Zoe Ashwood's Blog, page 2

Her Orc Mate is a New Freebie!

Her Orc Mate, a Black Bear Clan story, is out now!

Hey hey, 

 

I'm happy to announce that Her Orc Mate is live now! This is a freebie novella with a full happy ending set in the world of the Black Bear Clan. 

 

With winter closing in, I wanted to keep my job at the village inn - but the large, brutish orc who came in one night has ruined that for me.

Yes, he saved me from a handsy patron, but he didn’t have to claim me as his fated mate in front of the entire taproom, did he? 

Now we’ve been thrown out on the street in the middle of the night, and I have to start looking for a place to stay all over again. 

I’ve been alone for as long as I can remember, but this orc isn’t going anywhere. In fact, he claims I’m his to protect and cherish. 

But life doesn’t work like that. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are, and I don’t want to pin all my hopes on one male, no matter how fast my heart beats when he’s near. 

Her Orc Mate is a short orc fantasy romance with a full HEA. You’ll like it if you enjoy reading about size difference issues, fated mates, and big warrior-type heroes. This novella is a standalone but is a part of a larger universe filled with deliciously steamy stories. Read it today!

 

Catch up with the rest of the Black Bear Clan series!

Her Orc King  - Dawn & Gorvor's story
Her Orc Guardian  - Poppy & Steagor's story
Her Orc Warrior  - Hazel & Vark's story
Her Orc Protector  - Ivy & Korr's story

Chapter One of Her Orc Warrior

Her Orc Warrior is the third book in the Black Bear Clan series - an orc fantasy romance!

Hi, dear reader,

I'm so happy to share another lovely green man chest cover with you! :) This is Vark's story, and I know a lot of you have been waiting (im)patiently for it. 

Her Orc Warrior is the third book in my orc fantasy series, but you can read them all separately. If, however, you'd like to read them in order, you can get Her Orc King and Her Orc Guardian today.

 

I escaped a life of crime to save my daughter…

But my plan for making it to a safer town has gone awry. The driver of the wagon we snuck on isn’t human at all, and now we’re stuck in a traveling caravan of massive orc merchants.

And the driver who first noticed me? He claims I’m his fated mate. The one person destined to be everything to him. 

He says we’re safe. That he’ll protect me and my little girl from the men following us. But I know better than to trust pretty lies. Life has taught me that I can’t rely on anyone but myself, and I intend to keep it that way.

But orcs are a warrior race, and if I can learn from them, I will. And my orc mate is the perfect male to teach me everything he knows about combat…and perhaps about love.

Her Orc Warrior is an orc fantasy romance with a large, scarred hero and a fiery, cautious heroine who needs to learn to trust again. You’ll love this story if you enjoy reading about size difference issues, wounded heroes, and single mothers who would do anything to protect their kiddos. This is the third book in a series of standalones - each book can be read separately and features a happily-ever-after for the main couple.

 

Your can get it on Amazon US, Amazon (Elsewhere), or find it on Goodreads or BookBub! Check trigger warnings if you need to - I added some new ones for this book.

 

And now for Chapter One, in which you'll meet Vark's heroine, Hazel!

 

Chapter One

 

“Quick,” I whisper, pushing aside the back flap of the covered wagon. “Climb up.”

Wren’s blue eyes are wide, but she obeys without question, scrambling up while I boost her from behind. She disappears between two tall stacks of crates, her too-thin coat swishing after her.

I throw one last look over the Ultrup city market. Twilight is closing in, with the sun just a sliver of orange above the crooked rooftops. The city gates will close soon, and I hope I haven’t made a mistake in picking this exact wagon to hide in.

But it’s too late to worry now. I duck my head and dive in after Wren, then carefully replace the back flap as we found it. I find my little girl sitting on a sack of grain, her hands clasped in front of her. I sit next to her, draw her into my side, and rub her arm.

“You’ve been so good today,” I whisper. “But we need to remain very quiet until we clear the city walls, all right? Once we’re far enough from the city, we’ll hop out and make for Sigda.”

“All right, Mama,” she mumbles and sets her head in my lap.

My heart thumps painfully at the trusting gesture. I lean back against the side of the wagon and make myself as comfortable as possible, then tuck my cloak around Wren to keep her warm. Winter has arrived, and I don’t want us to freeze to death when we’ve finally managed to escape.

Not that we’re free of Timo and his men yet. I’ll only rest easy once we’ve put dozens of miles between us and this cursed city. But passing through the city gate without getting caught will be a good first step.

Voices sound outside, closer than they were before.

“Have the horses been watered?” a man asks.

His voice is a low rumble, but powerful. He must be a large guy. I clutch Wren to me, hoping he won’t check the back of the wagon yet. Even if we only make it past the gate and jump into the first ditch, that’ll be better than staying here another night.

“Yes, sir,” comes a reply—probably the boy I saw earlier tending to the massive beasts that are hitched to this wagon and four others.

Those horses were the reason I chose this wagon and not one of the others that came through the market today. The animals are magnificent, well fed, with glossy black coats and clear eyes. You can tell a lot about a man from how he treats his horse.

