Tina Martin's Blog, page 3

Rude Boss is here, and you've been warned...

Happy release day to me!

I had so much fun writing this book. I think I say that about all my books, but that's how enjoyable writing is to me. This particular story is of interest because of something significant happening in the world - the great resignation they call it. There's a certain freedom in walking away from something that no longer serves your soul, and I think these jobs are sucking the life out of people. They aren't finding real satisfaction with being told what to do every second of the day, being stuck in traffic and being yelled at by a boss who expects you to bow down to him/her.

You get the picture.

Anyway, my Rude Boss's name is Essex DePaul. He's a man who has changed and evolved into this powerhouse of a man and adopted the entitled attitude to go along with it. YOU CAN'T TELL HIM NOTHING. He's mean. He's authoritative. He's unpleasant to be around. Did I mention he's mean? But this man - when I tell y'all there's a sweet soul beneath all that exterior nonsense, you wouldn't believe me. I know. You have to read the book to find out why he's the way he is and how Quintessa Bailey is the right woman to bring out the better side of him. In typical Tina Martin fashion, there are secrets, but the story is written in first person from both main character's perspectives, so you (the reader) learn these secrets early on. See how much I love y'all. I didn't keep you in the dark this time. LOL!

This is a two-book series. Rude Boss is book 1. There will be a Rude Boss 2 being released in July.  

To find out where to purchase, visit the Rude Boss main book page here.

Enjoy readers!

#Teaser Tuesday - Be Quiet

 

Excerpt from Rude Boss 

(Content may be slightly changed before official publication)

The full-figured black woman, who’s wearing a black skirt suit and high heels, swings the hair of her long, blonde wig, says, “You were supposed to be upstairs a half-hour ago.”

“What? That’s not what I was told. The receptionist told me to wait here. I got here early, and I’ve just been sitting here, wasting away, waiting to be called for an interview.”

“Yeah, well, let’s hope that’s a good enough explanation for Mr. DePaul. He doesn’t tolerate tardiness from anyone, so don’t get offended if he dismisses the interview altogether. That’s just the way it is.”

I almost choke. None of this is my fault. And why is she implying that Mr. DePaul, himself, is the person doing the interviewing? Or maybe I didn’t hear her correctly.

I say, “Just for clarification, did you say, Mr. DePaul, as in the Mr. DePaul?”

“Yep.”

“I’m not interviewing with the CEO, am I?” I ask, stepping on the elevator with her. She presses the button for the twelfth floor.

“You are.”

“I can’t be!” I say, in full panic mode. “What in the…is this standard practice around here?”

“No, it’s not, but Mr. DePaul specifically requested to interview you. Surprised me, too. He hasn’t interviewed anyone in years.”

“But, but—look at my blouse. What kind of first impression is this going to make?”

The woman grins. “Oh, please. If I were you, I’d be more concerned that I was late than with what’s on my blouse.”

We exit the elevator. I say, “But I wasn’t late. I told you that.”

I find it a struggle to keep up with her in these five-inch heels. I haven’t worn heels in years. My toes are squished together, my blouse is messed up and now, I’m supposedly late at no fault of my own. Could this morning get any worse?

“By the way, I’m Shanice Davison, Mr. DePaul’s executive assistant.” She taps on a glass door. It’s a conference room. I can see Mr. DePaul sitting at the end of a long conference room table. She throws up a hand, and he waves her – us – inside. Shanice instructs me to sit at the opposite end of the table. There must be at least twenty chairs – ten on each side – putting distance between us, which is fine by me. From this far away, there’s a good chance he won’t see my stained shirt.

Shanice says, “Mr. DePaul, this is Ms. Quintessa Bailey. She’s interviewing for the…um…accounting associate position.”

Shanice sounds nervous, and she knows the man. If she’s this nervous, what am I to expect?

Mr. DePaul rolls up the sleeves of his white shirt, looking at a watch that probably costs more than my whole life. And my mama’s life. And my mama’s, mama’s life.

“Thank you, Ms. Davison,” he says in an abyss-deep tone that has me trembling slightly, as if caught off guard by a rumble of thunder on a day with no forecasted storms.

He has manners. That’s a shocker.

Before now, I’d never met Mr. DePaul, but I’ve heard things. Women like him because he’s smart, wealthy and handsome. Dresses well, like he has a personal tailor. He probably does. He’s your typical I-made-it-to-the-top-now-bow-down-to-me CEO who wants everything done his way. He’s aggressive. Dismissive. A formidable, autocratic leader. His wealth makes him clueless about the plight of common people like myself.

