FS Meurinne's Blog: Book Enticer, page 73
May 10, 2021
The Rebel by Sophie Lark
I Want The One Girl I Can’t Have…
The Rebel, an all-new, forbidden romance from Sophie Lark is live!
Zoe Romera is trapped in a marriage contract with the most sadistic psychopath at Kingmakers.
She couldn’t be more off-limits. Stealing her from Rocco Prince would break the most ironclad rules of the mafia world.
But I have to have her. She’s my soulmate. I want her, or no one at all.
I’ll do anything to save her. Rocco will do anything to destroy her.
I’ve got one chance to achieve the impossible…
“The Rebel” is is the second book in the epic dark mafia Kingmakers series. It’s a forbidden romance, full of jealousy, desire, and a hero who will do anything to save the woman he loves.
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QqFblp
Amazon: http://mybook.to/therebel
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3dnYo06
Excerpt
We’re walking up toward the Solar, slowly because neither of us is in a hurry. The thick sod muffles our footsteps.
“It’s not your fault,” Miles says, frowning.
“It is, though. When I disobey my father, he always takes it out on Cat. I knew that beforehand. When I rebel, it’s her that suffers.”
Remembering that immutable fact makes me realize that I’m making the same mistake all over again. I spent the night at the Halloween party, dancing and drinking with Miles, heedless of the consequences that might follow.
Reading my thoughts, Miles takes my hand. His hand is large and strong, and immensely warm.
“Your cousins weren’t here tonight,” he says. “None of Rocco’s friends, either.”
“They’ll still hear. Everybody talks.”
Miles doesn’t bother to deny that — he knows it’s true.
“Tell me about your marriage contract,” he says.
“I haven’t even read it,” I admit. “I wasn’t part of the negotiations.”
“Do you know what your father’s getting out of the deal? What’s in it for Rocco’s family?”
I explain it to him as best I understand, starting with the wars amongst the Galician clans, and ending with everything I know about my father’s business, and the Princes’.
Miles takes it all in, occasionally asking clarifying questions. This is something I’ve noticed about Miles — he’s an information-gatherer. He’s good at asking just the right questions to figure out what’s really going on.
When I’m done talking, he’s quiet for a while, considering.
“There’s a personal element on Rocco’s side, isn’t there?” he asks me.
“Do you mean, is he in love with me?” I say. “I wouldn’t call it love.”
“He’s fixated,” Miles says.
“Yes. We’ve been betrothed since I was twelve. He’s been planning what he’ll do with me once we’re married for eight years now. He’s more than fixated — he’s obsessed.”
Miles’ expression is serious as he looks at me. Miles has eyes of a color I’ve never seen before — a pure, clear gray. Under the starlight they shine almost silver, lighter than his deeply-tanned skin.
“Even if you there was an incentive for your father and the Princes to void the contract… Rocco wouldn’t agree.”
“No. He doesn’t care about money,” I shudder, “he only wants me.”
We’ve reached the Solar. The wind is picking up just a little, rustling the paper feathers of my angel wings.
“I shouldn’t have kept you out here so long,” Miles says, glancing at my bare arms. “You must be cold.”
I should be cold, going from the heat of the crowded stables to the crisp, open air. But I’m not. I’m never cold around Miles — my heart is always beating too hard, my blood thundering through my veins.
“Your cut has almost healed,” Miles says, gently touching the place next to my eye where Rocco dug his knife.
When Miles touches me, it seems to ignite every nerve beneath his fingertips. That one part of my body becomes more sensitive than every other inch of skin combined.
I don’t think he means to kiss me.
But one hand on my face becomes two, and then he’s pulling me toward him, our lips coming together in one smooth movement. Miles’ lips are full and warm, firm and yet soft against mine. The kiss is gentle at first, and then it becomes deeper, his tongue sliding between my lips, caressing mine.
The taste of his mouth turns attraction into lust. My heart races so hard it feels like one, continuous throb. I’ve thrown myself into his arms. We’re clinging to each other, kissing with a desperation that feels wild and reckless and utterly addictive.
Kissing Miles is like dancing with him. We’re perfectly in synch. Time melts away. I can’t get enough of it, I can’t seem to stop. The wind buffets my paper wings, making a sound like a thousand whispers, lifting me like I might fly away.
Slowly, I realize how exposed we are at the base of the Solar. Even in the dark, anyone looking out their window might spot me in my white gown.
I break away from Miles.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
It was Miles who kissed me, but I shouldn’t have let him. It’s not only dangerous for me to break my contract with Rocco. If anything, it’s even more dangerous for Miles. The Princes could seek retribution.
“I did it,” Miles says, looking at me intently. “And I’m not sorry.”
“We can’t,” I say to him.
We both know we can’t, and yet I allowed myself to pretend otherwise. I enjoyed the fantasy that I could talk to a man I liked, flirt with him, dance with him. I let myself experience the feeling of actually falling for someone, reveling in that sense of mutual attraction. I’ve never felt it before. It’s intoxicating.
But now I’ve crossed the line. And it feels too good. So good that I’m terrified of what I’ll end up doing if I don’t stop now.
“I can’t see you anymore,” I say to Miles.
He’s looking at me, face impassive, not answering.
I can’t tell what he’s thinking. I can’t read Miles as well as he reads me.
