K.T. Castle's Blog, page 12
September 11, 2017
My Blog has 100 POSTS!
Hello, everyone!!!!
I just noticed, I published a 100 post! How amazing is that?
This blog was initially going to be about my books and me, but I thought that was a bit… I don’t know, not like me. They I started posting about friends that have great books out there, and then about amazing books that I love, and now… I have a long list of books I want you to know about, the best authors out there that you have to meet, excerpts for you to enjoy, reviews of books I believe are wonderful, interviews of my favorite people, I even collaborate with friends and create guest posts, and of course, the best giveaways out there!!!
Who knows that time will bring to this blog, and I hope you stay with me and find out.
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REMEMBER, THIS IS WEEK FOUR OF MY TOUR!!!
I’ve being so excited during my tour, it has been wonderful to have the opportunity to visit so many great blogs and meet amazing people. I feel so blessed and thankful for all their support. There are no words to express my gratitude.
This week I’m visiting Hearts and Scribbles and Christine Young. Both blogs are kind enough to share with their audience about my book, its blurb and probably an excerpt. Remember to participate in the giveaway from their link! Christine also had some very interesting questions for me. By visiting you’ll learn everything about my inspiration, the ideas I have for new projects, my fantasy cast and so much more. Make sure to visit and don’t forget to comment. I’ll be waiting for you there!
In case you’ve missed any stops, you can check out the tour calendar and go back. The more you visit and participate, the more chances you have to win. I wrote about my Writing Process in The Reading Addict, about Accountability for Fabulous and Brunette, Straight From the Library and Lisa Haselton had some great questions for me. I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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Don’t miss any stops!!! Here are the dates and blogs where I’ll be visiting:
August 21: Fabulous and Brunette – How to Hold Yourself Accountable
August 21: Straight From the Library – Author Interview
August 28: Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews – Author Interview
September 4: The Reading Addict – A Writing Process That Works
September 11: Hearts and Scribbles
September 11: Christine Young – Author Interview
September 18: Reviews by Crystal – Author Interview
September 18: Long and Short Reviews – Character Interview
September 25: T’s Stuff – Author Interview
October 2: Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews – Guest Post
October 9: The Avid Reader – Author Interview
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Please share with your friends the special price that my books have. If they like contemporary romance I know they’ll like my books. They can get them know while they’re at a special price.
Here are the links:
The Bridesmaid’s Checklist: Laura’s Wedding
The Bridesmaid’s Checklist: Marisol’s Wedding
See you soon!!
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September 9, 2017
Holly Freakin’ Huges
Check it out and grab your copy today!
About Holly Freakin’ Hughes:
31-year-old HOLLY HUGHES is happy with her life. She’s a moderately successful teen advice columnist living in a tiny studio apartment on the Upper East Side with her boyfriend STEPHEN and their cat CAMILLE. She has grand plans of marrying Stephen and having his babies, until Stephen announces that he is in fact gay and in love with someone else, his boss ANTHONY. This twist of fate is the beginning of a slew of life-changing events in poor Holly’s life. Her boss fires her from the magazine for being too old, leaving her unemployed and unable to keep her apartment.
With nowhere else to go, Holly moves back to Long Island to live with her younger sister LIZ and 3-year-old niece ANNA, and takes over as Anna’s babysitter until she can find the confidence to get herself back on her feet.
As a part of her babysitting routine, Holly takes Anna on bi-weekly trips to the local bookstore, where they attend Story Time. On one occasion, Anna just so happens to run face-first into 36-year-old BRANDON DAVIS, a tall, handsome man who just so happens to be an international best-selling author of a fantasy book series. Holly is unaware of this bit of information, and remains oblivious as their friendship and love for each other grows.
When Brandon faces his personal qualms toward his career and confesses who he is to her, Holly is left to face her own issues with inadequacy.
The story deals with acceptance for one’s position in life, forgiveness, and overcoming the feeling of simply not being good enough.
Grab Your Copy Today:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AUS
About Kelsey Kingsley:
Kelsey Kingsley grew up in the great state of New York, and still lives there with her family and a cat named Ethel. When she isn’t writing her fingers to the bone, she enjoys a good (or bad) book, reruns of Frasier, ruining the lives of her Sims, and singing and dancing in the kitchen. She somehow survives off a diet of tea, doughnuts, and French fries. However, she hates cheese and listening to people chew. You’ve been warned.
