Lisa Bilbrey's Blog, page 3

REVIEW BOOST: Twins by Kim Iverson Headlee

TWINSThe Dragon's Dove Chronicles, the novella genesis of book 6
by Kim Iverson HeadleeGenre: Epic Historical Fantasy


From the award-winning, critically acclaimed pen of Kim Iverson Headlee comes the fall of Camelot as you have never seen it before.
The death of their mother knells the death of any hope for a joyful future for Gyan’s identical twin daughters, Gwenhwyfar and Gwenhwyfach. Their father, Arthur the High King, wastes no time in announcing firstborn Gwenhwyfar’s betrothal to Medraut—the man whom Gwenhwyfach secretly loves. And Gwenhwyfar is in love with Angusel’s son Lannchu.
The twins conspire to defy Fate and trade places. They know how ambitious is their scheme, for Gwenhwyfar is trained in the domestic arts and Gwenhwyfach has chosen the warrior’s path, yet the sisters are confident of success. The wedding and its accompanying night come off without a hitch… for both of them.
Fate, however, shall not be defied.
Incorporating ancient Welsh legends of the “False Guinevere” and “Feasting the Hungry Man,” and featuring many characters introduced in Dawnflight, Morning’s Journey, and Raging Sea, this glimpse into their destiny, thirty years after the setting of those novels, reveals the destruction of Arthur’s realm that’s unique in all of Arthurian literature.
Praise for other Arthurian works by Kim Iverson Headlee:
“Intense.” USA Today (Dawnflight)
“Solidly entertaining.” Publishers Weekly (King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court)




The bedchamber door opened. A dragon writhed in her stomach. This was the moment upon which all her plans hinged.

Gwenhwyfach summoned a nervous smile for her bridegroom that wasn’t feigned.

Medraut flicked his gaze about the chamber before letting it come to rest upon his bride. “You’ve become more like your sister.” His speech was only a wee bit slurred. The dragon in Gwenhwyfach’s stomach took a leap. He waved a hand in her direction. “Chosen like a true warrior.”

He was right, Gwenhwyfach realized with a mental groan. Defensively, the room offered only two possibilities: near the door for the greatest element of surprise, and near the fire, with a wall to guard her back and a weapon nearby in the form of the blunt but heavy iron poker.

She rose. “Not so, my lord.” She fought to keep her voice low and even, her eyes downcast. “I was cold.” She added a shiver and chafed her arms.

“Ah.” Gwenhwyfach kept her gaze lowered as Medraut approached her. “Perhaps I can be of assistance.”

He unpinned her brooch. The cloak slid from her shoulders to pool at her feet. Gwenhwyfach allowed herself to look up and saw hunger smoldering in her husband’s eyes. She tried to forget that his hunger wasn’t for her. In time, it would be.


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✯✯✯✯✯Short, but Packed full of delightful content!ByCLMon August 19, 2017

I have to confess, the names were a tangle for me.

But that aside, I never got lost. This is a short but packed full of content delight.

I was shocked many times in this story.

There appears to be a chance for love. Two twins, one experienced with a sword and the other experienced running the castle decide to switch identities so each can have the one they love.

Kim Headless puts so much into her stories. Even this short story is filled with so many court intrigues.

 MY REVIEW:
First, I want to say that I enjoyed this book very much. It's not my normal genre, but it sounded interesting. I got a little overwhelmed at the beginning with the named and the type of language used, but it totally fit this book and it's time period. As a twin myself, I liked the relationship between the two sisters. I look forward to more from this author.


Dawnflight ✯ Morning's Journey ✯ The Color of Vengeance Raging Sea: Reckonings ✯ Raging Sea: Enemies and Allies ✯ The Challenge



Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight first edition, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian Legends for nigh on half a century.

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Magic Of Books Promotion Back 2 School: Suspense and Mystery

For those who live to read...here are some awesome books provided by the incredible authors who wrote them. All in celebration of the new school year.