“You’re going to see me tomorrow,” he says.
“I’m not.”
“You will,” he says.
His gray eyes are brighter than ever, fixed on mine with an intensity I’ve never seen in Miles before. He acts like he doesn’t care about anything. But I always knew that couldn’t be true, because he’s the furthest thing from lazy. He’s always hustling, always working an angle.
I’m finally seeing what it looks like when Miles is chasing something he wants.
“I can’t kiss you anymore,” I say, “And I can’t be alone with you.”
“I’m not going to argue with you Zoe,” Miles says, his eyes burning into mine. “But I’m also not going to stop.”
Before I can say another word, he turns and strides away from me, across the dark grounds.
I’m staring after him, open-mouthed, my lips still throbbing where he kissed me.
About Sophie
Sophie Lark is an Amazon Bestselling author who writes intense, intelligent romance, with heroines who are strong and capable, and men who will do anything to capture their hearts. She lives with her husband, two boys, and baby girl in the Rocky Mountain West.
She has a slight obsession with hiking, bodybuilding, and live comedy shows. Her perfect day would be taking the kids to Harry Potter World, going dancing with Mr. Lark, then relaxing with a good book and a monster bag of salt and vinegar chips.
Connect with Sophie
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2NO2Gn2
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2YoIcDt
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3pwmAAW
Join her Facebook reader group The Love Larks: http://bit.ly/2YtgQw2
Stay up to date with Sophie by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/39rZfL9
Website: https://sophielark.com
The One I Want by S.L. Scott
Release Date: May 10
Narrators: Sebastian York & Summer Morton
Tropes: Unforgettable Meet-Cute, Opposites Attract, Office Romance, Neighbors-to-Lovers, Friends-to-Lovers, Perfect Spring Read.
She was everything he never knew he needed.
He was everything she avoided.
It’s not the first time I’ve been called a stalker.
I can’t blame Andrew Christiansen for thinking that since we keep crossing paths, especially when I pop up in the most unexpected of places—his office.
We’re opposites in every way. Not the kind that attract.
I’ve been called a ray of sunshine. He’s been called a grumpy workaholic that needs an attitude adjustment. By me.
Somehow, we become friends, the teasing, flirting, and kissing kind. But this thing blooming between us threatens to turn this relationship from friends-to-lovers into a full-blown office romance.
That’s the least of my worries because one or two, little, okay big, secrets I’ve been keeping may turn him from the one I want into the one I can’t have.
Grab your copy here!
ExcerptI hear a familiar bark and turn back. The woman from the park rushes toward the nearest shop as if I didn’t just bust her for following me. “What are you doing?” I ask. “Are you stalking me?” I might be jumping ahead of myself, but better to settle it now. A lot of weird stuff was happening at the park. Is she to blame?
Despite Rascal’s joy to see me, obstinance stiffens her shoulders, and she scoffs. “You wish.” Her hand flies out. “It just so happens that I’m walking in the same direction. So what?”
“Defensive,” I reply, analyzing her body language. Crossed arms. Straight line across her lips. Half-mast eyelids as she glares at me.
“I’m not defensive. I’m offended. You just called me a stalker.”
“My bad.”
“You’re bad, all right.” She angles her chin up, and adds, “You can go about your day now.”
I’m tempted to chuckle, but I’m thinking it’s wise to restrain myself. “I will. Good day.”
“Good day, sir,” she says to my back as I walk away.
I stop again, but this time, I don’t look back. Forcing myself to walk forward, I continue through the upscale neighborhood to the next block. I busy my attention on the architecture until I hear Rascal bark again.
I knew I shouldn’t have talked to a stranger. She may be hot, but she could also be deranged, using her dog as a ploy to trick her next victim to her lair. What am I even talking about?
When I turn back this time, she sidles quickly up to a coffee shop window, pretending to know the people sitting on the other side.
By how they turn their backs to her, they don’t reciprocate. “Nice try,” I tease.
Glancing at me, she huffs. “I’m walking in the same direction. It’s no big deal, for God’s sake.” She punctuates the words with an epic eye roll as if I’m putting her out. Huffing, she grabs Rascal, clutching him to her side.
“His feet have—”
“Shit.”
“Exactly.”
Anger fills her chest, and she shakes her head, exhaling it loudly with a foot stomp. “Ugh! I’ll go this way.”
As. If. I’m the nuisance.
Me?
Why am I even sticking around to have this conversation? Why am I bothering? Going in different directions—that’s us. She crosses the street, and I turn the corner, both of us heading back to our own lives and hopefully never seeing each other again.
I continue toward the building up ahead alone. I’m good. I’m fine. Alone is how I thrive. I’ll be here a year or two. That’s nothing. I have plenty of work to keep me busy.
Work.
I’m here for work. That’s it. I have a plan in place, and nothing and no one will keep me from achieving my goals.
Meet S.L. Scott
New York Times and USA Bestselling Author, S. L. Scott, was always interested in the arts. She grew up painting, writing poetry and short stories, and wiling her days away lost in a good book and the movies.With a degree in Journalism, she continued her love of the written word by reading American authors like Salinger and Fitzgerald. She was intrigued by their flawed characters living in picture perfect worlds, but could still debate that the worlds those characters lived in were actually the flawed ones. This dynamic of leaving the reader invested in the words, inspired Scott to start writing with emotion while interjecting an underlying passion into her own stories. Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She’s obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. She dreams of seeing one of her own books made into a movie one day as well as returning to Europe. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she’s a pro.