Connect with Kelsey:
Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Enter Kelsey’s Giveaway:
Blogs Taking Part in the Blog Tour:
September 4th
For the love of romance
Capital nerd
A Sky Filled with Sparkling Stars
Readaholic
September 5th
romance as a first language
Books,Dreams,Life
Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog
September 6th
Katy and Zetti’s Book Ramblings
Musings of Madjy
Southern Bred & Read
Read Your Writes Book Reviews
September 7th
A Southern Girls Bookshelf
KT Book Reviews
Seeing Night Reviews
September 8th
Cuz I’m A Nerd
Quesarasera Book Blog
FMR BookGrind
September 9th
The Book Boyfriend Addict
K.T. Castle
My World of Wonderful Thoughts
September 10th
Southern Belle Book Blog
Read-Love-Blog
Lisa Loves Literature
Chatterbooks book blog
September 11th
Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf
Reads & Reviews
Once upon a romance blog
September 12th
Captain Reads A Lot
Always a happy ever after
Lattes & Paperbacks
Adventures in Writing
September 13th
TrashyBibloBlog
Brittany’s Book Blog
September 14th
Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile
Bookishly Yours
September 15th
I’m A Book Shark
September 16th
Reading away the days
What Is That Book About
bad boys and bedtime stories book blog
Textteaser Book Blog
September 17th
Ever After Book Reviews
Jax’s Book Magic
Shelf_Life
September 18th
G & T’s Indie Café
Swoonworthybooks
Susan’s Books I Like
Sweet Reading
Excerpt
FOR MANY PEOPLE, WHEN ASKED what they consider to be the most romantic holiday, they would promptly respond with, “Valentine’s Day.” I supposed they wouldn’t be incorrect in their feelings, given the day’s amorous history and commercialized sentiment, but no, for me, it has always been Christmas Eve.
There was something in that intimate hush that lulled over the Earth, that momentary sense of peace that brought those Wise Men travelling through the desert all those years ago. The desire and need to be closest to those you care for most, the magical awe of the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree, and the sensual kiss of the fireplace against rosy cheeks. All of it combined, painted a picture of cozy warmth, one to fall in love with over and over again.
And to me, that was exactly what love should be.
But of course, that wasn’t the type of love I had found myself in. I was in the torturous kind that left me lying awake when I should have been sleeping; tossing and turning through the stresses of wondering if her feelings for me ran as deep as mine for her. Wondering how I had allowed myself to get into such a predicament. Wondering how the hell it was I would confess my true identity to her. Wondering why the hell I had approached her in the Reade’s parking lot all those months ago.
Brandon the Nice Man.
I had come close the night before, under the mistletoe in Bill’s shop. The guilt of her not knowing had hit me hard in the gut after a kiss that had manifested into something of a tornado of emotion. I had been within millimeters of telling her everything when the world suddenly appeared around us, and the reality of her being unavailable drove a stake through my heart.
The Reade family urged me to run after her in some display of storybook valiance. I thought about it for a few moments, allowing enough time to pass for her to get into her car and drive away; subconsciously deciding that it wasn’t the right time long before she had even reached the shop’s jingling door.
But would there ever be a right time, I thought, rubbing a hand against my jaw.
My thoughts had left me entranced by the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree in Nick’s living room, oblivious to the other guests around me. A far stretch from the one leading the Wise Men to Bethlehem, I wished upon the gaudy tinseled star that I could blink and suddenly be one of the few dozen couples jammed into Nick’s house. With my arm around Holly’s waist, gabbing about the new addition to our house or a new recipe we tried as our contribution to the holiday spread.
I blinked, and while I wasn’t surprised to find myself still alone on that couch, it took a hard bite against my inner lip to keep myself together. I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed a hand through my hair, and wished for the lovesick teenager in my mind to give it a fucking rest.
September 8, 2017
The Mirror
by Karla Brandenburg
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Genre
Contemporary Romance
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The book is on sale for only $0.99.
Get it now!!
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Blurb
When Sandra Meyer’s violent ex-boyfriend returns to sleepy Edgarville, Illinois, she turns to the man who stood up to Nick Benedetto back in high school. If brawny Garth Benson will pose as her boyfriend on social media, maybe Nick will leave her alone. Sandra adores Garth, but she doesn’t want any more ties to Edgarville. Now finished with a decade of dedicated service as her mother’s caregiver, Sandra is planning her exit from this one-stoplight town.
