from the closet door hidden in the wall in the foyer. “Let’s go.”
Outside she paused. “Yours?”
I followed her finger to where she pointed at my car. “It is.”
Her wide eyes met mine. “You kept it?”
I nodded, but didn’t respond further.
“I thought you said you got rid of everything.”
“I might have exaggerated the truth.” The car was the most conspicuous, but I’d retained some of my more sentimental purchases.
I opened the door for her and she gracefully folded herself into the seat. Once I was buckled into my own seat, she spoke again. “I’m glad you kept it. It’s a beautiful.”
“Some things are too good to give up.” I glanced at her and then in the rearview mirror before pulling into traffic.
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Author Daisy Prescott
About the Author USA Today Bestselling Author DaisyPrescott writes romantic comedies with heart.
Her Modern Love Stories feature characters in their thirties and forties finding and rediscovering love in unexpected and humorous ways. Her Wingmen books star regular guys who often have beards, drive trucks, and love deeply once they fall. Look for her new Rom Com series, Love with Altitude, in 2017.
Born and raised in San Diego, Daisy currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with her husband, their rescue dog, and an indeterminate number of imaginary house goats. When not writing about herself in the third person, Daisy can be found traveling, gardening, baking, or lost in a good book.
Today is release day for ONE WISH, a holiday novella in the adult contemporary romance series, Love in the Vineyards, by Kate Kisset. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
ONE WISH (Love in the Vineyards) by Kate Kisset
About the Book Title: ONE WISH Series: Love in the Vineyards Novella Author: Kate Kisset Release Date: December 11, 2018
Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Blend a former tight end with a bad reputation and a gorgeous computer geek who doesn’t date. Toss in two matchmaking grannies who have only One Wish this Christmas.
Lilly Martelli’s first vacation in over a year has her on a mission to support her two busybody relatives in St. Helena. Helping the grannies bake stinky fruitcakes for their Christmas bake sale is bad enough, but being forced to co-host the fund-raiser with Mr.-Fun-in-the-pants Brett Benning might be too hot to handle.
Brett had hoped retiring from football, becoming a firefighter, and moving back to Napa Valley would be enough to repair his reputation. But he’s sick to death of the tiny town gossip, and tired of dating in the shallow end of the pool. He’s looking to score The One.
What are the odds he’d find her while helping with the annual bake sale? His smart and sexy co-chair has him eating out of her hands and asking for seconds of her grandmother’s nasty fruitcake. For the first time in his life, Brett might be in over his head.
One Wish is a standalone, sexy romcom. Although you don’t have to read any of Kate’s other stories to enjoy this one, Love in the Vineyards fans will love seeing their favorite characters from other stories, as they get to know the Santino brother’s lovable grandmother, Mimi, their quirky great-aunt Cha-Cha, and all their gorgeous cousins.
If you enjoy small town romances, romantic comedies, and sexy love stories with a full cast of strong heroines, drool worthy alpha heroes, and grannies in orthopedics, you’ll love One Wish.
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Excerpt (Self-professed computer geek, Lilly Martelli is co-chairing the annual Sweet Paws Charity Bake Sale with St. Helena firefighter, Brett Benning. Her attraction to the former football player is growing and she’s just agreed to dance with him for the first time.)
He wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulders, leading her to the dance floor. At five eight, in her highest heels—the four-inch black stilettos with the wide-angle strap—next to Brett’s towering physique, she felt petite. Which was an unusual sensation. Feeling small and dainty next to an extremely well-built man was a whole new world. Jeremy, her last boyfriend from three years ago, was only five ten.
Ignoring curious stares, he ushered her past the band. Under blue stage lights, the songstress gripped the microphone and poured her heart into “That’s What I Want for Christmas.” Brett guided Lilly to a dark corner, gently positioning her in front of him.
“I’ve been dying to feel you in my arms again.” Brett whispered, his soft breaths against her cheek.
Holding a wide grin, she couldn’t resist running her hands up his strong back, savoring his muscles, before resting her hand on his shoulder.
Clasping her hand, he slid the other over the flimsy fabric covering her waist, and she relaxed in his arms while their bodies moved in synch with the music.
When the singer came to the chorus, Lilly focused on the petite tree in the corner of the room, its red, green, and purple lights blending into a blur. Heat flushed her cheeks and she hugged Brett tighter. This is what I want for Christmas. Lilly nestled against Brett’s chest, basking in the warmth radiating from his body, closed her eyes and made a wish.
As if reading her mind, Brett leaned back and looked down with smile. Back and forth, they moved in time, sharing grins, gazing into each other’s eyes, and probably looking like fools on the dance floor. Lilly didn’t care about the couples gawking next to them, and Brett was almost chuckling when he pulled her close and buried his nose in her hair.
“I enjoy your company, Lilly,” he cooed softly, waking her up from a trance, and awakening her to every amazing possibility in the here and now. He brought her hand to his heart and held it there, resting his lips against her forehead, heating her flesh under his breath.
Not wanting to break the spell, Lilly didn’t make a move on her own, but simply let him guide her. “I enjoy your company too,” she murmured into his shirt, hoping he heard her over the music.
They rocked together for a few minutes without words. Her heart raced as Brett traced down her temple with his lips, still cradling her hand close to his chest. “I think we should spend more time together.” A ripple of bliss started from her spine and cascaded in a wave down to her toes.
She tilted her head up to catch him watching her with the gentlest expression. “We should, Brett.” Every plan, every word of warning about getting involved with him, flew out the window. “We definitely should.”
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Author Kate Kisset
About the Author Former San Francisco disc jockey Kate Kisset is the author of Wine Country Romance. A series of original contemporary romance novels set in Sonoma, Napa Valley, St. Helena and San Francisco, California.
Although Kate wrote her first story in the third grade, she became serious about writing romance after she lost her mother to pancreatic cancer. The tragedy left her searching for, and eventually writing happily-ever-afters to lift her spirits.
Kate divides her time between Northern and Southern California. Her stories feature strong heroes and heroines set in the real-world vineyard settings found outside her front door.
When she’s not writing, Kate’s favorite job is being “The Mommy.” She enjoys hiking, cooking, listening to music and walking her loyal companion, Luciana Parmigiana her rescue-dog-editor.
Today is release day for CHRISTMAS WITH A ROCK STAR Release Day, a collection of Christmas themed short stories from New York Times and USA Today bestselling rock star romance authors. Hot rock stars for Christmas. The perfect gift to crank up the heat on a cold winter night. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive teaser.
CHRISTMAS WITH A ROCK STAR Featuring Stories from Nine Bestselling Authors
About the Book Title: CHRISTMAS WITH A ROCK STAR Authors: Katie Ashley, Taryn Elliott, RB Hilliard, Crystal Kaswell, Michelle Mankin, Cari Quinn, Ginger Scott, Emily Snow, Hilary Storm, and Michelle A. Valentine Genre: Adult Contemporary Rock Star Holiday Romance Release Date: December 2, 2018 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis A collection of Christmas themed short stories from New York Times and USA Today bestselling rock star romance authors. Hot rock stars for Christmas. The perfect gift to crank up the heat on a cold winter night.