Besides, the amount of provisions being loaded onto the wagons signaled a rich owner, possibly a minor noble from one of the baronies at the border of the orc kingdom. Or maybe they’ve come from the east, toward the fae lands? I shudder at the thought. But if we remain undiscovered, we could change our plans and see where this caravan ends up. Start our search for work there. I didn’t see any liveried servants or the noble himself, but then rich men never do their heavy work themselves. They pay others to do it. The merchants of Ultrup were all too eager to stock these wagons with their best wares.

I learned to scope out a rich mark at six years of age, and I’ve honed that talent in the two decades since then. It hasn’t led me wrong yet.

The wagon rocks as the driver climbs into his seat, and after a fraught, tense moment, we’re off. The horses’ hooves clop loudly on the cobblestones, the wagon wheels squeaking and clattering. I breathe more easily—there’s less of a chance we’ll be heard now.

It’s not far from the market to the city gate, though, and my heart beats faster and faster, even though I try to stomp down the panic rising inside me. But I have to keep it together for Wren, so I take deep breaths through my nose and force myself to loosen my hold on her. The last thing I want is to scare her.

If we’re lucky, the person in charge of this entire wagon train has paid off the guards in advance to let us through without stopping. The city guard is susceptible to bribery, no matter how hard the Duke of Ultrup tries to keep them in line. It’s why Wren and I have to sneak past the guards, hidden like this—Timo has men everywhere, and I don’t want anyone to know which way we went.

The traffic lags, and the horses snort softly, their harnesses jingling. Right beside us, I sense the bulk of the driver, his outline visible through the canvas. I barely dare to breathe, especially when he sniffs several times as if trying to catch a scent.

He can’t be smelling us, can he?

I’m not saying we’re the cleanest people in Ultrup, but we definitely aren’t the most pungent either. The filth in the streets and the presence of so many pack animals should cover any stink from us.

I try to imagine the streets leading from the market to the northern gate. The twists and turns I’ve walked so many times are etched in my mind, but in the covered wagon, it’s hard to gauge the distances. Surely we must be there already? Yet the wheels keep rolling on, excruciatingly slow.

Unable to sit still and not know why we’ve stopped, I release Wren, motion for her to remain in place, and silently pad toward the back flap of the wagon. I’d picked the last wagon in the caravan for a reason—so we could jump out unseen later—so I can now risk peeking out to see what’s going on.

I only move the canvas an inch, creating an opening wide enough to squint out with one eye, blinking in the light of the setting sun. We seem to have arrived at the main thoroughfare leading to the north gate, but the traffic has ground to a standstill, carts blocking the path both ways. An old donkey lets out an annoyed bray, and the chickens laden in cages at the back of its cart send up a flurry of squawks.

Then movement catches my eye, of the kind I’ve been taught to spot as part of my training. A young man darts through the crowd, his movements sinuous. He’s careful not to attract attention, but I narrow my eyes at the sight of him. Then he turns his face toward me, and my breath stalls in my throat.

It’s not a man but a woman dressed as one. It’s Lindie. She’s not a friend—I never had many of those—but she’s part of our crew, and I definitely don’t want her seeing me right now. I go to lower the flap slowly, but something has her looking up at me anyway. Maybe she sensed me watching her, or maybe she’s attuned to notice strange occurrences, but she stares straight at me.

Her face goes slack with surprise, and I cling to a fragile hope for a moment that perhaps I’m not visible to her. But the last of the sun’s rays are on my face, and she steps forward, her brows creasing in a frown.

“Hazel?” she calls.

Her voice gets lost under more braying from the donkey. I open the flap an inch more, enough for her to see my face. Then I put my index finger to my mouth, staring at her, pleading to keep my secret.

She scowls, confusion plain in her expression. I’d been avoiding the entire crew for days, hiding with Wren. They must have thought I was dead or worse. I wish I could explain to her why I’m doing this—I even wish I could offer her to run with us. But I’m not sure she’d take the chance, and I can’t have Timo following me.

Already, this urge to satisfy my curiosity might have cost us a clean escape. I let the flap fall back in place and take a shuddering breath. I don’t know how long it’ll take Lindie to find Timo and report to him. Or if she’ll do me this one last favor and keep my escape a secret.

I curse myself and quietly make my way back to Wren. She must pick up on my tension, because she fidgets at my side, then scratches her head. She probably has lice, as do I, but we’ll figure that out later. The past couple of days, we’ve slept in some questionable places while trying to avoid Timo’s men. Ever since he declared that Wren will soon be old enough to start earning for the “family business,” I knew our time here had come to an end. We had to leave. Immediately.

A shout rings out, a male voice calling for the wagons to stop. I close my eyes, squeezing them tight against the terror. We must be at the gate, and if we’re stopping again, that means the cargo will get searched. Maybe I was wrong about the owner of this caravan. They clearly aren’t influential enough to secure a passage undisturbed.

The driver jumps to the ground, and the entire wagon sways with the shifting of the weight. He speaks with a guard, listing the supplies stacked in the back with us. Apples, pears, barrels of salted fish, and heavy sacks of grains. I also smell spices, though he doesn’t mention those, and I wonder if he’s a smuggler—or if he forgot. They’re expensive, a luxury, so maybe he bought them without paying the proper taxes.

The guard demands to see the wares in the bored voice of a man who’s had to say the exact same words dozens of times already. The driver’s footsteps scuff on the cobblestones as he rounds the corner of the wagon and lifts the back flap.