Garth is firmly rooted in Edgarville with the family monument business and a trophy shop that will need a “mom” to his “pop.” Garth has wanted Sandra ever since he slugged Nick more than ten years ago. Her secrets run deep, as do the strengths that he admires within her, but whenever he tries to move their casual flirtations from talk to dating, she backs away.
Small town life has strangled Sandra as effectively as Nick tried to when they were in high school. Garth might be the one man who can protect her from Nick, but what he expects in return is too much. On top of that, her deceased father’s unexpected appearance in the mirror of her new home exposes long-held secrets that will change Sandra’s view of her family and hometown forever.
When the last tie holding her to Edgarville is cut, Sandra runs as fast as she can, but the world outside her small-town community isn’t all she expects.
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Excerpt
“Why do you care what happens to me?” Sandra asked.
Not the question he was expecting. How honest should he be? He considered the safe answer but figured the truth would be best. “Why does the warmth of the sun make you feel good? What makes the moon and stars so fascinating? And yet some people don’t even notice a clear night sky.” He leaned over the table. “I notice you, Sandra. The person you are. You might try to hide from everyone, might think they only see the girl you’re rumored to be, but I happen to know I’m not the only person who sees the real you.”
“Garth…”
He shook his head. “No, you asked. And in case you decide to be embarrassed about kissing me, in case you think that was a mistake,” he paused to decide if continuing down this path would be a mistake. He’d gone this far. “We joke around, tease each other, but truth is often hidden behind a joke. What I feel for you, Sandra, is no joke. I’d like to think I understand you, which means I’m not going to betray your trust in me by taking advantage of you. But if you want me,” he spread his arms. “I’m all yours.”
“Garth,” she said again. Her pupils were dilated, and her eyes reflected the heat he knew was buried deep inside, but she didn’t make a move. “You mean a lot to me,” she said softly. “I’d hate to lose that.”
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Author Bio and Links
[image error]Karla Brandenburg is the author of contemporary romance, including her award-winning paranormal MIST series. Raised on the gothic romances of Victoria Holt and the horror of Stephen King, she is an avid reader and is a member of the Romance Writers of America. Karla is a card-carrying cookie-holic, enjoys baking and travel.
Connect with Karla:
Web page | Facebook | Twitter
Get her book today!
Amazon | Barnes and Noble
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GIVEAWAY
Karla Brandenburg will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC - a Rafflecopter giveaway">RAFFLECOPTER
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My Interview with Karla Brandenburg
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I’m really excited to have a wonderful author visiting today. First of all, she has an awesome name 
September 7, 2017
Review of Mr. Big
by Delancey Stewart
Have you met Oliver?
I have, and let me tell you something.
He is HOT!!!
I’m leaving you the blurb of the book and you can read my review at the bottom. Don’t forget to pick up your copy today!
Blurb
Once upon a time, I had everything: money, power, a multimillion-dollar company, a loving family. Well, at least I thought I had everything. Then my parents died, and I found out my whole life was based on a lie. That’s pretty much the moment when I went numb. Told the world to f*** off and went on a bender of epic proportion, just to see how far I could fall before I hit rock-bottom.
Now I’m back and all I want in this world is my morning—okay, afternoon—coffee. Then one of my employees has the nerve to call me out for cutting the line at the coffeehouse at the company I own. Sure, I’m a little scruffier than usual, but come on, bitching out the CEO? Not a smart career move. Just who does this smart-mouthed ball-buster think she is? And more important, what do I have to do to get her number?
Holland O’Dell may be uptight, but I wouldn’t mind taking her back to my place and ripping off that business-casual blouse/skirt combo and burying myself in her curves. She pushes my buttons, but at least I’m feeling something. And whatever it is, I won’t stop until I get more.
If you want to read an excerpt of the book, you can do so here in my blog.
Get your hands on MR. BIG now
Amazon | Nook | iBooks | Kobo
About Delancey Stewart
Delancey Stewart has lived on both coasts, in big cities and small towns. She’s been a pharmaceutical rep, a personal trainer and a wine seller. Despite lots of other interests, she has always been a writer.
A military spouse and the mother of two small boys, her current job titles include pirate captain, monster hunter, Lego assembler, story reader, and tech writer. She tackles all these efforts from her current home outside Washington DC.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
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My Review
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He was also handsome. No, not handsome. He was hot. As. Fuck.