All new content including:
The Gift: A Runaway Train Christmas with AJ and Rhys by Katie Ashley
Paradise in Oblivion by Taryn Elliott and Cari Quinn
An exclusive advance excerpt of Million Dollar Musician by RB Hilliard
Dangerous Christmas by Crystal Kaswell
An exclusive advance excerpt of The Right Man by Michelle Mankin
An exclusive advance excerpt of Drummer Girl by Ginger Scott
A Very Toxic Christmas, a Devoured spin-off by Emily Snow
A Rebel Christmas by Hilary Storm
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Author Katie Ashley
About the Author Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, and her spoiled mutt, Duke. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Scooby-Doo
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent eleven years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes. As of January 2013, she hung up her red pen and expo markers to become a full-time writer. Each and every day she counts her blessings to be able to do her dream job.
Although her roots are firmly planted in the red Georgia clay, she loves traveling the country and world to meet readers and hang out with fellow authors. When she’s not writing or chasing down her toddler, you might find her watching reruns of The Golden Girls, reading historical biographies, along with romance novels, or spending way too much time on Facebook.
Today is release day for A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS, the second book in the adult contemporary holiday romance series, Bachelors of Seattle, by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Hawkeye. See below for information on the book and buy links.
A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS (Bachelors of Seattle #2) by Lauren Hawkeye
About Book Title: CHRISTMAS SANCTUARY Author: A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS Series: Bachelors of Seattle #2 Publisher: Calluna Vulgaris Books Release Date: November 27, 2018 Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis Two years ago, Gavin Hunter got the send-off of a lifetime before heading overseas for what would be his last tour of duty. Now he’s back, but he’s changed from the things he’s seen. Every detail of his best friend’s wedding weekend is torture… every detail, that is, except for a bright-haired, tattooed, wild bridesmaid whose kiss is still seared into his memory.
Kate Lennox can take a hint, and it’s obvious that the soldier she kissed so eagerly years ago is no longer interested in pursuing that connection that sparked between them. Still, she’d do anything to drive that sad look from his eyes, the one that only disappears when she’s around.
Gavin still wants her, but he knows he’s in no shape to start anything more. But when he remembers just how perfect Kate is for him, he knows he has to do what is right to keep from dragging her down with him..
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Author Lauren Hawkeye
About the Author New York Times bestselling author Lauren Hawkeye never imagined that she’d wind up telling stories for a living… though she’s the only one who is surprised. She lives in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada with her husband, two young sons, pit bull and mischievous cat. In her nonexistent spare time, Lauren partakes in far too many hobbies! She loves to hear from her readers through e-mail, Facebook and Instagram! Sign up for Lauren’s newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/OeF7r
Welcome to the book blitz for NICK AND EVE, the third book in the adult contemporary holiday romance series, North Pole Unlimited, by Elle Rush. See below information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
NICK AND EVE (North Pole Unlimited #3) by Elle Rush
Synopsis Nick’s plan: dodge his grandmother’s matchmaking attempts by claiming Eve is his date for Christmas. He probably should have asked Eve first.
Although Nick Klassen is grateful when Eve rides to his rescue after he breaks down outside of December, Manitoba, he can’t run fast enough when his meddling grandmother tries to set him up with the pretty tow-truck driver. Then he gets an idea.
Between juggling extra hours at work and a never-ending Christmas to-do list, Eve LeBlanc doesn’t have time for a new man in her life. But ever since she picked Nick up on the side of the road, she’s been running into him everywhere.
His flirtations started innocently enough but when his grandmother invites “his girlfriend” to the family’s Christmas dinner, Nick realizes if he wants to stop pretending about Eve, he must come clean. Once Eve learns of his deception, he’ll need Santa’s help to turn their fake relationship in the real thing.
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Excerpt #2 “Lois and Clark!” Nick scrawled his answer on the sheet, fending off Eve’s feeble attempts to snatch the pen from his hand.
“It. Is. Not. Lois. And. Clark. That’s. Superman,” she grunted as she went for the paper again.
“No. They were the mapmaking duo who mapped America.”
The buzzer sounded. “The answer is Lewis and Clark.”
He was close. “I don’t suppose we get partial credit.”
Eve laughed. “Why would they start now?”
They were getting trounced. Embarrassingly. Thoroughly. The second worst team was still beating them by a dozen points. If the questions weren’t sports—particularly hockey—related for Nick, or cars for Eve, they didn’t have a clue. His high school history and geography teachers would be so disappointed in him. At least Eve guessed correctly at some of the art and literature questions.
When her last guess got them their fifth point of the night, she leaned over and whispered in his ear. “I’ll be you’re pretty impressed with me right now, aren’t you?”
“Very.”
“I watched the movie version.”
“Of Anna Karenina? How bored were you?”
“Sadly, “the only other thing on television was curling” bored.”
About the Author Elle Rush is a contemporary romance author from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. When she’s not travelling, she’s hard at work writing books which are set all over the world. From Hollywood to the house next door, her heroes will make you sigh and her heroines will make you laugh out loud.
Elle has a degree in Spanish and French, barely passed German, and has flunked poetry in every language she’s studied, including English. She also has mild addictions to tea, yarn, Christmas decorations, and HGTV renovations shows.
Welcome to the book blitz for ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU, a stand-alone new adult contemporary holiday romance, by Anita Maxwell. See below for information on the book, buy links, and details on her giveaway.
ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Anita Maxwell
About the Book Title: ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Author: Anita Maxwell Release Date: December 21, 2017
Genre: Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Adventure
Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Hayden Halloway wants to see her name in print when she gets out of college, preferably in one of the big five newspapers in New York. She has everything lined up to make that happen, except for that one perfect story to finalize her portfolio.
Christian, Vinnie, and Justin, first string forwards on the college hockey team, all have their sights set on Hayden. But a situation involving her best friend and the Puck Games – the hockey team’s sex rating competition – ends up setting them on a collision course that could leave more than their reputations damaged.
Eggnog, coffee dates, and the Winter Wonderland all have Hayden losing bits and pieces of herself to the guys. Will Hayden sacrifice her integrity for her heart, or will she ruin the guys chances at going pro and any chance they have of being together?
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Author Anita Maxwell
About the Author Anita Maxwell is from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. She has one husband, one son, two dogs, one mean cat, and no kangaroo. She loves to be the center of attention, even when noone else wants her to be. She used to be a ballerina, but now does pole dancing. She is a massive I.T. nerd. She loves planning events. One of her favourite things to do is tell K.B. “No, the main character can’t do that because…”. Her favourite genres to read are Science Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Historical, Based on True Stories, and Reverse Harem of course. She has a book she carries with her called “My little book of big ideas”, which is currently a quarter full.