“You’re welcome, sir,” Shanice says. She flashes a wry smile before she leaves the room. When the door closes, I’m more unnerved than I was when I first learned it would be Mr. DePaul doing the interviewing. It’s just me and him. Shanice has left me alone with the wolf – the pack leader – the black man in charge of this impressive accounting firm.

In his presence, I feel like I felt the first day my parents dropped me off for kindergarten – abandoned and clueless. I didn’t know how it was going to go. I just knew I was some place strange. That’s where I am now – a place that’s foreign to me – a place my gut tells me I don’t want to be.

But a sista needs a job. What choice do I have? And, everything I’ve learned about him is hearsay. The rumors may not be true.

Mr. DePaul doesn’t say a word. He glances up at me and carries his dark eyes back to his laptop screen.

O-kay…this is awkward…

What am I to do? Just sit here? Mr. DePaul ain’t paying me no attention. It’s like I’m not even here. Was there some kind of mix-up and he thinks I’m here for something else other than a job interview? That can’t be the case. Shanice just told him I was here for the accounting associate position, so this has to be legit. I just wonder why he’s avoiding me.

“Hello,” I say to break through the barrier of coldness in the room that has us icebergs apart – his fault.

His brows furrow at my greeting, but he’s still more attentive to what he’s doing on the computer, like he didn’t hear me at all. It has me questioning whether I said anything. Did I say hello aloud? I thought I did.

I’m completely losing it.

That’s the power this man wields. I knew that already – I just never expected I’d be so close to him to be influenced by the overwhelming potency of his demeanor.

 I say, “Um, excuse me, Mr. DePaul, I’m here for the—”

“Be quiet,” he says evenly, his fingers moving across the keyboard like a skilled typist.

I snap my head back. “Excuse me?”

Who is he to tell me to be quiet? He’s the CEO and all, but my own daddy doesn’t tell me to be quiet. He’s got the game twisted.

He glares at me from across the table – eyes focused on me like lasers, regarding me with cruel disparagement, like I ate the last donut or something. He clears his voice and reiterates, “I said be quiet.”

________
Pre-Order your copy of Rude Boss now at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.Add to your Goodreads bookshelf!
Release Date: June 24, 2022

Zander and Alyssa are Back!

 

Zander and Alyssa are back in Keep That Same Energy! I haven't written a St. Claire update story in a while, but here it is, readers! If you thought Alyssa was in love with Zander before, (while reading Just Being Us and Zander) wait until you read this book!

Going forward, I want to do update stories on all of the St. Claire couples, but the reason I did this one right now is that the story is still fresh in my mind. Anyway, I can't wait for you to read it. The chemistry between Zander and Alyssa is fire. Please note, if you're new to the St. Claire Series, each book tells the individual story of one of the brothers, half brothers or cousins. You can read them in any order you choose, but for the reading order by release date, visit the St. Claire Series Page.

If you would like to read Keep That Same Energy, you MUST read Just Being Us: The Prequel to Zander and Zander (A St. Claire Novel) first. Here's a short excerpt of Keep That Same Energy.

<<<Excerpt (Lizzie's Perspective)>>>

To get his attention, I say, “I must be seeing things.”

He turns around, smiles, and I swear my legs immediately go weak. Every nerve ending in my body tingles, flickers and burns with awareness. I know I should be used to this – with him being my best friend and all for over a decade – but I’m not. Zander, who is now my husband, is the culmination of everything I desire. He’s the answer to all I’ve ever wanted in a man. It’s always been him and only him.

“Welcome home, baby.”

My temperature rises. Maybe it’s the stove. Maybe it’s him.

Most likely, it’s him.

He says, “And no, you’re not seeing things. I’m cooking for my wife. I know you’ve had a long day and I’m here to make it better. Now, come over here and give your man some love, girl.”

My man. I like the sound of that.

I walk over to him. He handles the rest, circling his sinewy arms around me and squeezing so hard, I think I may need an oxygen tank. It’s worth not breathing to feel this good. This loved.

He releases me, then takes a kiss. It’s not one of those kisses in passing. He goes for a deep one – one that has me tasting the food he’s been sampling while he cooked. The taste of brown gravy lingers on my tongue, and it sure is good. For a second, I think about taking a bite of him.- - - - - - 

Order Keep That Same Energy now on Amazon here. 

Gemma St. Claire on Love, Marriage and Trials.