My breath goes out from me in one terrified exhale.

We’re doomed.

***

Order Her Orc Warrior on  Amazon US or Amazon (Elsewhere)! 

Chapter One of Her Orc Guardian

Read Chapter One of Her Orc Guardian by Zoe Ashwood

Hi, dear reader!

 

It's time for another Chapter One reveal! Her Orc Guardian is the second book of my Black Bear Clan series and features Steagor, who you met already in book one (if you missed out on Her Orc King, read it here). 

 

Will you please look at this gorgeous cover, created by Dennisa at White Book Designs?

 

At my father’s dying wish, I crossed the realm, looking for his best friend…and ended up in an orc camp.

It turns out the man I’d heard so much about is actually an orc, a warrior with more scars than I can count and a surly disposition.

And after reading the letter my father sent him, he declares himself my guardian - and me his ward.

Which wouldn’t be a problem if he wasn’t intent on marrying me off to some human stranger, even though the tension between us grows with every touch and every heated, forbidden look.

Sometimes, though, a woman has to take her fate and pleasure in her own hands, and after being told what to do my entire life, I’m not taking any more chances. I want to learn more about myself. And I think my orc guardian might be the right male for the job.

Her Orc Guardian is an orc fantasy romance with a large, scarred hero and an innocent heroine who quickly learns she enjoys everything her body is capable of. You’ll love this story if you like reading about size difference issues, age-gap relationships, and grumpy heroes who fall for spirited heroines. This is the second book in a series of standalones - each book can be read separately and features a happily-ever-after for the main couple. All characters in this book are of age and enthusiastically consent to every spicy thing that happens.

 

Find it on Amazon US - Amazon (International) - BookBub - Goodreads.

Check trigger warnings for the series!

 

And now for the story...

 

Chapter One

 

“I can’t give you more than six silver pieces for this,” the pawnshop owner says, rubbing her thumb over the engraved gold cover of my locket.

My late mother’s locket.

I grip my hands under the counter separating us, squeezing my fingers tight to offset my nervousness. If she catches even a whiff of my desperation, she won’t budge from her initial price.

“It’s worth fifteen, and you know it.” I scowl at her.

“Fifteen!” She lets out a forced cackle, her lined face creasing. “Girl, I wouldn’t pay fifteen silvers for this if my own mother brought it in here.”

Given how old she is, I’d imagine there’s little chance of her mother ever visiting this shop again.

“Fine, I’ll part with it for thirteen, but that’s as low as I can go,” I haggle.

She pops the clasp and inspects the enamel forget-me-nots hidden on the inside. “It’s a pretty piece. Usually, when people bring in lockets, they hold something worthless like a lock of their sister’s hair.”

I try not to fidget in place. The forget-me-nots were my mother’s favorite flower, and my father had bought her this locket when she’d given birth to me.

“So, you know it’s worth more than what you’re offering.” I glower at the woman. “Don’t insult me with another low offer. I can just as easily take it elsewhere.”

I have no idea how much the locket is actually worth, but it’s priceless to me. I’d never sell it if I didn’t have to, and I sold the chain in a town five days ago, but…I have no choice now.

“Eight silvers,” the woman barks, her laughter forgotten.

“Twelve,” I counter.

“Nine.” She leans forward slightly.

She wants the locket, I can tell. Is she really that keen to sell it on?

“Eleven,” I propose, “but you keep it for three months from today so I can come back and buy it from you.”

Her face splits into a grin, and she holds out her dry, wrinkled hand. “Deal.”

I swallow my misgivings and wait as she reaches into the heavy purse at her waist and counts out eleven shiny silver pieces, forming a pile on the polished counter. I should have gotten more from her. But I can’t afford to stay in Ultrup any longer than I already have.

“It was a pleasure doing business with you,” the woman says, beaming. “If you ever find yourself with another such lovely piece to sell, don’t hesitate to visit me again.”

She’s implying I stole this one, I think. Not that I blame her for it. I bet pickpockets are the primary customers of her establishment, and every one of them comes in with a story about their mother’s precious heirloom. I give her a curt nod and keep my reply to myself. There’s no chance of me ever returning here—I have nothing more to sell.

The woman must sense what I’m thinking, though, because she stops me from getting up by placing her hand over mine.

“If you need money, girly, there are other ways to earn it,” she says, her gaze turning speculative. “You’re pretty enough. Men would pay well for—”

I stand abruptly, cutting her off. “No, thank you,” I snap. “That—that won’t be necessary.”

I back slowly toward the door, afraid she might follow, but she holds up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

“The offer stands,” she says. “Maybe a day will come when you’ll consider it. You know where to find me.”

I nearly fall through the doorway and escape down the narrow street, tripping over uneven cobblestones in my haste. With nervous glances over my shoulder, I hurry back toward the main square where I’d seen a cluster of market stalls just hours earlier when I’d arrived in Ultrup. I’d walked for miles, then hitched a ride in a hay cart to get here, and I’ve been hoping to get a cheap room and some hot food tonight.

But with only eleven silver pieces jangling in my pocket, I can’t afford even that. I don’t know how long the trip to find Steagor, son of Torg, will take me, and I really don’t have anything else to sell.

Apart from my body, that is.