Today is release day for SWEET LIFE, the fifth book in the adult contemporary romance series, Sugar Rush, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Nina Lane. See below for information on the book and series, and buy links.
SWEET LIFE (Sugar Rush #5) by Nina Lane
About the Book Title: SWEET LIFE Series: Sugar Rush #5 Author: Nina Lane Publisher: Snow Queen Publishing Release Date: December 12, 2017 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | iBooks
Synopsis He knows if she’s been bad or good.
Amidst the sugarplums and mistletoe, fashion stylist Julia Bennett is every inch a scrooge. Known for her ice-queen ways, she’s having a meltdown over a botched business deal and an upcoming milestone birthday. Add the pressure of forced holiday cheer, and she’s ready to dive into the spiked eggnog and not come out until summer.
Warren Stone, president and owner of the Sugar Rush Candy Company, is determined to make Julia slow down and enjoy the holidays. As her friend and confidante for fourteen years, he knows her better than anyone. But when decking the halls leads them to an explosive, sexy night, everything suddenly changes.
Just when Julia thinks Warren is all she wants for Christmas, an old flame comes to town and reminds her of the carefree girl she used to be. As the new year approaches, Julia is forced to decide if she wants to relive the past or embrace the future.
About the Author New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances about professors, bad boys, candy makers, and protective alpha males who find themselves consumed with love for one woman alone. Originally from California, Nina holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she’s that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer.
Welcome to the blog tour for CHRISTMAS SANCTUARY, an stand-alone adult contemporary holiday romance, by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Hawkeye. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
Nick Shepherd loves his life in Salt Spring Island, where he sculpts in a studio with the grizzled and talented artist Mike Nagorski. Mike’s estranged daughter, Emma Kelly, arrives in their quiet haven, and though Nick is immediately drawn to her, he tries to resist his feelings. There may be Christmas magic in the air, but Nick knows it can’t last forever…
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Excerpt #1 “Mike’s on a backcountry camping trip,” Nick explained, crossing his arms over his chest. Salt Spring Island was mild compared to some of the places he’d lived, but it was still December and he was wearing only an undershirt. “He’ll be gone for a few more days.”
“What on earth is a backcountry camping trip?” Her words dripped with suspicion, as though she was certain that he was making up an excuse. “There’s snow on the ground.”
“There is,” he agreed, entertained by the surprise on her face. “Lots of people around here like to do the whole communing with nature thing. They head off into the woods and hang out for a while. Even in the snow.”
“Why?” Her tone was horrified, and Nick couldn’t hold back a laugh. While she’d inherited her father’s looks, it was clear to him that the similarities stopped there.
He shrugged and, because he could, reached out to tug at a ribbon of her blond ponytail. She reached up to bat him away, but then their stares met and she stopped moving.
Click. A connection, one he couldn’t explain, snapped into place so firmly that Nick could almost hear it. Yeah, there was something here—that inexplicable something that drew certain people together.
He wanted to kiss her. The realization was strange. He liked to spend time with women; he certainly enjoyed having them in his bed, but he wasn’t all that big on kissing—it was usually all about a means to an end for him.
But this woman? He wanted, really wanted, the taste of her lips on his own. It was just his luck that she was his best friend’s daughter.
The sound of tires crunching over gravel grated in the still air, dissolving the moment. Turning away, he raked a hand through his hair as the cab he’d called pulled up in front of the studio.
“You’re insane, Nick!” The driver was Meg, a twenty-something single mom who had her toddler daughter Lily strapped in the backseat. “Don’t you know it’s winter? Put some clothes on! We know you’re sexy, already!”
He barked out a laugh, not entirely disappointed by the slight stiffening of Emma’s spine. She felt it, too, that thread between them—he knew she did.
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Author Lauren Hawkeye
About the Author Lauren Hawkeye/Lauren Jameson never imagined that she’d wind up telling stories for a living… though when she looks back, it’s easy to see that she’s the only one who is surprised. Always “the kid who read all the time”, Lauren made up stories about her favorite characters once she’d finished a book… and once spent an entire year narrating her own life internally. No, really. But where she was just plain odd before publication, now she can at least claim to have an artistic temperament.
Lauren lives in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada with her husband, toddler, pit bull and idiot cat, though they do not live in an igloo, nor do they drive a dogsled. In her nonexistent spare time Lauren can be found knitting (her husband claims that her snobby yarn collection is exorbitant), reading anything she can get her hands on, or sweating her way through spin class. She loves to hear from her readers!
Welcome to the book blitz for CHRISTMAS IN ATLANTIS, a novella in the adult paranormal romance series, Poseidon’s Warriors, by New York Times bestselling author, Alyssa Day. See below for information on the book, buy links, the book’s playlist, and details on her giveaway.
CHRISTMAS IN ATLANTIS (Poseidon’s Warriors) by Alyssa Day
About the Book Title: CHRISTMAS IN ATLANTIS Series: A Poseidon’s Warriors Novella Author: Alyssa Day Release Date: December 4, 2017 Genre: Adult Paranormal Holiday Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis A tortured warrior…
Warrior-turned-pirate Dare is the black sheep of all Atlantis. He enraged Poseidon, the sea god, so much that Dare had to forfeit his ship and the water spirit who inhabits it. For Dare, being denied the ocean is worse than death…until he comes home to a woman who drowns him in waves of hunger more powerful than the sea. But black sheep and scoundrels can never deserve love, even during the magic of the first Christmas in Atlantis.
An artist who sees the world through song…
After the accident that killed her parents and blinded her, Lyric discovered she had a special gift—that of song sight. She now sees the world in her own unique way, and her paintings are full of light and magic. When the Atlantean warrior she’s fallen in love with takes her to his home in Atlantis, she finds a rare magical artifact that could change her world forever. Or it could deliver to Dare the thing he most desires.
Atlantis’s first Christmas is coming…
It’s the season of miracles in Atlantis. A chance to make wishes come true. And when Lyric tells her new Atlantean friends O Henry’s story The Gift of the Magi, the world—and Lyric and Dare—may never be the same.
*Warning: This book contains magic, song sight, Atlantis, Poseidon, the gift of the magi, pirates, a king and queen, sibling rivalry, a black sheep, bad boys, warriors, paranormal romance, fantasy, Christmas decorations, holiday spiked eggnog, smugglers, ancient artifacts, romance, kisses, and a happily ever after. Read at your own risk!.
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Playlist
All I want for Christmas is you, Mariah Carey
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Bruce Springsteen
Last Christmas, Wham!