Those sentences right about sum him up. Oliver Cody is everything a woman wants: handsome, rich and lost, so very lost. Let’s accept it ladies, we all want to save a hot guy when we can. Oliver is a CEO of a multinational company and he recently found out that his parents adopted him and never told him the truth. He was always loved, we had everything he wanted, but he feels hurt that he never knew the truth until it was too late. That is, until he found the woman that changed it all for him.
I never meant to fall in love with her. I wouldn’t ever purposely fall in love with someone I work with─ it certainly raises a lot of issues that are better left untouched in terms of ethics and propriety. But you can’t always choose who you love.
Holland is a hard working woman with her serious load of baggage. She has planned her life step by step since she was a child. At the moment, she’s completely concentrated in her career, not interested in much else. Not even when Oliver steps into her life, and probably specially when she founds out who he really is. There is a lot of information on how she, as a woman, struggles to be taken seriously in an environment that’s mostly dominated by men, on how she’s always fought to be taken seriously and treated with respect to to her worth and nothing else.
“You are really distracting,” he murmured, his voice deep and low. “Everything about you,” he added.
When Holland and Oliver first met, she has no idea who he really is. He is quite interested in her from the beginning, but she is only interested in her plans to advance in her career. Eventually she gives him the chance to help her out with her project and get’s the break she’s always craved for. Unfortunately when Holland finds out who Oliver is, she doesn’t’ feel like she deserves it at all… even if she really does. They both help each other in ways they needed, until they finally let the other in and start healing and come to terms with themselves. That is until there’s a new complication in their plot.
I held her in my arms, my face buried in her hair, and believed I might actually be happy. For the first time in months, I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t hurt, I wasn’t afraid. I was just happy.
I loved to see how this characters interacted with one another. It wasn’t love at first sight, it wasn’t enemies to lovers romance… it was about finding that person who is going to help you accept yourself. There are a lot of twists due to insecurities and omissions, as I read through the pages I wanted to slap them both on multiple occasions for being so dense. I enjoyed the book so much and highly recommend it to any contemporary romance reader.
It didn’t matter if we worked together. It didn’t matter if he was the CEO or that some people might jump to conclusions about how I’d gotten my position. I could live my life worrying about what everyone else thought of me─ I’d certainly done of that as a kid. Self-consciousness was like a tattered old sweater that still felt comfortable and familiar, but one that was best left in the back of my closet.
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September 6, 2017
One Night
A sweet, fun, and sexy stand-alone romance from New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig.
One night to remember
Is that too much to desire?
One night for fun, passion, and a chance to remember what it’s like to be a woman.
I’m not looking for love.
There’s a man in my life who loves me with all his heart. He has beautiful blue eyes, is three feet tall, and calls me mommy.
He’s my whole world and I’m his. Fate stole his daddy way too soon.
What would happen if I allowed fate another chance, just for one night?
One night to help a friend
Why did I agree to this?
Blind dates are disasters. If I weren’t helping the friend of a friend, I wouldn’t go.
I’m not looking for romance, love, or even a one-night stand.
After all, the man my friend knew is gone. I’m no longer the hockey star known for his “pep” on the ice and in the sack. I have a new life, and a new career—a new passion. I’m not looking for more.
When the blind date is a bust, could fate change everything?
One night doesn’t end with a kiss—it begins with one.
Be ready to laugh, cry, and fall head over heels as you meet Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha in this new sweet and sexy stand-alone romance, ONE NIGHT.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks
Excerpt
Mandy
When we finally pull apart, before I can speak or even contemplate what happened, Malcolm’s blue eyes shine down on me, taking me in and reading me.
His voice rumbles through the background commotion of the bar. “You taste like sweet wine and smell like perfume and desire.”
Warmth fills my cheeks. “You taste like good beer.”
“Good? You’re a beer connoisseur?”
I shrug. “Mostly, I know cheap beer.”
He lifts my chin, bringing his indigo eyes into focus. The room disappears, making those blue orbs all I can see.
“I’m a connoisseur,” he says as his thumb gently rubs over my bruised lips. “And you, beautiful Mandy, if you were a beer, would never be a cheap one. No, you’re a rich custom craft brew. I see it in your eyes, feel it in your touch, and smell it in the air. Kissing a stranger isn’t something you do, is it?”
I try to move my eyes away, but Malcolm’s grip of my chin is unrelenting. Meeting his gaze, I reply, “No. I won’t even bore you with how long it’s been since I’ve kissed a real man.”
His eyes sparkle. “You kiss fake men?”