The thought sends shivers down my spine, and I clutch my wool cloak tighter around my shoulders. I’ve seen enough brothels to know what kind of men frequent them—and the ladies of the night who came by my father’s shop for new dresses always gossiped about how crude and unwashed their customers were. I’m definitely not going to go down that route unless I have no other choice.

I stop in a recessed doorway to hide some of the coins in my stockings and a couple in the hem of my skirt. It wouldn’t do to show off all my money in my purse. That would be a good way to get my pockets picked.

The market square is less crowded than it was in the morning, but the bakery stall is still there, as is the cart selling apples, so I buy a loaf of the cheapest dark bread and several apples and get a handful of copper coins in return. I can’t resist buying a wedge of cheese at the dairy stall either, and I carefully stow all my purchases in my shoulder bag. I’m debating with myself on whether I should take the risk and purchase some warm wool stockings and a pair of mittens for the cold days ahead when the clatter of hooves has me turning around.

I’m not the only one. All around the market square, conversations die down and people back away as four guards in the Duke of Ultrup’s livery ride into the square, their blue coats billowing behind them. One dismounts by the wide wooden noticeboard while the other three remain in their saddles, surveying the crowd with cold, disinterested eyes.

The first man opens his satchel, pulls out a sheaf of papers and starts pasting the new notices on the board. He slathers the papers with glue and sticks them on, covering old wanted posters and news from the previous weeks. Then he turns his back on the board, and a hush falls over the crowd.

“The duke requires all taxes to be paid by the tenth of the month,” the guard intones. “A new wheat store has been set up under the city ramparts by the river…”

Not everyone can read, so the herald shouts out the news. I tune out his loud voice as best I can because this doesn’t concern me since I won’t be staying here, but I don’t dare leave. There’s little movement in the crowd, but I see a young short-haired woman in men’s clothing reach carefully into the pocket of the merchant in front of her, picking his pockets. I clutch my bag closer to my chest, happy I’d taken the time to hide my money where it’s hard to access for pickpockets. But I don’t alert anyone to what she’s doing. The last thing I want is trouble with the authorities, and I’d attract the other guards’ attention if I moved now. So I stay by the dairy stall, half hidden behind the awning, and listen to the man drone on and on.

At last, he moves slightly to the side, and I sigh in relief because the man is almost finished. Even in my hometown, these news alerts always had the same order. Taxes first, general news next, and at the end—to ensure that people stayed and listened to the entire thing—came the really interesting part.

“Wanted for arson and disrupting the peace, Fangel of Lainah is a man in his early forties, five feet eight, with short dark hair. The reward for information or live capture is three gold marks.” The herald points to an etching of a bearded man stuck to the noticeboard. “He was last seen in Lainah but has known associates in Ultrup.”

He indicates another etching, this time of a younger man with light hair. “Wanted for murder of two guards, Bec of Ultrup is a young man of nineteen, five feet ten, with sandy hair. Dead or alive, he is worth seven gold marks.”

I shiver at his declaration, but if this guy really murdered two guards, his days are numbered. A cold gust of wind whips through the square, and I decide to find a milliner as soon as the guards leave. I’m heading north, so the weather won’t get any warmer from now on.

The herald moves another step to the left and exposes the last of the posters stuck on the noticeboard. I frown at the etching of a young woman’s face with curly light-colored hair and rounded cheeks. My stomach does a somersault, but it’s the herald’s words that really push the truth through the fog in my mind.

“Wanted for theft and fraud, Poppy of Morav is a young woman of twenty-two, five feet four, with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. The reward for credible information or live capture is set at five gold marks.”

Five gold marks.

Five gold marks?

It’s my shock that saves me from drawing attention to myself. I’m rooted to the spot, dread setting in, and I don’t move until the herald mounts his horse once more and the four horsemen lead their animals through the crowd and out of the town square. Then I hunch my shoulders and turn away from the crowd, worried someone might connect me to the poster.

I have to get out of the city. News travels much slower between smaller villages than in towns, and I might escape the guards’ attention for long enough to reach the man my father always told me about.

I can’t believe my stepmother has actually set the guards on me. I didn’t steal anything from her that wasn’t rightfully mine. But now my poster is on that board, and if any one of the townspeople recognizes me and reports me, I’ll be thrown in jail and dragged back to her.

I draw the hood of my cloak over my head to hide my curls, which I never thought would be a problem for me, but they are easily recognizable. I glance toward the apple farmer and the bakery stall, but neither of the merchants are paying any attention to me. If they made the connection between the woman on the poster and me, they don’t care.

Lingering in town would be foolish, however. The faster I get out of here, the better, and I’ll have to do with my linen underwear and without mittens for now. Maybe the weather will hold for a while.

I keep to the side alleys, trying not to get too hopelessly lost in a city I’ve never visited before. Through the warren of smelly streets, I keep my sights on one of the tall watchtowers built into the city walls. I came into Ultrup through a gate guarded by such a tower to the south, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to leave it the same way, only on the north side.

Loud shouting echoes from a tavern, and I flinch, scuttling to the other side of the street. Then I remember that cowering will only draw more attention, so I straighten my shoulders and do my best to walk as if I have every right to be there. The shadows are lengthening, and if I don’t reach the city gates soon, I might get stuck in here without a way out.

The narrow alley suddenly dumps me onto the main street, and I follow the flow of carts and foot traffic around the corner.