Insatiable, Darren Hayes
Everytime You Read My Mind, Grout
Silent Night, Al Green
Underneath the Tree, Kelly Clarkson
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Cat Power
The Christmas Song, The Raveonettes
Jingle Bell Rock, Bobby Helms
Love Song, Sara Bareilles
Don’t Let Go (Love), En Vogue
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Praise for the Poseidon’s Warriors Series:
“Alyssa Day creates an amazing and astonishing world…you’ll want to visit again and again…romantic, sexy and utterly compelling. I loved it!” —New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan
“There’s nothing more evocative than the world of Atlantis. Alyssa Day has penned a white-hot winner!” —Gena Showalter, author of The Nymph King
“An amazing new world you don’t want to miss, and you won’t want to leave! Alyssa Day delivers chills, thrills, and your fill of sexy Poseidon Warriors!” —USA Today bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks
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Author Alyssa Day
About the Author Alyssa Day is the pen name (and dark and tortured alter ego) of author Alesia Holliday. As Alyssa, she is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, and she writes the Warriors of Poseidon, League of the Black Swan, and Cardinal Witches paranormal romance series and the Tiger’s Eye Mysteries, a paranormal mystery series. As Alesia, she writes comedies that make readers snort things out of their noses, and is the author of the award-winning memoir about military families during war-time deployments: Email to the Front. She has won many awards for her writing, including Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award for outstanding romance fiction and the RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance novel of 2012.
Alyssa is a diehard Buckeye who graduated summa cum laude from Capital University Law School and practiced as a trial lawyer in multi-million dollar litigation for several years before coming to her senses and letting the voices in her head loose on paper. She lives somewhere near an ocean with her Navy Guy husband, two kids, and any number of rescue dogs. Please visit Alyssa at www.alyssaday.com, twitter.com/alyssa_day, or Facebook.com/AuthorAlyssaDay. (warning: dog photos regularly appear).
Today is release day for CHRISTMAS SANCTUARY, an stand-alone adult contemporary holiday romance, by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Hawkeye. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
Nick Shepherd loves his life in Salt Spring Island, where he sculpts in a studio with the grizzled and talented artist Mike Nagorski. Mike’s estranged daughter, Emma Kelly, arrives in their quiet haven, and though Nick is immediately drawn to her, he tries to resist his feelings. There may be Christmas magic in the air, but Nick knows it can’t last forever…
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Excerpt “Nick wasn’t sure how he knew someone was there, but something made him look away from his work. Standing not five feet away from his worktable was a leggy blonde dressed in fitted black pants and a thick pale-pink sweater. Her hair, a startling shade of white-blond, was pulled back neatly in a ponytail, and her arms were tightly crossed in an obvious attempt to ward off the cold that Nick didn’t feel when he was working.
Annoyed at the interruption, he pushed his visor up off of his face. The woman’s lips formed a soft O as she made a breathy little sound that caught his attention.
“Like what you see?” He grinned as his sudden desire eclipsed any irritation he felt at the disruption. “I’ve got more I can show you if you’re interested.”
This time when she inhaled sharply, the sound carried insult. “I’m looking for Michael Nagorski.”
Her voice—wow. If he’d been intrigued by her just because of the way her sweater hugged her curves, he was downright turned on by the slow drawl in her voice, sweet as a ripe peach. “I was told I could find him here.”
“Just you and me here.” Tugging off his protective mask and elbow-length gloves, he tossed them on the table and picked up a bottle of water, chugging half of it down in big, messy gulps. “And much as I like being all up close with you, you’re going to want to step back a bit. Be a shame for these sparks to hit that pretty face of yours.”
She frowned, her eyes narrowing, and he felt—almost—like he should bite his tongue. He’d perfected his flirtatious patter, and on the island here, even back on the mainland, it worked just fine.
This woman clearly wasn’t impressed. Nor was she moving to do what he said—instead she stayed exactly where she was. “You’re wearing far less than I am. That can’t be safe.”
He shrugged the comment off. Yeah, he should be fully covered when he worked. No, he wasn’t going to change his work uniform, now or ever. When he wore too much clothing, his creativity was stifled. He’d rather risk the scars.
Not that the piece he was working on was going all that well, anyway. Furrowing his brow, he glared over at the shelf that held Michael’s most recent creations. His mentor had never been blocked. Probably because he did his best work when he was depressed, a pretty habitual state of being for him.
That sweet southern drawl melted into his consciousness again, drawing his attention back to the woman standing in his garage.
“I said, when do you reckon he’ll be back?” The look in her pale-blue eyes was full of exasperation, and something about the way she compressed her lips tugged at his mind.
She looked like…no. No way.
“Who are you, exactly?” Stepping closer, he watched her spine straighten as he looked her up and down. The Game of Thrones dragon-lady hair color…the tall, slender frame. The same crinkle of frustration that Nick had seen on Mike’s face a million times, usually directed at him.
“My name is Emma Kelly.” Her words floated in honey, sweet and heavy. So different from Mike’s clearly enunciated voice.
She wasn’t old enough to be a sibling, yet the resemblance was undeniable. The next logical relation would be a daughter.
“I’m his…it seems that Mr. Nagorski would be…my father.” Well. That confirmed it.
Mike had never mentioned a daughter to Nick. Not that it was any of his business, but he was surprised. Shocked, actually. He’d met Mike ten years ago when he’d signed with the same agent as the older man. Mike hadn’t been too happy when Hannah had pushed him into mentoring her new client, and Nick hadn’t been overly thrilled to be receiving advice from someone who was so sure he was right all the time. Somehow they’d pushed through their differences, and Nick was pretty sure he was the closest friend that Mike had. Hell, the whole reason that he was on Salt Spring Island in the first place was to keep an eye on his friend, who was prone to slip into deep depressive episodes without someone nudging him along.
Okay, that was about half the reason. But it was a generous half. Mike was an antisocial creature, happiest when he was alone in the studio or camping in the woods, and Nick knew he was pretty much the only confidant that the other man had. Which was why he was startled that he’d never heard even a whisper of a daughter from his friend.
“The woman—Emma—cleared her throat, and Nick realized that she was waiting for more information. Where she could find Mike, probably, or when he would be back.
His attention went to her lips again as she ran a delicate pink tongue over them, leaving a sheen of moisture behind. Usually, when he was attracted to a woman, he didn’t hesitate to flirt, to use deliberately cocky words and arrogant charm to draw her into his bed. Or onto his worktable—that would work, too.
Emma, though? She was clearly not impressed by his tricks. He couldn’t deny that it intrigued him.
It occurred to him that the reason Mike had never mentioned her might be because he didn’t know she existed. As his friend, the best thing Nick could do was get her out of the way long enough for him to give Mike some warning.
Pulling his attention away from those full lips again, he felt a strangely strong surge of disappointment. Nick usually used sex to help him achieve that blankness of mind that he needed to chase away his grief, but he suspected that if he had this southern lady beneath him, it would be more than that.