 

We're back with a new St. Claire Series. This series is The St. Claire Women and the first book is titled Gemma. With this series, you'll get to know the women more as these new St. Claire marriages progress. Gemma and Royal's relationship is sweet. They started off as friends, although he quickly developed feelings for her that she didn't think were possible. In this new story, Gemma (The St. Claire Women, book 1) you'll get to know one of your favorite couples on a deeper level, see what they've been up to, and how married life is going for them.

IMPORTANT: If you are new to the St. Claires, please note the reading order. Gemma first appeared in The Boardwalk Bakery Romance Series. She is the younger sister of Gianna. Although The Boardwalk Bakery Series tells Gianna's and Ramsey's story, Gemma is a huge part of it. I would highly suggest you read The Boardwalk Bakery Series (Baked With Love 1, 2 & 3) before reading this update story. Additionally, you will need to read Royal (A St. Claire Novel, Book 1).
Pre-Order Gemma now for $3.99. The price will increase on release day!
Happy reading friends!

It's a Re-Release: Dying To Love Her is Now Available...Again!

Dying to Love Her is back. Andre and Ava's story was originally released back in 2015. I so love their story because Ava is lost. Andre is lost. They fell in love on vacation and parted ways. But circumstances brought them back together in a way neither of them can believe.

Dying to Love Her is available exclusively on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. Read an excerpt below:
“ANDRE, YO, you cool man? You look like you have just seen a ghost,” Scott whispered.
“Uh...um, yeah. I’m good,” Andre responded, but he wasn’t good. As he looked across the restaurant he saw the woman he’d fallen in love with. He questioned himself at first, but it had to be her. She still looked the same as he’d remembered her – short black hair cut into a pretty style that neatly showcased the beautiful features of her face – small pouty lips and dark eyes. Milk chocolate brown skin. Yes, that was her – the woman who’d broken his heart. He thought she’d fallen off the face of the earth, but now, there she was, sitting just a few feet away from him, so close he could walk over to her. Talk to her. Touch her.
He contemplated walking over to her, but something else grabbed his attention and nearly ripped the life out of him – something he couldn’t turn away from, even after Scott had tried to redirect his attention back to their working lunch.
All the associates, including Benjamin, were looking at him, trying to figure out the source of his sudden silence.
Andre grew speechless – trying to wrap his mind around the fact that the little boy sitting next to Ava in a high chair looked identical to him. He did not need a DNA test to know the boy was his son.
“Ay, Andre,” Scott said again.
Andre snapped out of his trance, looked at Scott then resumed the meeting. After all, that was the reason he was here. He cleared his throat and said, “So, as you all know, Benjamin will assume the role of chief financial officer once the merger is complete.”
Andre took out his briefcase and handed them all a printout of their new job descriptions. Then he looked over at Ava’s table again and saw her packing up. Was she leaving? Running away?
He shot her an ominous glower. He concluded she was only leaving because she saw him. She wouldn’t slip away so easily this time. And she definitely wasn’t going to take off with his son.
Turning his attention back to the meeting, he said, “Ah...those are your new job roles and responsibilities. Most are in line with what you currently do today, just a few tweaks here and there. I will need these signed and returned to me no later than Friday.” Andre was supposed to go over the job roles one-by-one, but with this discovery, his mind was no longer on work. How could he?
After noticing Ava had gotten up from the table, he wouldn’t fully take his eyes off of her. He watched the older woman she was with exit with the little boy while Ava headed in the opposite direction, probably to the bathroom.
“Hey…Andre,” Benjamin said.
“Yeah?”
“I think it will be helpful if the both of us met with everyone here individually to discuss these responsibilities in more detail, as well as salary expectations.”
“Yeah, you’re…um…right,” Andre said as he watched Ava emerge.
Andre eyed her as she walked past his table. She didn’t look at him. Didn’t attempt to speak.
Now she’s trying to make a run for it, he thought, as she walked on by like they were complete strangers. Like their paths had never crossed.
* * *

Amazon Kindle Unlimited | Paperback Copy

#TeaserTuesday - Stranded Beside the Road

 

Hi reader friends! 
Enjoy this excerpt for Snowed in at Shenandoah Valley. Dare and Deja are awesome, especially once you get to know them.
[This is a preliminary excerpt and subject to changes before the book release]

**********

Glancing at the side-view mirror, Deja paused when she saw a GMC pickup truck pull up behind her.

“Hell-oooooooo?” Sariah sang into the receiver.

“We’ll finish this later. I gotta go.” She ended the call but held on to her cell phone as she watched a man get out of the truck wearing a black peacoat, a black and white winter scarf and a red toboggan. Now, he was walking toward her car.

“Oh, no. This ain’t going to go well…” Deja said. She wasn’t exactly what you would call a people-person, and she understood that about herself, but other folk did not. They assumed she had a few screws loose and let her be.