While a few of these books might be oldies, but goodies...others could be new and fresh off the presses.

Relax and find your new favorite author.

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

MYSTERY/SUSPENSE

Mystery is a genre of literature whose stories focus on a mysterious crime, situation or circumstance that needs to be solved. Many mystery stories involve what is called a “whodunit” scenario, meaning the mystery revolves around the uncovering a culprit or criminal.

Suspense is anxiety or a state of uncertainty or excitement about the resolution of something.

Please enjoy these books that focus on mystery/suspense and all the sub-genres. The list is available in alphabetically order by title.

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win an Amazon Giftcard.

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

Aye, I am a Fairy by Dani HavilandSuspense

"Time travel can't be real...can it? There had to be another explanation.

Leah's mother had disappeared a year ago, then suddenly reappeared looking forty years younger. She vanished again, but this time, left behind her solar-powered smartphone. Was Leah brave enough to look for clues on it? And where had Mom disappeared to? Again. Then there was the strange call from Lord James Melbourne who claimed to have vital information. He was definitely a hottie, seemed sweet and generous, but could she trust him?

**Note: The books in The Fairies Saga are numbered for historical sequence only. Each is a stand alone story. If you decide you want to know more about a character: where they came from or where they eventually wound up, check out your book's number and go from there! (Much like the Star Wars movies)

The Fairies Saga, tales of time travelers and their friends and family who bounce between the present day and the 18th century, interacting with the 'fictional' characters of the 'Lost' romance novels. Revenge, intrigue, and passion were never so sweet."

Chasing the Painted Skies by Ryan Jo SummersContemporary Romantic Suspense w/Light Paranormal

"Raven Koynes is a woman in hiding. Years ago she escaped to remote Gull Island Light Station, nestled far away in Lake Superior. She has carved out a life of peace and solitude for herself. Until famed nature photographer Sebastian Knight arrives—in the height of a nor'easter storm—to document the beauty of Gull Island. Unsavory treasure hunters also blow in with the storm, determined to find missing cargo from a sunken ship. And they think Raven knows where it's stashed. A power outage is a final threat, pushing Raven to the limit.

Help arrives in the form of a stray German Shepherd Dog, who takes an immediate protective interest in Raven. He becomes her constant shadow and listening ear as she sorts out her growing—and conflicting—feelings for Sebastian.

Meanwhile, Sebastian came to the island looking for treasure as well, in the form of photographs, While he isn't so sure about a sunken boat and missing cargo, he only needs one look at Raven Koynes to know he's found his own valuable treasure. One he hopes he can hang on to once she learns about his mysterious secret.

Now that Madeline the resident ghost has found out, it's probably just a matter of time until Raven does too. And with the storm and power outage, no one is going anywhere any time soon."

Saving Olivia by Melissa Kay ClarkeRomantic Military Suspense 

Two million people disappear into human trafficking every year. Olivia Parker would never have believed she could be one of them. Born to a barely functional mother and caring for her dependent brother, Olivia was determined to make their future better than their troubled past. Instead, she finds herself thrown into a nightmare from which she cannot awaken.

Navy Seal, Grayson ""Bruiser"" Titus, abandoned as a baby, creates a family with his SEAL team. He would do anything for them and knows they would do the same. However, something is missing - could he find it with the intriguing beautiful sister of Jayden Parker? Meeting Olivia feels like looking at his future wrapped in a pair of deep hazel eyes.

Bruiser's team would follow him into the pits of hell. It only stands to reason when Olivia disappears they rally around him. Being SEALs meant they often battled the worse dregs of humanity for God and Country.

However, this is personal.

Saving her is a one-in-a-million long shot, but they will do whatever it takes to bring her home. The only question is: will it be in time to save both body and mind or will her new reality finally break her spirit?