She was Mike’s daughter. And there was no way he would hurt his closest friend by sleeping with his kid. Especially if Mike didn’t know he had one. So, she had to go. And he’d learned that the best way to chase women off was just to be himself—after all, there was a thin line between arrogant charm and asshole.
He looked up at her again, at her long legs and white-blond hair, both obviously inherited from Mike. The instant attraction to her was potent, yet at the same time the clear reminder of who she was—the daughter of his best friend—created an uncomfortable dissonance in his mind.
He and Mike had been friends for a long time. The fact that he even found Emma attractive was enough to bring guilt weighing down on him.
“Well, baby, I’m afraid Mike isn’t going to be coming back anytime soon,” he said as he turned back to his torch, reaching for his gloves. “So unless you want to stick around and entertain me until he does, I’m going to have to ask you to go.”
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Author Lauren Hawkeye
About the Author Lauren Hawkeye/Lauren Jameson never imagined that she’d wind up telling stories for a living… though when she looks back, it’s easy to see that she’s the only one who is surprised. Always “the kid who read all the time”, Lauren made up stories about her favorite characters once she’d finished a book… and once spent an entire year narrating her own life internally. No, really. But where she was just plain odd before publication, now she can at least claim to have an artistic temperament.
Lauren lives in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada with her husband, toddler, pit bull and idiot cat, though they do not live in an igloo, nor do they drive a dogsled. In her nonexistent spare time Lauren can be found knitting (her husband claims that her snobby yarn collection is exorbitant), reading anything she can get her hands on, or sweating her way through spin class. She loves to hear from her readers!
AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS (Love Unexpectedly #5) by Lauren Layne
Synopsis She’s making a list—and checking it twice. But is there a nice guy among all her naughty exes? The New York Times bestselling author of Blurred Lines returns with a charming friends-to-lovers rom-com.
When a psychic tells spunky, superstitious Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with the idea of tracking him down before Christmas. Kelly immediately writes up an “Ex List” and starts contacting old boyfriends to figure out which one is the one. When her college sweetheart rolls into town, Kelly convinces herself that they’re meant to be. The trouble is, sparks are flying with someone she’s never given a chance: her best friend, Mark.
Mark Blakely has watched the guys on Kelly’s list break her heart, and he’s not looking forward to watching them do it all over again. Mark’s always been there for her, but the timing’s never worked out for their relationship to be something more. Now, just as Mark is ready to move on, the sexual tension between them is suddenly off the charts. With Christmas morning around the corner, he just hopes Kelly will wake up and realize that everything she wants has been right in front of her all along.
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My Review Still on my friends-to-lovers kick, I couldn’t wait to get into this light-hearted romantic comedy. Add Lauren Layne as the author, a little bit of snow, and some holiday magic, and I was all in. Layne is known for her quirky characters and Kelly is no exception. A school teacher in a private New York academy, she lives and dies by the Magic 8 Ball, allowing it to guide her choices. So it’s not surprising that Kelly would take the prophecy of a subway psychic to heart. When Kelly discovers that the love her life is someone she’s already met, she makes a list of all of her exes to figure out which is “the one.” Things go hilariously wrong with each one, only frustrating Kelly. She can’t figure out how the psychic could possibly be wrong, so she works her way through one ex after another, with disastrous results.
Enter Mark. He’s been her best friend for the better part of a decade. Old high school friends who have never risked that friendship with something as temporary as sex. Not to mention the fact that Kelly is so not like any of the super hot girls Mark usually dates. So when she starts to have deeper feelings for Mark, she only amps up her search for the right ex before she acts on those feelings.
Plot
The plot is somewhat predictable, but it’s so adorably told, it doesn’t really matter. Much of the story centers around Kelly’s search for her perfect ex, but her long-term friendship with Mark is a strong subplot until it becomes front and center. Underlying it all is Kelly’s superstitious nature that drives most of the conflict.
Characters
Lauren Layne’s writing shines when it comes to her characters. Kelly is delightful as an elementary school teacher who relies on fate to chart her course in life. While this could easily come off as cartoonish, Kelly has more depth to her than that, making this aspect of her personality realistic. Mark is utterly believable as the long-suffering best friend. A man of few words, he lets his actions speak for him. The supporting characters are light, with Kelly’s exes getting most of the roles.
What I Loved About AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS 1. Friends to Lovers. One of my favorite tropes.
2. Kelly. Her smart, spunky brand of quirky is a breath of fresh air.
3. Mark. He takes the strong, silent type to a new level of hot.
4. Christmas. I love all the holiday elements incorporated into this story. Everything from snow to decorations and a Christmas parade make the setting an essential part of the story.
5. Surprise Ending. So while I was pretty sure I knew how things were going to end, I didn’t know how it was going to get there, and the sweet surprise at the end was perfect.
Bottom Line An adorably fun contemporary romance with the perfect amount of heat and humor.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS Series: Love Unexpectedly #5 Author: Lauren Layne Publisher: Loveswept Release Date: November 7, 2017 Pages: 204 Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
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Author Lauren Layne
About the Author NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Prior to becoming an author, Lauren lived in Seattle with a cushy job in e-commerce/web-marketing. On a whim, she quit her job and moved to NYC to pursue a writing career. A year later, she had an agent and two publishing contracts.
She now lives in midtown Manhattan where she writes full time, although has been known to be lured away from the computer by a well-made cocktail.
Author Melody Winter is revealing the cover to PROMISE, a stand-alone adult contemporary romance novella, releasing December 5, 2017. See below for the cover, information on the book, and pre-order links.
PROMISE by Melody Winter
About the Novella – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: PROMISE Author: Melody Winter Release Date: December 5, 2017 Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Charlotte Walker and Adam Middleton were childhood sweethearts until the day he and his family disappeared. All he left Charlotte was a scrappy piece of paper with a few throwaway words:
‘I’ll never forget you. I promise.’
After eight years of hoping he’d come back into her life, Charlotte can no longer bear the heartbreak of Adam’s broken promise. Retreating to a remote cabin to spend a quiet Christmas holiday alone, Charlotte is determined to push the ghost of Adam into the past and focus on moving forward with the rest of her life.
But when a bearded man knocks on the cabin door on Christmas Eve, could he hold the answer to Charlotte’s years of heartache?
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Author Melody Winter
About the Author Growing up, Melody showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency to write too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but ended up working in finance. Melody is convinced the methodical times she spends working with numbers fuel her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the illusory characters in her head.
Melody Winter lives in York, North Yorkshire, England with her husband and two sons. When not dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or preparing for another trip to the nearby beaches at Scarborough and Whitby. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading and writing about such creatures.