Now, some man was walking up on her. She assumed he was in law enforcement. Ordinary people didn’t stop for stranded motorists these days, did they?

He tapped on her window with a gloved hand. She rolled the window down to a paper-thin crack and asked, “Can I help you, officer?” Her breath fogged the window.

He smiled.

Deja noticed his teeth were whiter than the beautiful snowflakes landing on his beard, coat and hat. Wow, she thought, instantly feeling a rush of blood to her brain. He was bundled for the elements, but she could still tell he had it going on.

He said, “I’m not an officer, ma’am. I saw your car steaming. I figured I’d pull over to lend you a hand.”

“Oh, um, that’s nice of you and all, but I’m good, officer.”

He narrowed his gaze at the lady. He’d already told her he wasn’t an officer, yet she was still referring to him as one. Was she that nervous? He looked at the hood, smelled coolant and said, “You’re not good. I think your engine overheated. There’s no way you can drive it any further.”

“Oh, uh, well, that’s a bummer, isn’t it? Anyway, thanks for stopping by.” Deja rolled the window back up, but the man was still standing there. Using his knuckles, he tapped on the glass again.

Deja inched the window down to an even smaller crack than before. “Yes?”

“I can pull your car to the next exit. At least, that way, it’ll be off of the freeway.”

Why is he so eager to help me? Seems suspect…

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m good,” Deja told the eager man. “I have roadside service.”

“With this traffic and the storm, roadside service probably won’t be here for a few hours yet.”

She chewed her lip. The tall, well-spoken stranger with flawless teeth was right, but what was she supposed to do? Get into a car with a complete stranger? Then she thought about those people who freely summoned a lift on those rideshare apps. They rode with strangers all the time and that was to get rides after a night of drinking and partying. Being stranded in a snowstorm was no party. This was an extreme circumstance. She could freeze her behind off beside the road or get rammed by a car or tractor-trailer skidding out of control. She had to do something. Besides, he seemed nice enough.

She sighed and said, “Um, okay, but just off the freeway and then we go our separate ways.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He walked back to his truck and when he had clearance, he pulled out onto the street, passed her car and pulled over again. He backed up the truck until it was close enough to hook up her car to it. After he had successfully accomplished the task, he walked back to her car and said, “Shift the gear to neutral.”

“Okay,” she said, doing as he asked.

He said, “Okay, you can get out now.”

She grimaced. That wasn’t a part of the plan. “What?”

“You can get out now. You know you have to ride with me, right?”

“I can’t sit here and steer while you pull me?” she asked, trying to come up with a scenario where she didn’t have to be enclosed in a vehicle with him.

He grinned again. “No, ma’am. There would be no reason to steer if I’m pulling the car.”

“Oh. Right. Well, what if I don’t touch the wheel?”

“That’s not safe. Come on. You’ll be fine in the truck with me. I’m harmless.”

Perhaps the last words she’d hear before being bludgeoned to death…

“Okay,” she said, grabbing her purse. She stepped out of the car. Snowflakes dwindled down on her brown ringlets. Her flats were no match for the snow and ice. She was falling backward when he caught her.

“Whew! That was close. Thank you,” she said, looking up at him while snowflakes showered them both.

“No problem.”

She found herself impressed by his tall stature and his willingness to help.

He found himself enchanted by her oval face, cocoa brown skin and the way the wind tossed her shoulder-length hair.

**********

Enjoyed the excerpt? Pre-Order Snowed in at Shenandoah Valley today on Amazon. This title is coming to all ebook retailers, including Nook, Apple iBooks, Scribd and Kobo.

Follow Tina on Instagram for more updates!

5 Romances by Tina Martin to Read This Winter

Winter breaks are better with books! So while you're curled up with a blanket and a cup of hot cocoa, grab one of these titles when you're all snowed in with nowhere to go. 

Hot ChocolateThis wintry goodness takes place in the Tennessee mountains at a quaint little Bed and Breakfast. It's a quick read about when Titus Cassidy is on a secret mission to find out everything he can about Baker Bed and Breakfast. He didn't expect to fall for the Haven, the woman running the place. This title is available in Kindle Unlimited.
Winter Wonder & Winter Wedding
Winter Wonder takes place in the North Carolina Mountains. Drake Lennox is the maintenance man for the Lennox chain of hotels and resorts. When Lavina Nelson plans her company's grand anniversary party at a Lennox hotel, she's met with resistance in the form of a hater who turns out to be her best friend. Drake helps the shy CEO to break out of her shell and reclaim what's hers. Winter Wedding is the follow-up to their story.