And there it is. The city gate. Two thick, tall slabs of steel-reinforced oakwood are flung wide, allowing the passengers to shuffle through. On either side of the gate, two guards stand at attention, their helmets glinting in the late-evening sun. They’re heavily armed, as if expecting trouble, and I don’t doubt that they could easily subdue me if they discovered who I am.

I slow my steps and move to the side of the street, not wanting to cause a congestion in the road. But if I march right through the door, there’s a good chance someone will take note of my hooded head and demand I take it off. Or see that I’m trying to slink past them.

What I need is a distraction.

I pretend to browse the collection of leather-bound books set on a wooden stand in front of a paper merchant’s shop, even though I couldn’t afford them. Or have any use of them. Keeping one eye on the guards, I survey the passing people for the best possible option.

I could spook one of the horses into rearing up, but that might mean hurting the animal, and besides, someone could get trampled.

I’m almost ready to give up and take my chances with the guards—the sun has almost set, and the guards are shuffling on their feet, probably eager to shut the gates and get inside their guardhouse, out of the cold wind—when a cart trundles down the street from the direction of the market square.

Sitting on top of the donkey-drawn cart is an old man with a floppy gray hat, and behind him, several cages full of fluttering chickens. They’re clucking softly, as chickens do as the day draws to a close, but they’re gaunt and stringy, looking a little worse for wear.

Perfect.

I put back the book I’d been paging through and reach into my shoulder bag. It hurts my heart to rip the heel off the loaf of bread I bought earlier, but I need it for my plan to work. Falling into step with the slow-moving cart, I tear the fist-sized chunk of bread into pieces, small enough to fit through the bars of the chicken cages.

I need to time this just right.

The cart nears the gate, and the farmer raises his hand in a weary salute. The guards don’t even blink at him, focused instead on the people passing through on foot—including me.

“Hey,” a guard on the right side of the gate says, “you in the—”

I toss the bread crumbs in the air.

They scatter over the chicken cages, and the birds, so docile just moments earlier, erupt in a flurry of squawking, clucking, and feathers, causing an unholy ruckus. One of them must be a rooster because it crows loudly in his battle for the bread.

Everyone turns to stare, including the guards. People crane their necks, and several of them stop mid-step to goggle at the noise. I don’t waste any time, though, and hurry on as fast as I can without actually running. I slip past the chicken farmer and put myself in front of his cart, then weave between the slow-moving townspeople returning to the safety of the city walls for the night.

I don’t glance back, not even to check whether the guards are following me. If that guard thought I looked familiar, he’ll pay even more attention now. At the first clump of bushes by the road, I hide in the darkening shadows, pull down my hood, and bind my hair with a brown kerchief. It’s how farmer wives protect their hair in the fields, and while the style would have been out of place in the city, I can get away with it in the countryside.

Then I return to the road despite the gathering dusk and start walking. I don’t know where I’ll sleep tonight, and I’ll need to ask for directions soon, but for now, my only task is to put as much distance as possible between myself and that noticeboard in Ultrup.

With my remaining ten silver pieces weighing down my purse—and stockings—I might be able to reach the man my father promised would help me.

And if you can’t?

I swallow my fear, raise my chin, and keep marching forward.

I have to. If I don’t, I’ll be forced to take up some low-paying position somewhere, and with the winter coming on, the offer from that pawnshop owner will soon start looking too attractive.

So I keep walking long past sunset, past dusk and through the night, until I collapse in a small copse of trees, hidden from the road by a cluster of rocks. I wrap myself in my cloak as best I can and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping it won’t freeze in the night.

If it does, I might die in my sleep, and no one will ever find me. I won’t be able to go back for my mother’s locket, and my father’s friend will never even know I attempted to reach him.

But that would mean my stepmother won. And I’m not about to cede this last bit of myself to her. So I clutch the letter my father wrote for this Steagor I’m searching for and dry my tears. Tomorrow is a new day, and I have to be close to King Gorvor’s lands now. The city of Ultrup is one of the last border towns in the kingdom of Styria, and I’ve learned that King Gorvor’s lands lie beyond that, in the heart of Bellhaven.

It shouldn’t take me long to reach them at all.

***

Oh Poppy, you sweet summer child...

Find out what happens next!

 

Happy reading!

xo, Zoe 💖

Cover Reveal and Chapter One of HER ORC KING

Her Orc King - an orc fantasy romance - is coming soon!

Hi, dear reader,

I'm so happy to announce the start of a brand new series. Her Orc King is an orc fantasy romance, and I had so much fun writing it! It's a M/F story with lots of steam and very interesting male *equipment*. 

 

Here's the beautiful cover, created by Dennisa. 

Captured by slavers, sold at auction to brutal orcs, and dragged halfway across the realm…

I never thought I’d say this, but being kidnapped by a band of pillaging bandits wasn’t the low point of my life.

No, that came when a massive, scarred orc king decided I was his mate and refused to let me leave his cave.

Orcs are a vile race without a shred of propriety, and their king is the worst of all - he expects me to accept their wicked ways and doesn’t understand that my thoughts scatter whenever he removes his shirt. He insists on taking care of me - both my body and soul - and won’t take no for an answer.