May 8, 2021
Fractured Reign by Caitlyn Dare
FRACTURED REIGN (Gravestone Elite #3) by Caitlyn Dare
Release Date: May 6th
Add to Goodreads:
FRACTURED REIGN by Caitlyn Dare is NOW AVAILABLE!!
The Gravestone Elite Trilogy is now COMPLETE and ready to binge read!! Also available in Kindle Unlimited!
FRACTURED REIGN (Gravestone Elite #3)
AVAILABLE NOW! FREE in KU!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/31ClsBi
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3ulzUur
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3aZkuo4
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/33fZsx6
Start the COMPLETED Series NOW!!!
SHATTERED LEGACY (Gravestone Elite #1)
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3qBFEhj
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3p19b3A
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/39IVIHc
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3p770vy
TARNISHED CROWN (Gravestone Elite #2)
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3kL8zh5
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3m6mTBq
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3m5hYRs
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/39uTEU0
Blurb:
When Mia wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there, she braces herself for bad news.
But nothing can ever prepare her for the truth.
Betrayed by the very people who were supposed to protect her, Mia no longer knows who to trust.
All Bexley wants is to fix things for the girl he loves, and keep those around him safe.
Even if it means embracing his legacy.
Can Bexley and Mia fight their own demons while fighting the enemies closing in around them…
Or will it be too late to save each other?
Fractured Reign is the conclusion to Mia and Bexley’s dark and twisted story .
Fractured Reign in the final book in the Gravestone Elite trilogy. It is a DARK BULLY ROMANCE and contains mature content that some readers may find disturbing. You have been warned.
CHECK OUT WHAT SOME OF THE EARLY REVIEWS!!
“Fractured Reign and the conclusion to this epic, dark, mind-twistingly addictive trilogy has me completely awe-stricken.”
Melissa, Book Boyfriend and Husband Make Three
“This series blew me away and Fractured Reign is an AMAZING end to the series. If you are a fan of dark suspenseful NA romances, this is a MUST READ book and series and you need it in your life.”
“This series was brilliant. It was well paced and well thought out and the world created was fascinating. This book was a fitting conclusion to the series and I cannot wait to see what comes next for this author.”
About the Author:
Two angsty romance lovers writing dark heroes and the feisty girls who bring them to their knees.
Connect w/Caitlyn:
Website: https://www.caitlyndarebooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caitlyndarebooks
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CaitlynsDaredevils
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20272477.Caitlyn_Dare
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcaitlyndare
May 7, 2021
The Insiders by Tijan
— Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author
The Insiders, an all new page-turning and addictive romance from New York Times bestselling author Tijan, is available now!
Bailey is as normal as could be, with a genius IQ and a photographic memory. But still, normal for her. Then, things happen — a guy breaks into her house in the middle of the night to take her hostage. She learns her father is billionaire tech genius Peter Francis, the same guy she’s idolized all her life. She finds all this out when she meets dark, mysterious, and electrifying Kashton Colello. He’s also an associate of her father’s, and he gives Bailey two choices—go with him and meet her father or survive on her own because those kidnappers are going to try again.
It’s a no-brainer.
After this, three things become clear for Bailey:
1. She has to live at her father’s sprawling estate, complete with bodyguards and the best security that money can buy.
2. She’s no longer an only child. She has three siblings and has no idea what to do with them and vice versa.
3. She is being guarded by Kash himself. Personally guarded. And there is a lot of guarding going on there and some of it is going to drive her crazy.
A complete outsider in a world of wealth and decadence, Bailey has to find her way within a family that has more secrets than she could have imagined. One of these secrets could be deadly…
Start reading today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ddgG2e
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TheInsiders
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/34Xbz2H
Nook: https://bit.ly/33Ix9s5
Apple Books: https://apple.co/30Ugtfw
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3dkxBzV
Add The Insiders to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2GJn59t
Excerpt
We were heading out of Chicago, and maybe another half hour or so from the small town where my mom and I lived.
Wait. Second thought—where we used to live?
What would my mom do now? Could Chrissy Hayes remain in that house after I was just attacked, almost taken hostage? I called my mother by all kinds of names—Chrissy Hayes, Chrissy, or Mom. Or, well, a whole other kind of names too, because to say she’s a character is putting it mildly. And we have an interesting relationship to say the least.
I might be deflecting here.
Numb. I was numb. I should be pissing my pants, but instead I’m ruminating over how I refer to my mother.
Could I stay in that house after what just happened?
I’d been planning to spend time with Chrissy, helping with the house and working at the local computer store to make some extra money before I left for school. But now . . . fuck if I knew.
Myriad curses went through my mind as I realized Chrissy would have to move.
Shivers pierced me as I went over what had happened tonight, but then we were pulling into a driveway, next to a booth. A large gate barricaded us from moving forward.
Official police business, my tech ass.
Then again, nothing seemed official. I was told that I was being taken to my mother, but I left with two detectives. Bright and Wilson. They introduced themselves, then said she couldn’t see me in the hospital. They didn’t explain why, but I was to go with them to see her.