Welcome to the Release blitz for A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS, a holiday novella in the adult contemporary romance series, Silver Bells Falls, by Samantha Chase. See below for information the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS (Silver Bell Falls #3) by Samantha Chase
About the Book Title: A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS Series: Silver Bell Falls #3 Author: Samantha Chase Publisher: Chasing Romance, Inc. Release Date: November 15, 2017 Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks| Kobo
Synopsis She’s ready to deck the halls… But not with wedding decorations.
For the most part, Melanie Harper has made her peace with her negative feelings toward Christmas. Thanks to her fiancé, she’s even learned to enjoy the holiday. But that doesn’t mean she wants to share it with her wedding day!
He’s dreaming of a white Christmas… Complete with a wedding!
Ever since they first met, Josiah Stone has done his best to show Melanie how magical Christmas can be. He’s gotten her to participate in parades, decorate trees and even celebrate the holiday, but asking her to marry him on Christmas Eve just might be more than she’s ready for.
Will this be a very Merry or very Married Christmas?
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Excerpt “What?” she cried.
Josiah knew he was taking a big risk in presenting this to her—after all, Melanie had grown up hating Christmas. Hell, he’d only gotten her to have some good feelings toward the holiday in the last two years! But he knew if she’d just give him a chance, he’d be able to prove to her how a Christmas wedding would be amazing.
Jumping to his feet, he looked down at her shocked expression and did his best to keep his tone light and encouraging.
“Just…hear me out, okay?”
The look on her face said she would, but she certainly wasn’t happy about it.
“What could be better than getting married during such a festive time of the year?” he began but didn’t give her a chance to reply. “Think about it—everything, everywhere is already beautifully decorated. Any place we go won’t require much from us because it will already be decorated! The Poinsettias, Christmas trees, the lights…all that work will be done for us.”
“Josiah…”
“And everyone will be in town already so there won’t be a need for them to make a separate trip.”
“Who’s everyone? My dad is already here; he’s the only family I have and your family doesn’t live that far away. It’s hardly like they’d be making a huge sacrifice to come to town,” she countered.
“But all of our friends will be here too. You know how most people we know tend to travel either before Christmas or after the new year because they love all the festivities here in town Christmas week.”
Melanie let out a small sigh. “Look, I get what you’re saying. I really do. But…you know my feelings on Christmas.”
He immediately sat back down at her side. “And we’ve come such a long way, Mel! When we first met, you hated the holidays and everything about them. But after that first Christmas here, you changed. You saw how it all wasn’t so bad and—admit it—you even enjoyed it.”
She gave him a sour look. “I know that first Christmas was amazing but only because you made it that way for me. You went out of your way to make up for every single crappy Christmas I’d had since I was five!”
“And what about last year?” he prodded.
Another sigh. “You proposed last Christmas so of course that’s going to make for a great memory.”
“So you see…”
“But,” she quickly interrupted, “that doesn’t mean I want to get married during the month of December or anywhere near Christmas!”
He silently admitted to himself that he knew there were going to be some challenges in getting Melanie to see his way of thinking, but he was kind of hopeful that she wouldn’t be quite this hostile toward the idea. How was he supposed to convince her that this could be good for them? Great, even? What could he possibly do to show her how wonderful a Christmas wedding could be?
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Author Samantha Chase
About the Author Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Author Kate Kisset is unveiling the cover to ST. HELENA SANTA, a holiday novella in her adult contemporary romance series, Family Ties, releasing November 15, 2017. See below for the cover, information on the book, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her Facebook giveaway.
ST. HELENA SANTA (Family Ties #2) by Kate Kisset
About the Book Title: ST. HELENA SANTA Series: Family Ties #2 Author: Kate Kisset Release Date: November 15, 2017
Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis He’s a former tight end with a bad reputation. She’s a gorgeous computer geek who doesn’t date. Will these opposites attract, or drive each other into the end zone?
Lilly Martelli’s first vacation in over a year has her on a mission to support her two busybody relatives in St. Helena. Helping the grannies bake stinky fruitcakes for their Christmas bake sale is bad enough, but being forced to co-host the fund-raiser with Mr.-Fun-in-the-pants Brett Benning might be too hot to handle.
Brett had hoped retiring from football, becoming a firefighter, and moving back to Napa Valley would be enough to repair his reputation. But he’s sick to death of the tiny town gossip, and tired of dating in the shallow end of the pool. He’s looking to score The One.
Who knew he’d find her helping with the annual bake sale? His smart and sexy co-chair has him eating out of her hands and asking for seconds of her grandmother’s nasty fruitcake. For the first time in his life, Brett might be in over his head.
Will the magic of Christmas give them the courage to admit they’ve made the catch of their lives, or will their holiday season end without a win?
St. Helena Santa is a contemporary romance from Kate Kisset’s Family Ties series. If you enjoy small town romance, romantic comedies, and sexy love stories with a full cast of grannies in orthopedics, then you’ll love St. Helena Santa.
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Excerpt “Brett is Mr. July, darling,” her nonna offered.
Lilly turned from the coffee maker to find her nonna’s grin-covered face.
“The St. Helena Hotties Fireman’s Calendar,” Cha-Cha clarified, as if Lilly should know, while she unloaded five fruitcakes from the bottom oven. She placed them on a cooling rack on the counter, then removed her jingle-bell oven mitts like a doctor after surgery.
Looking a little sneaky and very guilty, she tiptoed closer to Lilly. “All the firefighters are holding the most adorable little puppies,” she whispered. “And the proceeds go to St. Paws Rescue. Let me show it to you.”
“Oh, no, no, no…”
“Get comfortable,” Cha-Cha commanded, giggling. “You won’t believe your eyes.”
“Nonna, please. It’s okay. I don’t need to see Mr. July, or any other mister without his clothes on. Honestly, I don’t—” She’d do it in private later.
Cha-Cha tucked a stray curl back into her bun and strutted to the counter near the oven. “Sit, sit, sit…” She waved at her and pointed to the island, her red-beaded sleeves flapping. Lilly reluctantly slid onto her stool again. “Those hotties are in here somewhere…” Cha-Cha shuffled through a drawer.
ChiChi looked up from her gooey project long enough to give Lilly a sly smile.
“Viola!” Cha-Cha pulled a glossy package from the drawer. “I’ve been saving this for Mr. January. But at my age I might not be around, so why wait?”
“Please don’t say that, Nonna.”
“What God wants…” ChiChi volunteered. And at the mention of the lord above, the sisters simultaneously blessed themselves. “Name of the Father, the Son…”
Lilly took a deep breath. She couldn’t imagine the planet without her nonna. Life was difficult enough without Grandpa. Although her nonna kept her Ryo maiden name, like her sisters had, Cha-Cha Ryo remained head over heels in love with Edwardo Antonio Martelli until the day he died. He was the love of her life. So, as much as Lilly had zero desire to look at Brett Benning in the buff—with the grannies—she was tickled to see her grandmother so happy.