Set Me Free by M.R. LeahyRomantic Suspense

Torn and betrayed by her family, Emmalyn is taken to live with her mother and stepfather, who happens to be one of the most evil, vile men around.

Thrown into a world she never knew existed, Emmalyn is roomed with Kodah. A hot-headed boy, whose only weakness is her.

Both lost in this endless hell, they cling to the hope that one day they will make it out, that one day they will be set free.

Authors note: Set Me Free is a dark romance. Not intended for anyone under the age of 18!
Sweet Retaliation by Mimi BarbourRomantic Suspense

She watches the mob kill her twin and is too frozen by fear to stop them. How can she live with that cowardice eating away at her self-respect? Revenge claws at her sheltered existence until she can’t breathe. Though she’s naïve, she isn’t stupid. When she finds a stash of loot in her brother’s gym locker, she has the means.

Now all she needs is the guts to make every one of those low-life gang members pay.

People might think detectives are hard-assed cops with no home life, but Trace McGuire has a dying mom he loves fiercely. Already stressed over his personal problems, he takes a bullet for a virgin beauty hiding while mobsters shoot her brother.

This chick draws out every protective instinct he thought had disintegrated over years on the job and he becomes invested – in her hot body, her plans for retaliation and her fighting spirit.

Helpless, he watches her enter the seedy underworld that’ll eat her alive.

Then he sees her fight.

The Bingo Hall Mystery by Alathia Paris MorganMystery/Suspense

Sunni Wilson, child-wrangler extraordinaire, thought raising twin preschoolers and a teenager was the hardest thing she’d ever do, but that was before she joined the local moms’ group and plunged headfirst into life-threatening hijinks.

A shady character, suspicious packages, and a kidnapped aunt are only the beginning when the moms decide to take the law into their own hands to stop the drug dealers infiltrating their town.

Join Sunni and her friends through the joys of motherhood, kooky neighbors, and hair-raising adventures to find the ones threatening all the group holds dear…their families.

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PROMO TIOUR: Not a Gentleman by Loreen Augeri

NOT A GENTLEMANby Loreen AugeriGenre: Historical Romance


When Juliana Stevenson’s father dies under suspicious circumstances, her greedy uncle betroths her and her sister to vile men for his profit. They refuse to be part of his plan and flee, but her uncle hires an arrogant, demanding man to bring them back.

Needing money to care for his brother and sister and repair a manor in disrepair, Nicholas Blackstone agrees to find the women. He captures Juliana but not her sister and imprisons her in his manor until he can discover the whereabouts of her sibling.

Juliana’s body calls to Nicholas, but she can never be his — her life is already mapped out. Can they fight the passion pulling them together while her father's killer stalks them?


The small, warm form lay still below him. Had he killed her? No. Her ragged gasps penetrated his fear. Nicholas hadn’t meant to land so hard, but the aggravating chit deserved it. She held a gun on him and threatened to shoot!

But she was a woman, and a small one at that. He jumped off her, grabbed her arm, and hauled her to her feet.

“Let go…of…me.” She panted as she fought to catch her breath.

“Are you hurt?”

“I don’t…know. Probably. You pounced on me.” She fought to free herself.

He released her. “You had a gun.”

Miss Stevenson brushed the dirt from her bodice and skirt. “You tried to kidnap us.”

“I wasn’t kidnapping you. I was returning you and your sister to your uncle. He is worried about you.” He strode to one side of the cave and scooped up the gun lying beside the wall.

“He doesn’t care for us. His concern is how much money our marriages will bring him.” She examined her palm and winced. “We won’t go back.”

“He is your guardian.” He peered at her hands. “You cut yourself.”

She glared at him. “It’s your fault, and he’s not my guardian. I am of age.”

“Well, Miss Emily isn’t, and he wants you both. Where will your sister hide?”

“I have no idea.”