I went.
I was in the backseat of their unmarked car a few minutes later.
Bright’s window rolled down. She flashed her badge. “We’re expected.”
The attendant nodded, hitting a button. The gate opened, showing a campus of buildings behind it. Some made of dark red brick. Some seemingly made of reflective windows, top to bottom. Some painted totally black. A large parking lot sat in the middle of the buildings. “Phoenix Tech” was on a sign in front of the first building, but we went past, heading around it and toward a smaller building on the opposite end of the lot.
My tongue was glued to the back of my throat. We were at Phoenix Tech headquarters.
I had yearned to get an internship there every year since fifth grade, and then through college. I kept applying, but they kept denying. Some might say I was being desperate. I prefer determined. It’s a quality that I feel is honorable. Plus, I wasn’t above hoping they’d take pity on me one day. It worked, because while I might not have been good enough to walk their hallways, I was good enough for them to give me charity. They awarded me the majority of my grants for undergrad, so I’d been able to go to college debt free. I’d been expecting that to change for graduate school, but it hadn’t. Or, well, it kind of had.
I was hired as a graduate assistant, starting in the fall, which gave me a stipend, but the rest was covered by another scholarship from Phoenix Tech.
Phoenix Tech was one of the world’s leading companies on cyber security. I was going into information systems, which was close enough. A job here would be a dream.
“My mom is here?” I asked, when Bright parked, and both her and Wilson got out of the vehicle.
Neither answered.
Bright opened my back door and motioned for me, slipping her sunglasses over her eyes. “It’s time for you to find out some answers.”
About Tijan
Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Fallen Crest series, Ryan’s Bed, Enemies and others.
She is currently writing many new books and series with a couple English Cockers she adores.
Connect with Tijan
Amazon: https://amzn.to/30oxe0f
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2vreAub
Facebook Reader Page: https://bit.ly/32hsdsq
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2Vx4DpD
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2PyLhwy
Reader Group: http://bit.ly/38bz8nQ
Audiomen Group: https://bit.ly/3bFFKgB
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EcGBqB
May 6, 2021
The Heartbreaker by Claire Contreras
They say you never forget your first.
Falling for my roommate is a terrible idea.
The Heartbreaker by Claire Contreras is now live!
They say you never forget your first.
Jagger Cruz, the popular, gorgeous, athletic, heartbreaker, was my introduction to college flings.
Over the years, I’ve tried to pay no attention to every wicked rumor I heard about him, even though deep down I knew they weren’t just rumors. Unable to face the consequences of what we’d done, if we were ever in close quarters, I ran in the other direction. If we were coincidentally put in the same class, I dropped it.
Avoidance was the name of the game and so far I was winning.
That is, until we’re assigned the same apartment.
Living with Jagger during my last semester was definitely not in my plans, but I’m determined to make it work. As long as I don’t look at him for too long or let his innuendos get under my skin, I should be fine, right? I have to be.
They say hooking up with your roommate can be messy, and losing my heart to Jagger would be disastrous.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dbRcE9
Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/TheHeartbreakerCC
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3w220MD
Meet Claire
Claire Contreras is a New York Times Best Selling Author. Her books range from romantic suspense to contemporary romance and are currently translated in seven different languages.
She was born in the Dominican Republic, raised in Miami, and now lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, two adorable boys, and French Bulldog. When she’s not writing, she’s usually lost in a book.
Connect with Claire
Website: http://www.clairecontrerasbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CContrerasBooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaireCon_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ClaireContreras/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ccontrerasbooks/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2BgzLQ0
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/ClaireContrerasBB
The Betrayal You Serve by Tracy Lorraine
THE BETRAYAL YOU SERVE (Maddison Kings University #3)
Release Date: June 3rd
Genre: Dark Bully College Romance
Add to Goodreads:
Series Blurb:
Kane Legend.
Gorgeous. Ruthless. The devil.
My biggest mistake.
From bestselling author of the Rosewood High series comes a new spin-off dark bully college romance series.
Secrets.
Lies.
Betrayal.
Start the series today with THE REVENGE YOU SEEK #1!!!
PRE-ORDER THE BETRAYAL YOU SERVE #3!
FREE PREQUEL LINKS:
The Mistakes You Make ebook: http://bit.ly/TMYM-EBOOK-FREE
The Mistakes You Make audiobook: http://bit.ly/TMYM-AUDIO-FREE
Blurb:
You can’t outrun the truth…
It changes everything.
Her secrets might have been exposed, but mine are still hanging over us.
A betrayal that sends her straight into the arms of another.
It’s like a knife to my heart.
But I was holding the blade.
Scarlett gave me an ultimatum, one that I need to take seriously.
Walk away from the only life I’ve ever known, everything I’ve worked for. Or lose her for good this time.
MKU was my dream, but Scarlett was my future.
If she could forgive me…
Dear Reader,
The Betrayal You Serve is the final book in Letty and Kane’s trilogy. I hope you enjoy the conclusion to their emotional and twisted story.
Still want to see more of the guys at MKU? Don’t worry, there is more to come!
About the Author:
Tracy Lorraine is a new adult and contemporary romance author.
Tracy has recently-ish turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband, baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic with her head stuck in her Kindle Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea she dreamt up and hasn’t looked back since.