But trouble brews in this remote kingdom. The orcs are keeping secrets, and I want to learn the truth. And I’m no longer certain I want to return to the human world. Maybe I want to stay right here, in King Gorvor’s arms.

Her Orc King is an orc fantasy romance with a big, scarred hero who falls hard for the stubborn human heroine. You’ll love it if you enjoy your books with a hint of kidnapping, size difference issues, and lots of steamy scenes. This is the first book of a series of standalones - each book can be read separately and features a happily-ever-after ending for that couple.

 

Get it on Amazon US - Amazon International - or add it on Goodreads or BookBub!

 

You can also scroll down for a sneak peek - I posted Chapter One for you! You get to dive right into the world of the Black Bear Clan today. 

 

Chapter One 

 

If you told me two weeks ago I’d be kidnapped, sold at auction, and dragged to the orc territory deep in the forests of Bellhaven, I’d call you crazy and distance myself posthaste.

But here I am. Trapped in a wagon, trussed up while two massive orc guards sit on either side of me, their faces grim. I’m probably well on my way to becoming a sex slave, and I need to find a way out of here. Now.

“I promise I won’t try to run again,” I plead, doing my best impression of a meek damsel in distress. “Or stab you.”

The older of the two guards, the one with a deeply scarred face called Ozork, scowls at me. “That’s what you said the last time.”

“And the time before that,” adds the younger orc, Neekar, grinning as if receiving a stab wound in the thigh is something to be proud of.

They’ve been remarkably calm about my escape attempts. Ever since they purchased me like a cow at the market in Ultrup, they’ve treated me kindly—even though their idea of kindness was giving me an additional blanket to wrap myself against the night cold as they forced me to sleep on the ground by the campfire. 

They’d ordered me to bathe in the first stream we’d come across after leaving town, probably because I smelled horrendously bad after spending a week in the slave barracks in Ultrup. But they hadn’t given me any privacy, and I couldn’t wash properly in the freezing river swollen from the melting snow. So now I’m dirty, still dressed in the simple wool gown I was wearing when the band of slavers kidnapped me. I can’t even smell myself anymore, so I think my odor must be terrible. 

That hasn’t prevented the orcs in this party from sniffing me. Every warrior has come close to me at some point and taken a deep whiff of my hair, the skin on my wrists, my neck. I’d endured it all, petrified. I’d thought they were smelling me to determine if I was tasty or something even more nefarious, but all they’d done was grunt and move off again.

There’s no telling what these creatures have planned for me. I’ve heard all the horrific tales about orcs and their lairs deep in the mountains. But I won’t stop trying to escape. I’ll keep attempting different tactics until something sticks.

“How long before we get there?” I ask instead of protesting again. I make my voice whiny and trembling. If they think I’m weak, they might let their guard down and allow me to escape.

“Not long,” is the curt reply I get.

I sit straighter. Up until this moment, every reply had been, “Stop talking,” or “You’ll know when we get there.” 

So we’re nearing our destination.

We passed through an orc village several miles ago, and one of the cloth-covered wagons in our convoy stopped there—along with at least two of the human passengers who had been bought at auction with me. There were four of us—an elderly woman with silver hair, a middle-aged man, and a boy perhaps twelve years old. 

“What happened to the child?” I ask my guards.

I haven’t dared ask before, because the answer might be too horrifying to bear, but I owe my fellow captives that small mercy. To learn of their fate and maybe send word to their families if I can manage to sneak away. I would have hoped that the others would do the same for me, only I have no one to notify. The people who might come searching for me would definitely not have my best interests at heart.

“Why do you want to know?” asks the older orc, glowering fiercely. 

I grind my teeth, then force myself to reply in a calm voice. “Because he’s young. He was so scared. Why did you even buy him?”

The two orcs exchange a long look. Then the younger one shrugs as if to say, Might as well tell her.

“He is being returned to his village,” the older orc says. “Two of our best warriors are escorting him home.”

Oh. 

I blink, surprised at the answer. I’d been picturing child slave labor and other horrible things, but if what they’re saying is true, the boy was likely saved by them.

“Will you let me go and escort me back h—to my village?”

I almost choke on that word. Home. I haven’t known a true home in years, and I don’t know what I’d find if these orcs ever did return me to our small settlement.

A grueling job, debt, and a man all too willing to forgive it…with the right incentive.

I shudder at the thought and focus instead on glaring at the orcs.

“No,” says Ozork. “You’re staying with us.”

“But why?” Even to my own ears my voice sounds whiny, yet I can’t help myself.

Neekar opens his mouth as if to say something, but his companion kicks his shin to shut him up. They glare at each other for a moment, then stare out the back of the wagon.

All right, so there’s definitely a purpose to my being dragged through these forests and hills. Whatever fate awaits me there, I’m sure it’s not good.

I squeeze my knees together, a sense of foreboding washing over me. There isn’t much use a twenty-six-year-old human could be to an orc except for…

Except for sex.

My chin wobbles at the terrifying thought. I’m to be a sex slave to some brutish orc, and judging by the size of these guys, it won’t be a pleasant experience.

At least I’m not a virgin. 

I push away the stray thought, trying to think of a way to escape. If I could just get away from them for a minute… But they’d even posted a full guard when I’d begged to attend to my bodily needs, like I was some sort of precious cargo. 

And maybe I am. I narrow my eyes at the orc sitting beside me. If I’m valuable, maybe that’s my bargaining chip. 