“Boys. Well, only one actually.”
“You kiss boys…” And then, as if the reality of his statement hits home, he asks, “You have a son?”
My heart flutters, its speed increasing by the second. “I do, but I don’t want to talk about him. Not because he isn’t important for he is—he’s my world—but because tonight isn’t about him. It’s about me.” I can’t gauge Malcolm’s reaction. I can only guess that he’s assuming that I’m some needy woman trying to get a man to take on the responsibility of a kid who isn’t his.
I reach out and splay my fingers over his chest. His heart is beating to match mine. “I don’t want to talk about him,” I continue, “because he’ll never know about you—I’ll never tell him and never introduce you. Don’t worry. I’m not after a man to rescue me. I’m perfectly content with my life as a mother. I just wanted to remember what it felt like to be a woman…for just one night.”
“I’m not anti-children—”
I shake my head. “Stop. That doesn’t matter.” It’s then that I notice the filled glasses on the table and laugh. “When did the waitress come?”
Malcolm bows his head until our noses touch. He inhales deeply, his eyes closing as his hand falls to my lap. “I’d say just after you.”
More heat floods my cheeks. “I-I didn’t…”
“Then we need to do something about that.” He looks again at the full glasses. “I think the drinks came while my tongue was busy getting to know your sweet mouth.” His hand splays over my thigh.
My breathing hitches. “Malcolm?”
“You said you want one night. One night doesn’t end with a kiss. It begins with one.”
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.
In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.
2017 brings Aleatha’s first “Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha” with PLUS ONE, a fun, sexy romantic comedy.
Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
NEWSLETTER | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE |
GOODREADS|INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | PINTEREST
Review
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“The Secret is that I’m going out. And it’s only one date for one night. It’s a blind date. I’m doing it to shut Mom and Sally up.”
Amanda Wells is a young single mother who’s had a difficult beginning to adulthood. Soon after she married the father of her child, he is sent away to fight for the army not even being able to take her husband’s last name. They thought they had all the time in the world but unfortunately they didn’t. When the story begins we see how she struggles to have a life as a woman, not only as a professional and a mother. She adores her son and can’t conceive the idea of “placing” him aside to actually have a life, until her Mom and best friend, Sally, convince her to go out on a blind date in order to reconnect with her younger self, MAndy.
“I meant what I said,” he continues, “I don’t want to let you go. I want more than one night with you.”
Malcolm Peppernick is the man Sally chose to introduce to Mandy, her boyfriend and him were teammates some years back and they believe they are the perfect match. He used to be a professional hockey player but recently started a profession that he feels passionate about, teaching. After living a glamorous life as a professional sports man, he feels ready for something else. He accepts his friend’s invitation to attend to a blind date even if he’s not up to it. Little did he know that his life was about to chance.
One night. That’s what Malcolm was. Not a blind date, not an arranged meeting, but fate. Fate set up our meeting for one night, and as my skins flushes with memories, I ask myself, who am I to argue with fate?
Mandy and Malcolm didn’t get to meet their friends or blind dates for dinner, but instead they met each other. Their attraction is real from the beginning, and even if they agree that it’ll only be one night together they can’t seem to keep apart from each other. Under Mandy’s request, they do their best to keep their relationship light and loose, avoiding any personal information and basically any kind of commitment. They’re both having fun, basically finding what they though they never would: love.
My heart is beating out of control, and my entire body is on alert. This is dangerous. This is sexy. This is stupid. This is erotic. This is something that sex-crazed teenagers would do, not grown adults.
It is a great story from beginning to end. A single parent finding love is one of my favorite recipes for a love story. I can understand Mandy’s uneasiness about having Malcolm meeting her son, even if he is nothing but wonderful and super interested in her from the beginning. It’s a story that will make you laugh at swoon at the same time. You’ll get to meet Aleatha’s lighter side. It’s a great read!
She’s my drug and I’m addicted, enthralled by her zeal for life.
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September 4, 2017
The Bridesmaid’s Checklist TOUR
Hello, everyone!!!!
This is the third week of t TOUR!!!
So far it’s been amazing to visit so many great blogs. I’m so thankful for their support during my tour, I can’t find words to thank them enough. I’ve met so many new people and I basically feel like a rock star 
September 2, 2017
Drift
Today I have the blog tour for Amy Murray’s Drift!
I am so excited to share this new contemporary romance with you!
Check it out and grab your copy today!