Connect w/Tracy:
Website: https://tracylorraine.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/tracylorraineauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracy_l_author
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tracy_lorraine_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14879450.Tracy_Lorraine
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tracy-lorraine
Amazon: https://amzn.to/36qmSBJ
NL Signup: https://tracylorraine.com/newsletter
Reel by Kennedy Ryan
Reel, Kennedy Ryan’s new breathtaking standalone romance set in the glamorous world of film and theater, is coming June 8th, and we have the beautiful cover and your first look!
Award-Winning Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Kennedy Ryan launches a brand new series with a Hollywood tale of wild ambition, artistic obsession, and unrelenting love.
One moment in the spotlight.
For months I stood by, an understudy waiting in the wings, preparing for my time to shine.
I never imagined he would watch in the audience that night.
Canon Holt.
Famous film director.
Fascinating. Talented. Fine.
Before I could catch my breath, everything changed.
I went from backstage Broadway to center stage Hollywood.
From being unknown, to my name, Neevah Saint, on everyone’s lips.
Canon casts me in a star-studded Harlem Renaissance biopic, catapulting me into another stratosphere.
But stars shine brightest in the dead of night.
Forbidden attraction, scandal and circumstances beyond my control jeopardize my dream.
Could this one shot—the role of a lifetime, the love of a lifetime—cost me everything?
Reserve your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xwekW8
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Reel
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3dWwUyG
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2QCKcHS
Nook: https://bit.ly/3nsKKfr
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3gHMDUc
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2RpXgAe
Barnes and Noble Paperback: https://bit.ly/3nsKKfr
➜ Enter the Goodreads Giveaway! Kennedy is giving away 10 Signed Reel Paperbacks!
http://bit.ly/REELGoodreadsGive
➜ Follow Hollywood Renaissance series on Instagram:
@TheHollywoodRenaissanceSeries
Keep reading for the very first excerpt from Reel!
When the show reaches its climax, at the very end, the song pries the final note from my diaphragm, pulls it from my throat and suspends it—leaves it throbbing in the air. The theater goes quiet for the space of a breath held by 800 people and then explodes.
Applause.
The relief is knee-weakening. I literally have to grab John, the lead actor’s arm for support. He doesn’t miss a beat, pulling me into his side and squeezing.
“Bravo,” he whispers, a broad, genuine smile spread across his face. The last song made me cry, and my face, still wet from those tears, splits into a wide, disbelieving grin.
I did it. I survived my first Broadway performance.
The lights drop and we rush backstage, a cacophony of laughter and chatter filling the hidden passageways. When the curtain call begins, the cast return to the stage in small waves, the applause building as the principals take their bows.
And then it’s my turn. On legs still shaky, I leave the safety of the wings, the long skirt of my costume belling out around me. I take center stage. The applause crescendos, approval vibrating through my bones and jolting my soul. Someone thrusts flowers into my arms and the sweet smell wafts around me. Every sense, every molecule of my being strains, opens, stretches to absorb this small slice of triumph. I can’t breathe deeply enough. The air comes in shallow sips, and I’m dizzy. The world spins like a top, a kaleidoscope of colors and light and sound that threatens to overwhelm me. The whirl of it makes me giddy, and I laugh. Eyes welling with tears, I laugh.
These are the moments a lifetime in the making. We toil in the shadows of our dreams. In the alleys of preparation and hard work where it’s dark and nothing’s promised. For years, we cling by a thread of hope and imagination, dedicating our lives to a pursuit with no guarantees.
But tonight, if only for tonight, it’s all worth it.
I’m still floating when Takira bursts into the dressing room.
“Neevah!” she screams, throwing her arms around me and rocking me back and forth. “You did it. You chewed that performance up and spat it out. You hear me?”
I laugh and return her squeeze, new tears trailing down my cheeks.
“Thank you.” I pull back to peer into my friend’s face. “I can’t believe it.”
“Well, believe it. You served notice.” She snaps her fingers and grins. “Neevah Saint is here.”
“Now to do it seven more times.” I laugh and start taking pins from the wig, which is as hot as a herd of sheep on my head.
“Oh, you got it, unless Elise hears how amazing you were and cuts her vacation short.”
“Not happening. She was ready for a break, but she’d never missed a show.”
I strip off the costume and stand in only panties, unselfconscious. Modesty is one of the first things to go in this business. I’ve undressed hurriedly in a roomful of actors and dancers in smaller shows where there was a dressing room, so we get real communal real fast.
I tug on skinny jeans with a tight-fitting orange sweater, and layer it with a brown leather jacket, scarf, boots. I wipe away the heavy stage makeup. It feels like my skin can breathe for the first time in hours. I assume there will be some fans at the stage door, even if it’s just a few. They’ll have to get the real Neevah because I don’t want anything more than a slick of lip gloss and a bit of mascara. A brown, orange and green plaid newsboy cap covering the neat cornrows I wore under my wig is all I’m doing for hair. Slim oversized gold hoops in my ears finish the look.
“Ready?” I ask Takira, hefting a slouchy bag on my shoulder.
“Let’s do this. Hopefully your adoring fans won’t take all night, ’cause your girl is starving.”