Before I can go down that line of thought, the wagon slows, and noise erupts around us, many voices clamoring all at once. The horses whinny, and for a moment, fear shoots through me. If we’re being attacked by bandits, I’ll lose what little protection I have in my current situation. 

It’s sobering to realize that I now prefer the company of these two orcs and their band of soldiers to other kinds of orcs. At least my current captors—owners—haven’t sought to harm me. 

Then the tone of the calls registers. They’re happy greetings, even though the voices are gruff and deep. 

More orcs, then. 

Neekar brandishes a large hunting knife, and I cringe away from him, yelping in fear. But he rolls his eyes, grabs my tied wrists, and slashes the rope tying me. I struggle out of my restraints and rub my wrists, though in truth, the knots weren’t tight enough to chafe my skin.

Then I lean forward and peer out the back of the covered wagon. I can’t see much apart from the forest, but the crowd of orcs gathered to receive us is a glaring clue.

We have arrived.

 

Her Orc King is out on September 2!

Happy reading!

xo, Zoe

The Norse Sea Dragons Box Set

The Norse Sea Dragons Box Set by Zoe Ashwood is out now!

If you like reading completed series, I have a treat for you - my Norse Sea Dragons duet is finished and now wrapped up in one pretty package. 

 

 

“Go away. My brother is dead.”

When Lottie learns her baby twins’ father died - violently - she is determined to make friends with his brother. The man is grumpy, secretive, and strange, but she wants her kiddos to know their family, so she’s stuck with Eiric.

Eiric wants nothing more than to send his dead brother’s ex packing, but she claims Mikkel is the father of her kids. Which is a problem, because their family isn’t exactly…human. And if the twins inherited the ability to shift into sea dragons, the pretty human is in for a world of trouble.

But humans aren’t the only ones who would love to get their hands on the vulnerable babies. Someone is watching Lottie and her kids, and Eiric is the only one who can protect them. To do that, however, he’ll need to earn her trust - and reveal his true nature to her.

The complete Norse Sea Dragons duet includes Deep Sea Kiss and Deep Sea Love. If you love Vikings, dragon shifters, and stunning Norwegian settings, dive into this story today!

 

Get it on Amazon or add it to BookBub or Goodreads!

My Bookish Trip To Crete

We took a family vacation to Crete, and it was everything I imagined and more!

When my husband and I were discussing potential holiday destinations this year, I was all in for Crete, Greece. First of all, it’s a gorgeous island I’ve visited once before (when I was about nine) and had only nice memories of it, and second, I recently set a whole book there! 

So I was super excited when we actually made all the arrangements and booked our flight and our hotel. This was the first plane trip we took with our kids, and the first real traveling adventure after the pandemic. 

 

 

I’m going to share some photos with you, along with my best memories and a reading list of what I read during this vacation. My kids are now old enough that they don’t need constant supervision, so I actually had a lot of reading time on my hands! Perfect!

 

 

We arrived at our lovely hotel, and I immediately fell in love. It was quintessentially Greek, with white walls, blue doors and shutters, and bougenvillea climbing up in the corners of the courtyard with a nice-sized pool. 

We discovered several beautiful beaches during our stay, and the one that stuck out the most was Preveli Beach on the south side of the island. It has a little palm-lined river flowing into the sea, so you get this stunning combination of really clean river water and the crystal-blue Mediterranean Sea. 

 

 

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We also visited the ancient Knossos Palace - and Heraklion, the capital, which I was super excited about because it’s there that Freed in Love takes place! I took this video in the old harbor - and here’s another pic of the old fort and the Dia Island (where I put my fictional labyrinth) behind it. It’s just a dry, brown lump of land, but to me, totally interesting.

 

 

And for those of you who have read the trilogy - this is exactly what I imagined the tokens from the third task to look like! These clay bull statues are typical of the Minoan culture, which was where the Minotaur and the Labyrinth myths originated. 

 

Overall, this was one of the best trips I've ever had. The weather was nice, the country is beautiful, and I even saw an octopus while snorkeling on our last day, which felt like a final parting gift from the sea gods, haha.

 

And here’s what I read while on vacation:

Faking With Benefits by Lily Gold - a contemporary reverse harem romance that got me through the flight to Crete (I’m a nervous flier, eek). 
Tempted by Fire by Erin Kellison - a great dragon shifter romance with awesome worldbuilding
Give Me More by Sara Cate - the third book in her Salacious series, and I tore through it so fast! Loved it as much as the other two.
Pack Darling by Lola Rock - an omegaverse reverse harem, pretty gritty at times!
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint - I only started this one but haven’t finished yet - I picked it up at the bookstore just before we left because it takes place on Crete!

 

And if you want to read the series that had me so excited about this trip, start with Cursed in Love!

 

Happy reading!

xo, Zoe

 

The Nora Moss Series Is Complete!

My latest reverse harem paranormal romance series is now complete! Join Nora and her guys on a magical treasure hunt around the world!

Dear reader,

I'm happy to announce that my Nora Moss series is now complete! Nora's adventure is finished, and you can binge-read the entire story in one go. 

 

I’ll do anything to protect my family, even con my way into the most dangerous treasure hunt in the magical world.