About Drift
I’m not crazy. My mother may have died with everyone believing she was insane, but I refuse to accept that as my fate. Even if I am recalling memories about a life I never lived. A life that includes the mysterious James—a guy I’ve only just met, but feel as if I’ve known all my life. The memories are coming hard and fast, and I’m falling down a rabbit hole with consequences that far exceed anything I could have ever imagined. And now, someone is trying to kill me.
Someone from my past who knows about my visions and is looking for something he believes I took from him. All I have to do is figure out how these memories relate to the present and maybe I’ll survive to live another day.
Maybe…
Get Your Copy Today
Amazon | B&N | iBooks
Check out the Trailer
Drift by Amy Murray from Bibliophile Productions on Vimeo.
About Amy Muarry
Amy Murray graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Psychology. She is a CrossFit addict, proud Harry Potter enthusiast, and obsessed with modern quilting. She and her family live in Cypress, Texas.
Connect with Amy
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Enter Amy’s Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Excerpt
I stared at the hard planes of his face, so familiar and so loved. My chest swelled, not with tears but with something more. Something that convinced me that no matter where I was, what I was doing, this was where I was meant to be. “Losing you again…it would kill me.”
He brushed the wet hair from my face and wound his hands through the mass at my back. He pulled, forcing my head back and my chest forward. The air felt alive as it hissed and spit some kind of electric current in, around, and between us.
James moved first, his head inching toward mine at a pace that was almost painful. I reached forward, wrapped my hands around his neck, and closed the distance. My eyes closed and my insides ignited with flame. We rolled until I was on my back and pressed to the floor under his weight.
His lips, soft and hot, traced the edge of my jaw and then down my neck as I ran my fingers through his hair. Arching my back, I dropped my head so he could move lower, and my heart began an erratic beat, thumping heavy and hard. It deafened my ears and blinded me to everything. All I could feel was James, and even with my eyes closed, all I could see was James. He lived inside me, and it was in that moment that I realized he always had.
Before I knew his name. Before I’d seen his face.
My heart. My body. My soul. They belonged to him as much as they belonged to me. We were two halves of the same whole, bound together for eternity, and this time, I wasn’t letting go.
Blog Tour Schedule
August 29th
A Sky Filled with Sparkling Stars
August 30th
Katy and Zetti’s Book Ramblings
Always a happy ever after
August 31st
September 1st
For The Love of Fictional Worlds
September 2nd
September 3rd
bad boys and bedtime stories book blog
September 4th
September 5th
Books After Fifty…
September 6th
September 7th
September 8th
September 9th
Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog
September 1, 2017
Most Valuable Playboy
From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely,
comes the swoony and oh-so-romantic title…
MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY.
In MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, the NFL starting quarterback Cooper Armstrong needs his best friend’s sister to pretend to be his girlfriend. Violet is willing, but neither one expects their boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage to turn into a full-contact sport so quickly. Find out if their fake play will become the real deal or if they can turn back the clock to when they were just friends in this sexy new standalone sports romance!
Now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!
✮✮✮ MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮
Hands down, my favorite thing in the world is to score. Touchdowns.
Don’t let the fact that I’m the leading pick in the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction fool you. These days, I’m only a player on the field. I’ve kept my pants zipped all season long — and it has been long — because nothing’s more important than leading my team to victory every
week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner’s recently-widowed and handsy-as-hell sister who’s dead set on winning more than a date with me.
Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary.
She’s my best friend’s sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash. After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don’t even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she’s my girlfriend. Which would be fine except my agent tells me we have to keep up the act while he’s negotiating my contract.
Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is — I’ve been riding the bench for years.
How can a guy like me, who finally has a chance to prove his worth on the field, convince the girl she’s most valuable to his heart?
MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is a brand new standalone sports romance written in the guy’s POV!
Amazon ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Audible ✦ Audio on Amazon
iBooks ✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ Kobo ✦ Amazon PB ✦ Google Play
10% of the proceeds from the release day sales along with a portion of pre-orders across all retailers of MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY will be given to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Houston Humane Society to help those in need from the natural disaster.
✦The audiobook is narrated by Zachary Webber!
Grab your copy today! http://adbl.co/2gbiHT2✦
“Lauren Blakely is a master at writing sexy, engaging stories that draw you in and make you fall in love with her characters. A definite go-to author for me!”
– NYT Bestselling Author Melanie Moreland
Excerpt
The business suit woman raises a hand, offering forty-one hundred.