We’re still laughing, and I’m so preoccupied with my empty stomach, I’m completely unprepared for the crowd at the stage door. Are they here for John? For some principal player because surely they’re not all here for the understudy.
“Neevah!” a young girl, maybe ten or eleven, calls. “Can you sign this?”
She thrusts a pen and a Splendor playbill toward me. She glows, her smooth brown cheeks rounded with a wide grin. Her eyes shine with . . . pride?
“Oh, sure,” I mumble dazedly, taking the pen and signing my name.
She’s the first in a long line of girls, all shapes and colors and ages, saying what it meant to see me onstage. Mothers whispering how impactful it was for their Black and brown daughters to be in the audience tonight. The impact is on me; what could feel like a weight or burden or responsibility feels like a warm embrace. Feels like strong arms encircling me. Supporting me. The first time I saw someone who looked like me onstage, it planted a seed inside of me. It whispered a dream.
That could be you.
It makes me emotional to think I might have done that for any of these girls tonight, and I spend the next twenty minutes scribbling my name on playbills through a film of tears.
“Neevah!” a deep male voice calls from the back of the now-thinning crowd.
I squint at the tall man, frowning until I place him.
“Wright!” I take a few steps and he meets me halfway, giving me a tight hug. “Oh, my God. You were here tonight?”
“Was I here?” When he pulls back, a warm smile creases his handsome face. “You blew it out of the water. I knew you were good, but damn.”
Laughter spills out of me and I don’t think this night could get more perfect. I randomly met Wright Bellamy a few weeks back at a gig when he subbed for the pianist, giving the audience more than they bargained for with such a famous musician tickling the ivories that night.
“Thank you.” I step away and shove my hands into the pockets of my jeans, huddling in the leather jacket against the chill of an October night. “I was nervous as hell.”
“Didn’t show. Your voice is spectacular. I knew that from the gig we did, but I had no idea you were that good. Wow. Glad I saw your post on Instagram or I would’ve missed it.”
I’m stone-still, shocked that he came tonight specifically to see me perform. “I’m so glad you made it. You’re still in LA, right?”
“Yeah, but I’m here for some stuff. Heading back home in a few days.”
Takira walks up, linking her arm through mine. “Girl, if we don’t get some food,” she whispers.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.” I turn back to Wright. “Takira, this is Wright Bellamy. Wright, my friend Takira.”
“Nice to meet you,” Takira says. “You got any food on you? I’m about to eat your hat.”
As usual, Takira never meets a stranger and has us laughing right away.
“We’re actually headed to Glass House Tavern,” I tell Wright. “Come if you want. It’s a group of us from the show. Just some of the cast celebrating, but you’re welcome. We can catch up.”
A small frown dents between his thick brows and he glances over his shoulder.
“I mean, no pressure obviously,” I rush to assure him. This is one of the biggest names in music, and here I go, inviting him to dinner with a group of strangers.
“No, it sounds cool,” he says, looking back to us. “Lemme check with my boy. Can he come?”
I glance over his shoulder and spot a tall man turned away from us, his broad shoulders and back straining a wool blazer, a hoodie pulled up to cover his head and face in the cold. His hands burrow into the pockets of his blazer and he’s nodding like he’s talking to himself.
“He’s on the phone,” Wright explains. “But lemme see if he wants to roll.”
He steps away toward the man and Takira immediately squeezes my hand and squeals.
“Neeve.” Her eyes are wide and bright. Mouth dropped open. “That’s Wright Bellamy.”
“I know. He’s cool as a fan.”
“You know him? How—”
“We’re in,” Wright says, stepping back up beside us. “He’s finishing a call, but we’re ready. Lead the way.”
It’s just a few blocks, and the three of us chat about the show and what Wright’s been doing in New York. All the while his friend’s deep voice rumbles a few paces behind. I don’t want to be rude or nosy and look back, but the rich timbre, his towering height, his face obscured by the hoodie—I’m intrigued. He hangs back on the sidewalk, still on his call, when we enter the restaurant.
Our friends already have a table and a shout goes up, congratulating me on popping my White Way cherry. My three understudy buddies came. John’s here, too, and one other principal. A few from the stage crew. Our little troupe has become a family and, as if eight shows a week isn’t enough time together, we gather and eat every chance we get.
“You’re not paying tonight,” John says, holding out the seat beside him. “And drinks are on me.”
“Awwww.” I plop into the chair and drop my bag to the floor. “You’re so sweet. You don’t have to do that.”
“You were fantastic,” John says, baby blue eyes sincere and smiling. “Let’s do it again tomorrow.”
Takira is already sitting beside me, so Wright takes the seat next to her.
“Hey,” he says to Janie across the table. “Could you hold that seat beside you for my friend? He’s wrapping up a call, but’ll be in soon.”
“Sure.” Janie blushes. “I love your work, by the way. The score of Silent Midnight . . . gah.”
“Thank you. That was a special project. Lots of fun,” Wright replies with a smile. “Now tell me about the show.”
Wright’s a genius, but he’s so unassuming and modest. A man as famous as he is could easily make this conversation about him, let everyone at this table give his ego a real nice hand job, but he doesn’t. He talks about our show, compliments the performance, asks John about his process. I liked him when we did that last-minute gig, and we’ve interacted some on social media since. My impression of him holds up. He’s a good guy.