She walked away. This female who didn’t reach his shoulder actually walked away. He thought this job would be quick and easy, and he would soon be with his brother and sister with money to start repairing the crumbling estate he inherited, so he could return to the army where he belonged. Where exasperating women didn’t question his orders and answered when asked for information. He ran to catch up and grabbed her elbow. “Where are you going?”




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I have always liked to read and write. As a child, I created stories featuring a young girl and her horse.

I started reading historical romances when my children were babies. When my youngest daughter started school, I decided I wanted to write one. At first, to see if I could, later as a hobby, and then seeking publication. Becoming a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hearts Through History, and my local chapter, New England Chapter helped in the process.

I live in the Northeast with my husband and two adult daughters and work in my local library. When I am not reading or writing, I enjoy walking, dancing, and spending time at the beach. I am the one under the umbrella, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and tee shirt over my bathing suit. I have my English and Irish ancestry to thank for my white skin that burns easily.

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PROMO TOUR: James: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance by Shayne Ford

A BAD BOY BILLIONAIRE ROMANCENight of the Kings series
by Shayne FordGenre: New Adult Erotic Romance


LUST. POWER. BAD BOYS. LOVE. BETRAYAL.

This is a story about love, taming hearts, growing up and changing. It is about a good girl corrupting a bad boy, who turns her into a bad girl. And then, it’s about a bad girl, who brings the bad boy to his knees.

Rain meets James for the first time, fresh out of high school. Fascinated by him, she wants him to be her first man, someone she can never forget. At twenty-five, James is a ruthless, powerful, wealthy man, who’s never had feelings for a woman and wants to keep things that way.

He has two handsome best friends who are also his business partners.

This is NOT a conventional, linear romance. Expect a bit of a mess, dirty bits, other people, cliffhangers and twists of situations.



Chapter ONE

RAIN

Nobody knows where they come from.

Some people say they travel from the other side of the hills, where the wealthiest estates of the county share the beautiful scenery of Aspen and the well-guarded privacy of big money, but they could drive from farther away.

They come with the first whispers of the fall when the days are still warm, and the light looks like golden honey pouring slowly in a jar of glass. When the nights grow cold, and the leaves flutter in the wind under the vault of the cerulean sky. When homes like mine and Eve’s smell like cinnamon and apple pies, and smoke drifts from the piles of leaves burning outside.

They drive through town like ghosts while we spend our evenings tucked under the blankets, sipping tea and eating cookies, spinning stories like this.

But some people swear they see them all year round. Mostly at night, and almost never during the day, and that’s why it’s so hard to believe.

As they sweep through town, the whispers become murmurs before they turn into gossip, the stories, old and new, resurfacing, revived, spurring restlessness amongst the youngsters and skepticism amongst the older.

Men brush the idea off, huffing and puffing and grumping, turning a deaf ear to the women’s ramblings.

People spot their cars or bikes, but not that many get the chance to see them. Certainly not us, who are barely out of high school.

Women are the ones who spread the rumors, but their stories should be taken with a grain of salt.

Regardless, the tales and mysteries abound.

Eve and I love the legend.

Unlike her, I’m not willing to admit.

Some say they head west–– right outside of town, where an old estate sprawls on a big piece of land, guarded by the majestic forest in the background.

That’s where the road comes to an end, and the Dark House rises on the shore of a large, shimmering lake, the mansion shrouded in a lot of mystery just like them.

Surrounded by old trees, alleys with wrought iron benches, flowering shrubs and a brick wall covered with wild roses, the property–– if we are to believe the story, belongs to them.

Footpaths crisscross the land, an old tale saying there’s an abandoned tunnel hidden in the thick woods stretching behind the house.

Other people have spotted them downtown at Red’s–– the building with charcoal gray walls, red painted stairs, and black tinted windows. The playground of the most powerful and wealthiest men in town, perhaps the county. The favorite place for wheeling and dealing and indulging in guilty pleasures away from their spouses’ eyes.