Maxine’s eyes laser in on me, and she slashes an arm through the air. “Five thousand dollars,” she says, jacking the price up by nine hundred and staking her claim. I shudder inside.
The guy’s eyes widen, and he holds up his hands. “I’m out.”
My stomach plummets when the business woman shakes her head.
“Going once?” Sierra asks, scanning the tables, looking for perhaps one last big spender. My eyes scan the crowd, too. Hell, maybe I’ll find an escape hatch. A trapdoor to drop into and disappear like in a magic act. Maybe Trent will learn to read my mind. Trent, I’ll cover you for anything you bid. Just raise that hand, name a price, and save me.
My best friend’s expression is merely curious now as he watches Maxine and Sierra, waiting for the verdict. My opportunity to play yard boy slips through my fingers.
The look in Maxine’s eyes is pure satisfaction as she waits for the final word. She winks at me, as if we have a secret. Holy shit. She thinks I want this. She thinks I want her to win me.
A flash of chestnut brown hair in the back catches my attention. A flurry of silver. It’s Violet, hands in the air, wildly flapping over her head in the middle of the ballroom. She brings her finger to her nose. And she’s tapping it, like fucking Santa Claus coming down the chimney, and Harlan tapping his nose to signal his agent, and all the greatest solutions in the universe at once.
My heart goes crazy.
It hammers in my chest. This is like finding an open receiver a second before you’re sacked.
“Going twice,” Sierra says, trailing off as she waits.
I raise my arm and tap my nose, too. Violet is the only one who knows I need to get out of this jam. She’s the only one I mentioned it to. And she’s the only one now who can save me.
“Ten thousand dollars.”
Holy shit. Violet does not mess around with my money. Her eyes widen, as if she’s surprised she bid that high.
My gaze finds Trent. He’s staring at his sister, slack-jawed.
Sierra’s smile is bright and wide. “Ten thousand dollars. Do we have ten thousand, one hundred?”
The room is hushed. Maxine’s expression is blank. She must be shocked. She probably didn’t expect anyone to vie with her to this extent.
I tap my foot, willing Sierra to close this quickly. Just slam the door shut, please, fucking please.
“Going one. Going twice.”
I say a silent prayer. I cross my fingers. I hope.
Maxine blinks, opens her mouth, and I steel myself for a disgustingly high counter bid.
But there’s only silence. No words come. Violet has shocked her speechless. This type of bid wasn’t in Maxine’s playbook.
Sierra raises her arm. “And a night with the quarterback is sold for ten thousand dollars.”
Talk about a Hail Mary.
“Lauren Blakely never ceases to amaze me with her sense of humor, her talent to write fabulous heroes and heroines and to pull an A game with a male POV. Most Valuable Playboy is a real treasure.
– Becca at Little Read Reading Hood
“The slow burn, the teasing, the kisses, OH THE KISSES!!! MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY exceeded all of my expectations. Lauren Blakely has a knack for making a reader fall for her characters.”
– Jess at Jo and Isa Love Books Blog
Add it to Goodreads here!
✮✮✮ Enter to win this amazing MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY GIVEAWAY! ✮✮✮
Lauren’s Most Valuable Playboy Team Spirit Prize Package
Giveaway! This bundle is valued at $450 and includes a Coach Handbag ($300 value) and $150 Stub Hub Gift Card to use for tickets to the game, your favorite concert, or theater performance.
http://laurenblakely.com/valuable-playboy-giveaway/
About Lauren Blakely:
A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In September she’ll release MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, a standalone sports romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter
Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads
August 29, 2017
Mr. Big
Are you ready to meet Oliver?
MR. BIG by Delancey Stewart is available today, and you don’t want to miss this sexy and fun contemporary romance!
It is HOT!!!
I’ll post my review on the 7 of September and you can’t miss it!!!
Find out more about MR. BIG below and pick up your copy now!
About MR. BIG
Once upon a time, I had everything: money, power, a multimillion-dollar company, a loving family. Well, at least I thought I had everything. Then my parents died, and I found out my whole life was based on a lie. That’s pretty much the moment when I went numb. Told the world to f*** off and went on a bender of epic proportion, just to see how far I could fall before I hit rock-bottom.
Now I’m back and all I want in this world is my morning—okay, afternoon—coffee. Then one of my employees has the nerve to call me out for cutting the line at the coffeehouse at the company I own. Sure, I’m a little scruffier than usual, but come on, bitching out the CEO? Not a smart career move. Just who does this smart-mouthed ball-buster think she is? And more important, what do I have to do to get her number?