Not to state the obvious, but also fine. Like fine fine.
He has this Boris Kodjoe vibe. Real smooth. Kind of golden–brown. Clean-cut, close-cut. I can objectively recognize his appeal, even though he’s not my type.
Not that I have a type lately. I’m so deep in this dick drought I’m past the point of thirst.
At first I thought it was merely the grind. Auditioning constantly, taking craft classes, doing commercials and voiceover work to not just keep bills paid, but to save. This business is feast or famine. I’m eating now, but I’ve been hungry before. Not again. I’m thirty. Too old to still be living gig to gig and buying into that starving artist thing. I need health insurance and regularly scheduled meals, thank you very much. So yeah, the grind could account for my semi-disinterested libido, but I suspect it’s more.
Maybe I’m disinterested.
I need a man who doesn’t think that because he has a dick and I don’t that I should defer to him—shrink my dreams down to a more manageable size. I’m cautious not only about who I share my heart and body with, but I’m also protective of my dreams; of my ambition. I won’t endanger my future for a man who can fuck. Though . . . a man who can fuck? I wouldn’t turn it down, but it will take more than that to pique my interest.
“What are you getting?” Takira asks, leaning over to read my menu instead of hers. “Anything here meet your high standards?”
My standards aren’t that high. I’ve just cut out red meat and stopped drinking as much alcohol. My health demands it.
“I’m thinking about the salmon, but I—”
A chair scraping across the floor catches my attention. Wright’s friend has finally come inside to join us. The table shrinks immediately when he settles his imposing frame into the seat beside Janie. He peels the hood away from his head and I bite off a gasp.
It’s Canon Holt.
Like the Canon Holt.
The director I, and probably every actress at this table and in this dining room, would sacrifice a pinky toe to work with. Canon Holt is at my table sitting across from me.
Takira’s expression doesn’t register this massive earthquake of a revelation, but she kicks me under the table and hisses from the corner of her mouth. “Did you know?”
I pretend I need to reach for something on the floor so I can whisper back, “Do you think I would have kept my shit together this long if I knew?”
“True. True.” Takira casually glances up from her menu and smiles in Canon’s general direction, but he’s not looking at her. He’s studying his screen. He’s apparently in an exclusive relationship with his phone, and no one at this table tempts him to stray.
Which means I can look at him.
Good. God.
He’s not that handsome, but that’s irrelevant. Some might even call his features, examined on their own, unremarkable.
They’d be wrong.
It’s a Maker’s sleight of hand. Now God knew this man did not need lashes that long and thick, a paradox against the hard, high slant of his cheekbones. Canon hasn’t looked twice at anyone here as far as I can tell, but I’ve stolen enough glances to know there’s a fathomlessness to his dark eyes that is arresting. His unsmiling mouth is wide, the lips full in the blunt elegance of his face. A five o’clock shadow licks the ridge of his jawline. There is a geometry to him—angles, lines, edges—that disregards the individual parts and illuminates the compelling sum.WANT MORE REEL? Click here for the rest >> www.thehollywoodrenaissanceseries.com...
Add Reel to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3upMOqY
Cover Designer: Lori Jackson Design
Photographer: Sophia Barrett Studios
Models: Jasmine Raiford and Ajayi Bodden
About Kennedy Ryan
A USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Kennedy Ryan and her writings have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Cosmo, TIME, O Mag and many others. A RITA® Award winner, Kennedy writes empowered women from all walks of life and centers those who have found themselves perennially on the margins of traditional storytelling.
Her Hoops Series (Long Shot, Block Shot and Hook Shot) and All the King’s Men Series (The Kingmaker, The Rebel King and Queen Move) have been optioned for television.
An autism mom, Kennedy co-founded LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable initiative, and has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for autism families. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son.
Connect with Kennedy
Text KennedyRyan to 797979 for release alerts!
Subscribe to Mailing List: subscribepage.com/kennedyryan
Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2GY6eyb
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2TaYiAi
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2GUq0uF
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2Fvhqiz
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2NE0cU0
BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/kennedy-ryan
Website: http://kennedyryanwrites.com
The Hate of Loving You by Maya Hughes
Title: The Hate of Loving YouSeries: Falling Trilogy #3Author: Maya HughesGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: May 6, 2021BLURBSix years ago, in the dead of night, I woke up to a cold bed and an even colder future without her.
I would’ve followed her anywhere and she left.I thought I’d moved on and left all she meant to me behind. But a first love is never easy to forget. Even harder when I once felt our love is inevitable–inescapable. And I’ve been proven right once again.One night brings us back together and derails our lives. We’re sent on a collision course with a future apart and even scarier–a future together. I’m back basking in the warm glow of her gaze and burning with the unquenchable fire of her touch.We’ve walked this path before and our shattered hearts have been pieced back together. As easy as it would be to run again, I can’t stop wanting her.This is our final chance to have what we’ve always wanted–each other. Or it’ll be our ruin.
The final book in the Fulton U universe sports romance, Falling trilogy.
ADD TO GOODREADS
PURCHASE LINKSAMAZON US / UK / CA / AUFree in Kindle Unlimited
EXCERPT
“Why don’t we sit and we can continue our talk?” I motioned to the four cream arm chairs around a frosted glass coffee table.