Cha-Cha tore the wrapping off the calendar and smirked, letting her know her dead-on intuition had picked up Lilly’s interest in Brett. Presenting the calendar like a fragile piece of china, Cha-Cha practically danced to her. “Wipe your hands. We don’t want to get anything on the pictures. Especially the good parts,” she chuckled.
“You didn’t have to unwrap it,” Lilly said, reluctantly wiping her hands on a bright red dish towel. “You could’ve left Mr. January in the drawer.”
Cha-Cha sidled next to her. “Okay.” She beamed, excitedly flipping the pages. Bare chests, rippling muscles, and gorgeous smiles flashed by at Mach one.
Lilly grinned. “On second thought, slow down.”
“Here he is…” Cha-Cha read the caption. “St. Helena’s Brett Benning, hotter than the fourth of July.” She pointed to his photo. “Now, tell me that’s not a fun-raiser!”
Lilly gulped, praying there wasn’t anything fun raised below his belt. Why couldn’t her grandmother act like a normal granny, for crying out loud?
Her nonna nudged her and jiggled the calendar. Lilly rolled her eyes and then cautiously glanced down.
Oh, God. There was that smile…and, sweet baby Jesus. She scanned his beautiful, strong shoulders and down past the adorable chocolate Labrador puppy in Brett’s droolworthy arms, down to his six pack abs, and down. Down to the muscles that formed a v below, leading down, down…
“Close it. I don’t want to see any more.” Thank God Brett kept his pants on. She’d need to take another peek later though, just to be sure.
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Author Kate Kisset
About the Author Former San Francisco disc jockey Kate Kisset is the author of Wine Country Romance. A series of original contemporary romance novels set in Sonoma, Napa Valley, St. Helena and San Francisco, California.
Although Kate wrote her first story in the third grade, she became serious about writing romance after she lost her mother to pancreatic cancer. The tragedy left her searching for, and eventually writing happily-ever-afters to lift her spirits.
Kate divides her time between Northern and Southern California. Her stories feature strong heroes and heroines set in the real-world vineyard settings found outside her front door.
When she’s not writing, Kate’s favorite job is being “The Mommy.” She enjoys hiking, cooking, listening to music and walking her loyal companion, Luciana Parmigiana her rescue-dog-editor.
Welcome to the book blitz for A LOVE TO KEEP ME WARM, an adult contemporary romance by Gina Ardito. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis After living in the carnival world, Polina Kominski is anxious to put down roots and build a life that includes a permanent home and, someday, a family. But first, she has to spend Christmas in Kraków, Poland to satisfy the final request of her late mother. Angry at having her strings pulled one last time, she’s resigned to follow the detailed instructions left to her, but refuses to believe the superstitions and allusions to magic Mom wants her to experience. And what’s with number eight on her mother’s itinerary, Kiss a Stranger?
To avoid facing his family’s sins, international banker, Rhys Linsey, will travel the lengths of the globe in his quest to regain the collection of ancient artifacts stolen from him years ago. When he runs into Polina on a Kraków street, he volunteers to help her experience the beauty of the holiday while sharing the history and folklore of this charming city. No matter how much she denies the existence of magic, he’s determined to prove her wrong.
Christmas in Kraków weaves a powerful spell, but Polina is running toward her future, while Rhys is stubbornly mired in the past. Can the magic of the holiday extend beyond December to bring Rhys and Polina full-circle to love?
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Excerpt #3 Rhys receives an invitation to his parents’ wedding anniversary party and confronts his sister via online chat:
The last missive in the pile was an embossed heavy-weight envelope with familiar flowery writing on the outside. He lifted the envelope to his nose, sniffed. She still used the same scented paper. Or was he the only lucky recipient of this particular perfume because she wanted him to remember all the memories entrenched inside? He wouldn’t put it past her to resort to emotional blackmail to get a rise out of him. That had always been one of Eliza’s most devious tricks.
Already knowing what he’d find inside, he tore open the flap. Sure enough, an invitation greeted him. A very personal invitation, including the added postscript, It would mean a lot to your family if you came.
Well, he supposed he should RSVP since she went to all this trouble for him. Mailing back the response card wouldn’t do. Neither would a phone call. Maybe she was online? He’d love to see her face, even via cyberspace. It would be good to revisit, to tease her about her overbite for old times’ sake.
He powered on his laptop and accessed his chat function. Lo and behold, her name appeared in his list of “online now” associates. Naturally. Eliza was the ultimate night owl. He typed a quick, “Ahoy, E!” to her and waited. It didn’t take long before her pretty face—with the adorable, but prominent overbite—appeared on his screen.
“Well, well,” she purred. “Look who decided to be sociable this year. And to think I thought I’d have to wait until the end of the decade to hear from you. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
He waved the ivory envelope near his screen. “I got your invitation.”
“And you didn’t immediately chuck it in the nearest dust bin? Progress. I’m honored.”
“How are you, Eliza?”
“I’m well, Rhys. But, what’s going on with you? Mum said you called her the other night, and now, here you are, tagging me to chat? Are you dying or something?”
He chuckled. “Sorry to disappoint. I’ve met somebody. She’s got me rethinking my priorities.”
A smug smile split her apple cheeks. “Would this be the same somebody who had you thanking our parents for your idyllic upbringing?”
“Mother told you about that, huh?”
She snorted. “You’re lucky she didn’t alert the media.” She curled her fingers in air quotes. “The Prodigal Son is returning to the fold.”
“It wasn’t that big a deal.”
“It was to her. She broke down crying when she told me.”
Oh, for heaven’s sake. “Happy tears or angry tears?” Their mother was known to cry both. Delighted when a chipmunk scampered across their lawn, she could fall into a full-on weepfest if that same chipmunk got attacked by the neighbor’s cat.
“Happy,” Eliza told him. “Most definitely, happy.” She leaned closer to the camera, her face filling his screen and warming his heart. “Tell me about your somebody.”
“Why? You need to hear the gossip before Sara does?”
She clucked her tongue. “Couldn’t I just be concerned about my wayward brother?”
“Since when?”
“Since always. We love you, Rhys. Even Sara. You have no idea how much your phone call the other night meant to all of us.”
“Including our father?”
She sighed. “Still nursing that grudge?” His lips tightened into a grimace, but the groan escaped anyway, and she pointed a finger at him, laughing. “My God. You’re still afraid of him?”
“I’ve never been afraid of him. I just don’t want to be tainted by association.”
“You’ve been running away from him since you could walk.”
“Wrong. How can you all just forget what he did? To Mom? To us?” His voice rose in anger—as it always did when the subject of his father’s shenanigans came up, and he shook his head to give himself time to calm down again. “Trust me,” he said in a much softer tone. “I’m better off being far away from Father for a decade or two.”
“I’d say that, after fourteen years away from home, you’ve made your point.” When he didn’t reply, she added, “Oh, for heaven’s sake! Come home, Rhys. Bring your somebody with you. I’m betting Mum would love the chance to meet the woman. By the by, what is her real name?”