Throughout the years the space we grew up in has become a portal between old and new, truth and secret, pure and sin, stories like this making the town feel so alive.

“Wait for me,” Eve shouts as I dart away from her, the wind blowing in my hair, the sun kissing my cheeks.

“I’ll meet you down there,” I say, pointing at the bottom of the slope.



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Chapter ONE

Rain

One week till Christmas~New York

There’s no stronger force than love. It makes you crawl and cry and curse. It tortures you and poisons you before it shows you bliss to hook you even more, and then it makes you bleed. It brings the toughest man to his knees and turns a woman’s heart into a pile of ashes.

“She doesn’t pay you to read… you know,” a terse voice rings out behind me, scratching my ears.

I stifle a retort.

She who pays me is not the owner of the store, and she who speaks is not my boss, but that’s useless to convey as well.

Clinging to my last ounce of dignity, I slowly fold the piece of paper, place it in my pocket and start stacking books on the shelf.

The more I sense her stare on my back, the more nervous I become. Suddenly, my lips are dry, and my hands turn sweaty as my dress begins to itch.

Pacing myself, I run trembling fingers over my skirt. I wish she’d go away. No fucking chance.

I have no other choice but turn around and face her.

Angel, my co-worker, a petite woman in her mid-twenties, who looks more mature than her age, straightens her back and creases her lips into a disdainful smile.

Her orange sweater makes the pearls around her neck look yellow and her skin translucent. A tangerine ribbon holds her curly hair in place as her beaded eyes follow me intently from behind thick-rimmed glasses.

How many times have we been through this?

She harassing me while I pretend I’m an idiot.

“I thought you’re leaving,” I say dryly.

“I am,” she says, throwing me a disgusted look, her fingers flipping a freshly sharpened pencil.

My eyes drop to the wedding band gracing her ring finger.

Who can love a woman like this?

Pure hatred runs in her blood.

“I just want to remind you that until you close the store, you have to make sure the customers' calls don’t end up in the voicemail. She doesn’t like that,” Angel says, acting as a surrogate for Candy, our new boss.

I clench my teeth to push back another retort.

I’d gladly give her a piece of my mind, but more than anything else I need this job and the meager paycheck that helps me to survive or rather doesn’t let me die.

“Okay,” I say, looking at her blankly.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out what possesses her to pick on me, day in and day out?

It was like that from the very beginning.

Before I even had the chance to open my mouth and introduce myself or say a thing or two about my life, her mind was already made up.

She’s not much older than me, and she’s not my boss, but somehow she thinks she is. She started working a couple of weeks before me, and yet she behaves as if she owns the store




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RAIN

The ocean breeze sweeps my feet.

Soft as a feather, the wind rolls onto my legs and my back before it trails my backside. It takes me only a mere second to realize I’m naked.

Caught between sleep and awareness, I stretch my arm and tap the mattress behind me, looking for the sheet.

I slide it over my body and let myself fall back to sleep, hoping to steal another hour. The seagulls have a different plan and start a riot on the beach.

I give up on the idea and just lie on the bed with my eyes closed, and my nostrils filled with the ocean scent.

A smell of coffee drifts from nearby. More awareness settles in, a nagging thought coming along with it.

He didn’t sleep in bed with me.

In fact, he hasn’t touched me since that night.

None of them have.

That must be him, and his instructions.

There’s no other explanation. The Night of the Kings, and my brief encounter with Lex wouldn’t have happened either, had he not given them the green light.

Another thought surfaces in my head.

Today is our last day on the island.

My stomach shrinks and my chest tightens with tension. Forget about sleeping. I crack my eyes open.

The wide stretch of glimmering blue water and the silver sand come into view. It’s a windy morning with the sky mostly clear, only a few fluffy clouds chased away by the wind here and there.

I could live and write in a place like this. I wouldn’t need a big house. Nothing like this for sure. A room or two will do. As long as I’d have the beach, the ocean and the crying seagulls my life would be like a dream.