Bay nodded and took a seat.I dropped into one across from her.She nibbled her bottom lip. “Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat or drink?”“I’m good.”“Maybe for later?” A hopeful edge to her voice.“I’m sure you’re really busy, so I won’t keep you, but there are some more things I wanted to say.” Things I needed to say to stop being afraid to show her how screwed up I’d been. The fear of her finding out had made me panicky, on edge, and I needed to release all of that to move on. I needed to prove to myself that I could move on, even if every cell in my body screamed to touch her again.Her palms pressed together and she wedged them between her thighs, scooting to the edge of her chair and nodding for me to go ahead. Her heels bounced up and down, but her gaze was locked onto mine.My heart raced, but I held onto it and all the words I needed to say. I licked my lips. This was just as hard as those first words I’d needed to say to her back in California.
ALSO AVAILABLE
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AUFree in Kindle Unlimited
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AUFree in Kindle Unlimited
AUTHOR BIO
Maya Hughes, that’s me!, can often be found sneaking in another chapter while hiding in the bathroom from her kids!
I’m a romance writer who loves taking inspiration from everyday life, namely my husband and biggest fan. Inspiration also strikes when I hear a song, meet someone new or daydream while at soccer practice.I love writing stories that capture the possibilities of the paths less travelled and enjoy experiencing life through my characters’ eyes.I’m the mom of three little ones, the wife to an amazing husband and also work full time. Some of my favorite things are cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, white wine, laughing until I can’t breathe, traveling with my family and Jeff Goldblum.
AUTHOR LINKS GOODREADS INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK
Curse of Shadows by A.K. Wilder
Hello Readers! Welcome to the Cover Reveal for
Curse of Shadows by A.K. Wilder
presented by Entangled Teen!
What do you think of the cover?
Get lost in the adventure and fantasy of the Amassa series, which SLJ called “a magical, enthralling world that keeps readers engaged from the first page,” perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone or The Bone Witch. Secrets will be revealed and choices will be made as Ash, Marcus, and Kaylin race to raise their phantoms and save the world.
Curse of Shadows (Amassia #2) by A.K. Wilder
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Entangled Teen
A.K. Wilder is a bestselling speculative fiction author with nine published novels in Australia. Originally from California, she lives on the far eastern coast of Australia with a house full of kids and one extraordinary spotted cat. Her favorite pastimes, besides daydreaming, include meditation, yoga, organic gardening, and weight training. Her novel writing is done in the early hours of the morning.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
May 5, 2021
London Dynasty by Geneva Lee
Geneva Lee has revealed the cover for London Dynasty!
Releasing May 25, 2021
Everyone has a price…
Kerrigan Belmond has everything I don’t have. A name that opens doors, more money than god, an Oxford education, and rumors that she’s caught the eye of Spencer Byrd, the heir to one of England’smost powerful aristocratic families. I’m an orphan, running from a tragedy I can’t face. Being mistaken for her is flattering until her father arrives at my door with an indecent proposal.
His daughter has fled her perfect life, and he wants me to step into her shoes until she can be coaxed back to her pedestal.
The arrangement is simple. For one year, I will be Kerrigan Belmond. The perfect daughter. The charming socialite. The ideal future wife. For one year, I will do anything she would do. And for one year, I will keep the attention of Spencer at all costs.
I can’t say no, but as soon as I meet Spencer and his brother I realize the mistake I’ve made. To the outside world, the Byrds are London society and Spencer is the golden boy groomed to become prime minister. Behind closed doors, his family is as twisted and tangled as the web I’m walking into.
Spencer demands loyalty. He expects discretion. And he’s ready to claim the woman he’s been promised in every way. Keeping him happy means I might lose more than a year of my life, but I can’t turn down the proposition. Not with what the Belmonds have promised me in return.
They say everyone has a price. I know mine.
Ten million pounds.
Pre-order your copy today!
Amazon: https://geni.us/dynastyamz
Apple Books: https://geni.us/dynastyap
Nook: https://geni.us/dynastybn
Kobo: https://geni.us/dynastykobo
Google Play: https://geni.us/dynastygp
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3efNgTj
Meet Geneva
GENEVA LEE is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including the Royals Saga which has sold two million copies worldwide. She lives in Poulsbo Washington with her husband and three children, and she co-owns Away With Words Bookshop with her sister.
Geneva is married to her high school sweetheart. He’s always the first person to read her books. Sometimes, he reads as she writes them. Last year, they were surprised by finding out Geneva was pregnant with their third child. They welcomed a beautiful baby girl in 2020.
When she isn’t working or writing, Geneva likes to read, bake ridiculous cakes, and watch television. She loves to travel and is always anxious to go on a new adventure.
Connect with Geneva
Website | www.genevalee.com
Goodreads | https://bit.ly/31DvlhV
Amazon | https://amzn.to/31EOQXc
Facebook | https://bit.ly/369v7TG
Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/3kPkidn
Instagram | https://bit.ly/2S0g86g
Twitter | https://bit.ly/3mUpKNS
Bookbub | https://bit.ly/3n2XtF8
Newsletter | https://bit.ly/3cwE4ax
Text Updates | Text GENEVA to 31996
Book Enticer
- FS Meurinne's profile
- 133 followers