“None of your business.”
She tapped a finger on her chin. “Hmm. A trifle long for the place card, but I’ll do my best to fit it. I don’t suppose she’d let me abbreviate it to ‘None,’ do you?”
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Author Gina Ardito
About the Author I kill houseplants. There. Now you know one of my greatest shames. I’m not boasting. I just figure that if you’re reading this, you’re looking for more than how wonderful life is as a writer. So here are a few more of my flaws:
I sing all the time. I sing in the car. In the shower. While I’m grocery shopping. And I headbop while I sing. When I’m not singing, I talk to myself. Just ignore me and move on. You get used to it after a while. I don’t eat my vegetables. Seriously. I’d rather have a cookie. I’m extremely fair-skinned and could burn under a 60-watt light bulb. I can’t sleep without background noise. If it’s too dark and too quiet, all I have are my thoughts. And even *I* don’t want to be alone with my thoughts.
Don’t ask me to Zumba, line dance, or march in the parade. I have absolutely no rhythm. Regrets. I have more than a few. My favorite activity is sleep. I don’t clock a lot of hours, but I powernap like a Persian cat and rejuvenate within ten minutes. I consider shopping and dining out excellent therapy for anything wrong in my life. My feet are always cold. Always. My husband claims it’s because I’m an alien sent to Earth to destroy him. (He might be right about that.)
Coming to my house for a visit? Unless you’ve given me plenty of advance notice, be prepared. My floor will not be vacuumed, there will be dishes in my sink, and I only make my bed when I change the sheets once a week (I’m climbing back into it ASAP. Why make it?) Housecleaning is not high on my priority list. Okay, to be totally honest, it’s not on the list at all. I can resist anything…except ice cream.
Since this is our first date, I figure I’ve revealed enough secrets for now. But if you’ve read this bio and think I might be the author for you, pick up one of my books. You won’t be disappointed.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Nina Lane, is unveiling the cover to SWEET LIFE, the fifth book in her adult contemporary romance series, Sugar Rush. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, and pre-order links.
SWEET LIFE (Sugar Rush #5) by Nina Lane
About the Book Title: SWEET LIFE Series: Sugar Rush #5 Author: Nina Lane Publisher: Snow Queen Publishing Release Date: December 12, 2017 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | iBooks
Synopsis He knows if she’s been bad or good.
Amidst the sugarplums and mistletoe, fashion stylist Julia Bennett is every inch a scrooge. Known for her ice-queen ways, she’s having a meltdown over a botched business deal and an upcoming milestone birthday. Add the pressure of forced holiday cheer, and she’s ready to dive into the spiked eggnog and not come out until summer.
Warren Stone, president and owner of the Sugar Rush Candy Company, is determined to make Julia slow down and enjoy the holidays. As her friend and confidante for fourteen years, he knows her better than anyone. But when decking the halls leads them to an explosive, sexy night, everything suddenly changes.
Just when Julia thinks Warren is all she wants for Christmas, an old flame comes to town and reminds her of the carefree girl she used to be. As the new year approaches, Julia is forced to decide if she wants to relive the past or embrace the future.
About the Author New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances about professors, bad boys, candy makers, and protective alpha males who find themselves consumed with love for one woman alone. Originally from California, Nina holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she’s that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer.
Welcome to the Release blitz for HOLIDAY SPICE, the sixth book in the adult contemporary romance series, The Shaughnessy Brothers, by Samantha Chase. See below for information the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
HOLIDAY SPICE (The Shaughnessy Brothers #6) by Samantha Chase
Synopsis Darcy Shaughnessy has gotten used to her overbearing brothers chasing away any man she wants to date. But a chance meeting with a brooding – and deliciously handsome – artist is about to make this holiday season one to remember.
There’s only one thing Benjamin Tanner loves more than his woodcarving: solitude. Then he gets snowed in with Darcy in his cozy cabin in the woods, and their heated feelings begin to melt the icy barrier between them.
With Ben’s need for privacy and Darcy’s love of family and social life, will opposites still attract once the snow clears and the holiday festivities come to an end?
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Excerpt It had been tempting to watch her for a little bit longer. Everything about Darcy was so expressive that even though Ben hadn’t heard one word of her exchange with the security guard, he had been able to imagine the entire conversation based on the look on her face.
It was highly entertaining.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her expression one of total confusion.
“Savannah called me and told me you weren’t able to get on a flight. So here I am,” he said, offering her a small smile.
She frowned.
Seriously? Even when he came to save her, she was still pissed at him?
“What if I had gotten on a flight between the time Savannah called you and the time you got to the airport?”
He shrugged. “Then I would have made a very perilous trip for nothing. I would have gotten here sooner, but people don’t know how to drive in the snow. I passed a bunch of accidents.”
“You could have been one of them.”
Another shrug. “I have a truck that happens to be exceptional in the snow, and I’m used to driving in it. It wasn’t a big deal. You need to drive slowly, and you’ll be all right.”
Darcy looked around and made a noncommittal sound. “So you just got here, huh?”
“No, I’ve been here for a while. I couldn’t get past security, and it took some time to page you. I tried calling you several times, but I kept getting a message that all circuits were busy. I guess with the storm moving in and all.” He paused and gave her a lopsided grin. “Anyway, I saw you when you were on the escalator, but you didn’t see me.”
“There’s, like, a million people here,” she said with a hint of sarcasm. “And I wasn’t looking for, well, you.”
He frowned at her tone. “What did you think you were coming here for?”
“Honestly? I thought my brother had been able to charter a plane for me.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sorry to disappoint you. But the only charter you have is me—in the form of a truck and a trip back to the lake.”
“Oh. So I guess I’ll get a room at the hotel,” she said, and he noticed she wouldn’t look directly at him.
“I just planned on bringing you to the cabin until the storm is over and flights are back to normal. It won’t be more than a couple of days. No need for you to have to go to a hotel or anything.”
Now she did look at him. “No, really, it’s okay. I’d prefer to go to the hotel.”
She was looking at him with a hint of defiance, and he figured he’d let her have her way for now. The sooner they got on the road, the better. There was already a very real possibility they weren’t going to get home until after dark. It would be pointless to drag this out.
“That’s fine. No problem.” He motioned toward her suitcase. “I’ll take that for you. Let’s get going.”
“Oh.”
Ben could hear the relief in her voice and smiled to himself. For right now, he was happy to have a truce with her. They had a long drive ahead of them, and he’d rather it be peaceful rather than tense and awkward.
He waited while she pulled her coat out and got herself together, and then they made their way out to the parking garage. The traffic was insane, and he prayed it wasn’t going to be as bad as he was fearing.
It was.
And it was tense and awkward.
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Author Samantha Chase
About the Author Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