I can envision myself sitting in a wicker chair, sipping margaritas, and plotting away. Knitting stories.

Hmm. That’s a nice thought. I smile for a few moments before I I shake off the fantasy and look around.The house is eerily quiet. I crawl across the bed, snatch my phone from the nightstand and flip it over.

It’s almost ten.

Propped on my elbows, I scan the beach, looking for them. The shore is empty.

I slide off the bed, wrap the sheet around my body, take a few stairs down and glance around. The water ripples in the pool while the palmetto leaves sway in the wind.

I take a few more steps, the warm sand brushing my feet. Shielding my eyes from the sun, I look up and down the beach.

There’s no sign of them.

Intrigued, I spin around and make the trip back, entering the house.

Chamber after chamber, I get the same feeling. There’s no one else in here but me. In perfect order, the rooms bear no signs of them. The bedroom doors are wide open, the beds untouched as if no one slept in them last night.

I check the closets. They’re empty as well. I dash back to my bedroom, toss the sheet on the bed, pick up my underwear, a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and get dressed in a hurry.



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LEX ✯ HARD LEX ✯ LOVING LEX
SECRETS. LIES. DECEIT. A GAME OF LUST AND BURNING PASSION.

Dahlia is a girl who just started building her own path in life. Lex is the man who has it all, except for one thing.

His heart is full of secrets, and his blood is filled with lust, yet no one can tame his fire.

Fate brings them together in more ways than one. He has a taste for mysteries. She has a heart made for love.

Falling for him is the hardest thing she’s ever done.

Satisfying her is the most pleasurable thing he’s ever done.

Will this be the everlasting love?

This is NOT a conventional, linear romance. Expect a bit of a mess, dirty bits, cliffhangers and twists of situations.

This is a New Adult Erotic Romance. 18+ Only.

PLEASE NOTE: Although a standalone, Lex’s story includes spoilers of James’ story since it unfolds in the same world at a later date. If you wish to know the backstory of the Kings, reading James’ story (book 1-3) is highly recommended



Shayne Ford writes NEW ADULT, Erotic Romance, the love stories involving hot-blooded men and adventurous, soulful women. The male cast includes Rock Stars, Billionaires, Bad Boys, Alphas with a heart, and the sweet, strong man you may find next door. The stories are emotional and deliciously hot. Sometimes they're unconventional, and sometimes they're a bit dark. Her Series are epic, layered, character-driven, and have a lot of depth. They are not the typical romance, nor are they formulaic or follow a mold.
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PRE-ORDER BLAST: All I want for Halloween by Marie Harte

ALL I WANT FOR HALLOWEENby Marie HarteGenre: Contemporary Romance


Tonight, she plans to let go.

Dressed up and anonymous, Sadie Liberato feels powerful, sexy and free. Where better to lose herself than a masked party?

Gear Blackstone's cheating ex and scheming best friend have managed to spin his life into a serious downward spiral. At least with a mask on he can cut loose for one night. And cut loose he does―with the sexiest, snarkiest chick he's ever met.

After a scorching-hot encounter, Sadie and Gear are desperate to find each other in real life. But can the heat last when the masks come off?

“Harte pens a sizzlingly sexy romance that is both playful and meaningful, exploring real and metaphorical masks, perception, and reality.” KIRKUS


They talked with their mouths full, making fun of the drunken genie as well as several unsuccessful hookups on the dancefloor.

“Oh, now that had to hurt,” the devil said. “Rejected by a zombie and her warty witch friend.”

“Yeah, but he’s not taking it personally.” She took another sip of beer, loving the fact he hadn’t gotten her a sissy glass to drink from. “See? He’s turning from the undead to slutty doctor chick.”

“Slutty? Isn’t that non-PC?” he sneered, and she thought he sounded familiar, but the increasing dance music made it difficult to tell. “Because I say the wrong thing about a woman, not a ‘chick,’ and I’m a caveman setting women’s rights back twenty years.”