With three men by my side, I embark on a mission to save my father and siblings from the same horrible illness that took my mother.

I need a guide into the Egyptian desert, and my ex is the best man for the job…even though he’s an irritatingly sexy vampire.

The strongest curse breaker I know just happens to be my best friend, who I’ve been crushing on for years.

And to finish off our team, a mysterious stranger I can’t stop thinking about is also our fiercest competitor.

We can only win the game if we trust each other completely. No secrets, no pretense, no lies.

But not everyone plays by the same rules. And if I’m not careful, that might cost me my heart…or my life.

Cursed in Love is the first book in the finished paranormal reverse harem trilogy that will take you on a magical adventure around the world. Curl up and enjoy this steamy romance in which the heroine doesn’t have to choose between her three heroes - she gets to have them all. 

 

You can find the books here:

Cursed in Love  > Amazon US - Amazon (other countries) - BookBub - Goodreads
Captured in Love  > Amazon US - Amazon (other countries) - BookBub - Goodreads
Freed in Love  > Amazon US - Amazon (other countries) - BookBub - Goodreads
Jinxed in Love  (freebie prequel) > Download for free

 

If you need to check trigger warnings for this book, you can find them here. Beware of potential spoilers, though!

 

Happy reading!

xo, Zoe

Trigger Warnings

I respect my readers, so I'm offering up a list of possible trigger warnings for my books

Hi, dear reader,

 

I've decided to offer up a list of possible trigger warnings for my books. A lot has been said lately about this topic, so I'm not opening another debate, simply putting this list out there for anyone who wishes to check it before diving into my books. 

 

I personally have several triggers (mostly related to kids, as I'm a mom of two with anxiety issues) that I avoid like the plague, so I definitely feel the need for this. 

 

I included all the "common" triggers I could think of - related to violence, sexual assault etc. - but because some scenes in my books aren't triggering to me, I might have missed out on them. If you've read my books and feel like this list is missing any items, please email me at zoe (at) zoeashwood (dot) com, and I'll see what I can do.

 

Also, I write steamy romance, so it's safe for you to assume there's a lot of sex in my books! I don't write dark romance, either. I write happily-ever-afters, so my main characters always make it to the end, safe and sound.

 

You can find all my books with links here.

 

The Nora Moss Trilogy


violence
death (of a secondary character)
blood
claustrophobia
murder
torture (of a main character)

 

The Sea Dragons of Amber Bay Trilogy


violence
death (of a secondary character)
blood
verbal abuse (in the past)

 

The Ice Planet Rendu Trilogy


violence
murder
death (of a secondary character)
kidnapping with implied sexual threat (of a main character)
verbal abuse (in the past)
severe illness (of a main character)
accidents

 

The Norse Sea Dragons Duet


violence
murder
kidnapping (of a main character, of children)
asphyxiation (of a main character)
death (of a secondary character)

 

The Shift Series


violence
murder
assault with sexual implications (of a main character)
death (of a secondary character)
kidnapping (of a main character)
gun violence
torture (of a main character)
anxiety
PTSD
manslaughter 

 

Wow, this really brings home how much drama I put in my books, haha! Anyway, if you feel like something's missing from my list, please feel free to let me know. And I'll keep the list updated with information on future releases. 

 

I want everyone to feel safe and excited when reading my books, and if this helps you relax, I'm here for you. <3

xo, Zoe

COLD ATTRACTION is FREE

Hi, dear reader!

I'm here to tell you that Cold Attraction, the first book in my sci-fi alien romance trilogy, is FREE today!

Get your free copy here!

The third and last book, Cold Seduction, will be out on January 12, so this is the perfect time to dive into the series!

Add the book to your Goodreads TBR here!

xo, Zoe

Happy Holidays!

Hi, dear reader,

I'm full-on preparing for the last week of the year. Starting on Friday, we have nine days off with the kiddos, so we'll take lots of time off work and enjoy family celebrations. My kiddos are 5 and 7 years old, so they still believe in Santa, which is cool, because they're coming up with increasingly elaborate explanations for how Santa and the elves work all on their own. 😅

I wish you and your loved ones a lovely holiday season, regardless of what you celebrate at this time of year!

To round up this year, I created a neat printable checklist of all my published books for my website - you can get it here and see if you have missed any (there's a link to download the file)! This is going to sound weird, but I went, "Oh! Look how many books I've written!" It's true - this job can be hard but it's also the most fulfilling, and it's you, dear readers, who make it possible for me. Thank you!

I also put up Chapter One of Cold Seduction, which you can read by clicking this link! It's from Lhett's point of view, so check it out if you want a peek inside the grumpy alien general's head!

Also: Cold Attraction (book one of the series) will be FREE from December 28 - January 1st! 💙

Weekly favorites
Check out my favorites this week, and reply to tell me about yours!

📚 Currently reading: I'm finishing up Get Rich, Lucky B*tch, a really fun book about money and women and the ideas about money that are passed down through generations.

✏️ Currently writing: I'm outlining Freed in Love (Nora #3) while I wait for proofreads of Cold Seduction

🎵 Currently listening: "Sedated" by Hozier

👀 Currently watching: The Witcher season 2!!! Eek! Is anyone else loving Daddy Geralt as much as me?!

Have a wonderful time over the holidays, and I'll talk to you soon!

xo, Zoe 💖