Caught in the Storm With a Lennox
This book is a prequel to the novel, Claiming You, that introduces you to Remington Lennox and Emory McNeil. They have special ties because of Emory's loving care of Remington's mother. The only thing is, Emory has no idea Remington is the woman's millionaire son.





Man of Her Dreams
Finally, we have Man of Her Dreams. This is one of my favorite winter stories because of the concept. Elsie doesn't date because she claims she hasn't found the man of her dreams. To prove her wrong, her bestie, Priscilla secretly sets her up with an amazingly handsome man who has all the physical attributes Elsie claims she wants. Will she go on a date with him, or retreat into her shell? This title is available on Kindle Unlimited.

Look for the newest winter novel, Snowed in at Shenandoah Valley coming this January! Follow Tina Martin on Facebook or Instagram to stay informed of new releases and more!

#TeaserTuesday - The Store Dilemma

Today for #TeaserTuesday, I am sharing a mini-excerpt of The Weekend. This story is the latest Lennox in Love Series book. Keep in mind that this excerpt is preliminary and subject to slight changes before the book release date. Enjoy!
-------------------

Jessalyn found a close parking space to the door and shut off the engine.”

“Don’t take all day in there,” Davina said, but since Jessalyn had turned off the engine, she knew she wasn’t about to be as quickas she led on.

“Davina, why don’t you come inside for a minute and see the new store layout. It looks really nice.”

“Nice try, but you’re not about to have me up in there only so you can stay longer. I’ll pass.”

“I’ll only be a few minutes. There’s no need for you to be sitting in the car looking crazy, now bring your butt on here.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“First, I don’t want to get out. We weren’t supposed to stop here, anyway. Second, every time I happen to be at the store, Corbin gawks at me like he ain’t never seen a woman in his life. Ugh…it’s highly annoying.”

“It’s not annoying. It’s cute. You know Corbin likes you,” Jessalyn gushed, raising her brows.

“No, I don’t. How would I know that? How do youknow that?”

“I’ve seen him staring at you and I know you’ve seen it too.”

“I ain’t seen nothing.”

Jessalyn snickered reservedly. “Sure you haven’t.”

“Well, whatever the case, I’m not interested.”

“Davina, stop it. There ain’t a thing wrong with Corbin. He’s super cute and hardworking—you could use a good, down-to-earth man in your life. You most certainly ain’t going to find that at The Vue.”

The Vue was the local hotspot where the younger crowd gathered on the weekends to party after long work weeks. Davina had never claimed to be looking for a man there, but just to irritate her sister, she asked, “How do you know? I’m sure some fine marriages have resulted from nightclubs.”

“You mean one-night stands and accidental pregnancies.” Laughing, Jessalyn opened the car door. “Come on, Vina. This will only take a few minutes.”

“Ugh. Fine,” Davina said angrily unbuckling her seatbelt.

-------------------

Release Date October 22, 2021

#TeaserTuesday - Alyssa and Zander on IG

Okay, so they're really not on Insta, but being the eager author that I am, I thought I'd give you some what-if scenarios that would happen between them if they were on Instagram. Below, Alyssa posts, "Life is good". Do you see Zander's response? That's probably confusing for her, right? After all, she is in love with him and he supposedly has no idea.

Zander posted after one of his workouts at the fire house. Of course, Alyssa had to comment about him showing off, I mean, who could miss those muscles, but Zander is hoping she's cooked dinner because he's on the way to her apartment.
And finally, Alyssa posted that she had lunch at Rocco's - one the restaurants in the strip mall where she works and is also a key element of the story. Zimyra, Zander's sister, leaves a comment.
I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into their lives. I like doing interesting things to help bring the characters to life. I had fun making them. If you missed the prequel to Zander, Just Being Us, visit the book page to find out where to purchase. Zander is available for order on Amazon. It releases on Friday, August 6, 2021.

#TeaserTuesday - It's a New Release!

 It's a new release! Just Being Us is the prequel to Zander, A St. Claire Novel. I didn't think I would write a prequel to this story, but it was too good to pass up! I love these two. Zander and Alyssa are hilarious and I love the way they have each other's backs, even back when they were younger. The prequel takes you to their lives when they were twenty-three years old. You get to see how they interact with each other and how Alyssa has always had a crush on her best friend. 

Download Your Copy of Just Being Us
Just Being Us is the prequel to Zander (A St. Claire Novel) that will be released on August 6, 2021. You can pre-order at this link. Read more about Zander at the book page.