“Well, I can say slutty. You have to say sexually adventurous.” Sadie grinned. “Kind of like telling a gay guy he’s a raging homo. Now I can say that, because my brother earned the title. But you try telling him that and he’ll knock your head off. And call him anything else and I’ll knock your head off.” She hefted her fake sword before leaning it against the wall. “Don’t try me.”

He shrugged. “You have a sword. I have a pitchfork…somewhere. I think I left it by the bar.” He glanced across the room. “But hey, I have no plans to tangle with your brother. I’m here to sin until this thing is over. Nothing else, and no fights,” he paused, and she swore he added something else under his breath.

At that moment, her brother appeared in the crowd, his gaze searching.

“Crap.”

“What?”

She took Devil by the waist and turned him, noticing how he tensed but ignoring it. “Sorry. I’m having fun not mingling, and my brother is right over there looking for me.”

He relaxed and glanced over his shoulder. “Which one?”

“See the Phantom? He’s a pain in my ass, much as I love him. I didn’t want to come to this tonight, you know.”

“Yeah? Me neither.” He stayed where he was, still watching the dancefloor. “Uh oh. He’s looking over here.”

“Crap, crap, crap. This is a primo spot!” She did what any smart woman in her situation would do. She turned Devil so he completely blocked her from Elliot. “I need to blend in. Work with me, would you?”

“Sure, what—?”

She wrapped her arms around his thick neck and dragged him down for a kiss.

At the taste of his lips against hers, she shuddered, not having expected he’d taste better than his beer, or that up close and personal he’d smell like man and sex and chocolate. Chocolate?

Jesus, she must have had too much to drink.

Then he dragged her closer and deepened the angle of their kiss.

Sadie forgot about her brother, about the last cream puff on the plate, about how much she didn’t want to be at the party.

And fell into the arms of a man who kissed like the devil himself.




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NETGALLEY


Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte has over 100 books published with more constantly on the way. She’s a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit Marie's website and fall in love.

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RELEASE BLITZ: Tempted by Mr. Wrong by Jacquie Biggar

TEMPTED BY MR. WRONGby Jacquie BiggarGenre: Contemporary Step-Brother Romance


How can something so wrong, feel so right?

Falling for her step-brother is a mistake T.J. doesn't want to repeat, but one look into those sapphire blue eyes and she's ready to give him whatever he wants.

Tammy-Jo Hawthorne's marriage was floundering, but she never expected her husband to make her the laughing stock of Magnolia.

And she definitely didn't expect to trip over him in their front yard after he'd been murdered.

Jason McIntyre was forced out of his home and the love of his life by the man who'd haunted his nightmares for ten long years.

Now Jason's back--and he wants revenge.

Tammy-Jo Hawthorne limped down the side of the highway, broken shoe in hand, and cursed everything from the gravel cutting into her bare foot, to the drizzling rain making her mascara run. But most of all, she cursed fate for ever introducing her to her no-good, dirty, rotten scumbag of an ex-husband—Timothy Hawthorne the third, and don’t you forget it.

Her cheeks flamed again even as goosebumps of embarrassed anger chased themselves over her flesh. They’d escorted her out; she still couldn’t believe it. Not one person had stood to defend her either. Ten years she’d belonged to that stupid high-falutin club, and no one had supported her in her time of need. Well, screw them.

A semi-trailer flew past, and a sheet of water drenched her to the bone.

“Ooh.” She raised her shoe in the air and shook it at the fading taillights. “Thanks for nothing.”

Disheartened, she dropped her Louboutin in the grass, careful to keep it off the scratchy gravel, and wrung out the hem of her shirt. Tim had a lot to answer for; not least of which was the fact her Jaguar had been towed away while she’d been inside the country club. It was becoming clear that this had been a well-choreographed plan on his part. He’d thought of everything too. When she’d tried to call for a cab, she found her phone had been cut off. She’d stomped over to a nearby gas station to use the payphone, and found her bank and credit cards had been cancelled as well. He’d taken her love and stomped it beneath his wingtips and now he wanted her pride too.