Holland O’Dell may be uptight, but I wouldn’t mind taking her back to my place and ripping off that business-casual blouse/skirt combo and burying myself in her curves. She pushes my buttons, but at least I’m feeling something. And whatever it is, I won’t stop until I get more.
Advance praise for Mr. Big
“Mr. Big is the kind of smart, sexy delight that every woman deserves to read! [Delancey] Stewart will make you believe in true love in this steamy, heart-wrenching tale.”—USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone
“With a smart, feisty heroine and hot, tortured hero, Mr. Big has everything I look for in a contemporary romance. Witty, sexy, and full of heart!”—Melanie Harlow, USA Today bestselling author
Get your hands on MR. BIG now
Amazon | Nook | iBooks | Kobo
Read an excerpt from MR. BIG
“Where did you come from, Holland?”
“That’s a good question.” I wasn’t trying to dodge, but I didn’t have an answer. Plus, I wasn’t sure he was speaking geographically.
“Were you born and raised in Los Angeles?”
So he was speaking geographically. “Maybe,” I said. “I was raised here. I don’t know where I was born, actually.”
He raised an eyebrow in question.
I took a deep breath. “I was abandoned. They found me in a cardboard box at a hospital in Long Beach when I was a couple weeks old.”
I watched his eyes, waiting for the predictable sorrow, the sympathy most people offered when they heard about my inauspicious beginnings. Hale’s eyes reflected something else, though—they flashed with anger.
“I grew up in foster homes.” I shrugged.
“You were adopted?” He whispered the words, as if he couldn’t believe what he was saying.
I shook my head, a little confused at his reaction. For a moment I wondered if the revelation made him think less of me. It had certainly made me think less of myself for a lot of years. “Nope. Never adopted. Just fostered.” My salad came and I was thankful for the distraction.
Hale watched me intently, a crease between his dark eyes. He seemed about to say something, but then turned his head and stared out at the ocean instead. The sun was flashing on its surface, glittering like cellophane ribbons. I waited for him to ask more questions, but he seemed lost in thought.
We ate in relative silence, me enjoying the sunlight and warmth, and the entire avocado I’d convinced the waitress to bring me. Hale appeared to be focused on something inside his mind, something he didn’t seem apt to share. I decided to push. “What about you?”
His eyes snapped back to mine and then he shook his head, saying nothing.
“Seriously? I share but you don’t?” After spending most of the morning being thoughtful and kind, Mr. Big Dick was back. His face was closed and anger bubbled in his eyes as he turned his focus to his burger. “I see how it is,” I pressed.
He paused, a fry partway to his mouth, and then his hand lowered again, his shoulder slumping. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you.”
“Okay . . .”
He dropped the fry and leaned back in his chair, a deep sigh escaping his lips. “It’s more that I don’t really know.” He stared down at his plate as he said, “I was adopted, actually. But I’ve only found that out recently.” His voice was cold, almost clinical, like this was a distant fact to be examined, not something integral to who he was.
“And you’re upset?” It was a stupid question. A dark frown had crept over his face and he looked much more like the broody asshole I’d met at Cody Tech than like the almost sweet man who’d been helping me since then. He was clearly upset.
A smile flickered over those incredible lips, but it did nothing to tamp down the sadness in his eyes. “I don’t know. Yes. It’s complicated.”
Without stopping myself this time, I reached for his hand, my own fingers covering the long square tips of his where they rested on the table. He started slightly, as if I’d shocked him, and then relaxed, his thumb reaching around to rub a line across the top of my fingertips. I suppressed the shiver that ran through me. The pain in his eyes had ebbed, and he looked up at me with something that felt a bit like wonder.
About Delancey Stewart
Delancey Stewart has lived on both coasts, in big cities and small towns. She’s been a pharmaceutical rep, a personal trainer and a wine seller. Despite lots of other interests, she has always been a writer.
A military spouse and the mother of two small boys, her current job titles include pirate captain, monster hunter, Lego assembler, story reader, and tech writer. She tackles all these efforts from her current home outside Washington DC.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
August 28, 2017
The Bridesmaid’s Checklist TOUR
Hey, everyone!!!!
This is week two of my TOUR!!!
I’m super excited of visiting Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews. This is my first time visiting Lisa, and I sure hope is not the last