Well, he couldn’t have it, damn him.

If she had to walk the entire twenty miles to home, she would.

And then she was going to sue that bastard for every red cent he owned.

The traffic snaked by in a never-ending ribbon of color, the noise a match to the static in her head. She thought about doing like she’d seen on television and lift her thumb to catch a ride, but fear held her back. Those were the same shows where the unlucky traveler was never seen again. She didn’t plan on giving her soon-to-be ex that easy of an out.

The rain was falling harder now, coating everything in sight with a silvery glow. If she wasn’t so cold—a combination of nerves and early spring weather—it would be pretty. Okay, maybe that was a stretch. There was nothing remotely pretty about being stranded in the middle of nowheresville thanks to the man you’d promised to love and honor until death did you part. The last of which was looking tempting right now.

If only she knew a hitman.

A throaty engine gearing down set her heart to leap-frogging in her chest—he’d changed his mind and returned her car. She swung around, a relieved smile tipping her scowl upside down, but instead of her beautiful silver Jag, a black-as-sin Mustang idled behind her in the parking lane, its driving lights blinding her with their brightness.

Now her heart pounded for an entirely different reason. She glanced into the ditch, but the forest seemed impossibly far away and the traffic never even hesitated, unaware and uncaring that her life could be in danger.

T.J. shaded her eyes, but she couldn’t see the driver. She clutched her handbag. It wasn’t much, but the soft lambskin purse held the keys to her house and her car—once she got it back—her identification, all the odds and ends a woman deemed necessary, and the proof that her husband was the reason she was in this predicament. She wouldn’t give it up without a fight.

She picked up the only weapon at her disposal, her shoe, and inched backward, dismayed when the car stalked after her. Panic overrode decorum and she turned to run, but the ditch was slippery with the mud and rain and she lost her footing, careening down the steep embankment with a little screech. She landed hard on her butt and sat there for a minute, stunned. How the mighty had fallen. The Hawthorne couple were the envy of Magnolia, South Carolina. Everyone wanted to be them, have the same kind of loving relationship they had. What a joke.

And it was all on her.

A car door opened and a few ominous seconds later, T.J. heard footsteps on the gravel meridian. Even through the rain and early evening light, her white shirt practically glowed a neon here I am signal to anyone looking. And of course, someone was. She hunched over, doing her best to become one with the mud, and prayed like she’d never prayed before. Not hard, since she’d never followed any religious beliefs, but she promised anyone who was listening that she’d change. Just don’t let her die.

“Tammy-Jo Hawthorne?” scary stranger dude called down the hill, his voice filled with amused aggravation.

What did he have to be aggravated about? She was the one sitting in a cold, wet ditch while a stalker… well, stalked her.

“Go away,” she yelled, fed up with men and life in general. She swiped at a clump of ooey-gooey crap clinging to her leg below the silk pencil skirt she’d no doubt have to throw in the trash after this episode. Just one more reason to shoot Tim.

“I was at the club today,” he said, and the sympathy in his voice made her squirm. “I heard about your car, thought you could use a lift.”

She threw back her head and let the rain wash over her face. The humiliations just kept coming. The moment he’d mentioned the club she’d known who her dubious savior was; her evil step-brother.

Jason McIntyre.




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JACQUIE BIGGAR is a USA Today bestselling author of Romantic Suspense who loves to write about tough, alpha males who know what they want, that is until they're gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them what they really need is love. She is the author of the popular Wounded Hearts series and has just started a new series in paranormal suspense, Mended Souls.

She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters.

Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can't function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart.

PROMO TOUR: Twins by Kim Iverson Headlee

TWINSThe Dragon's Dove Chronicles, the novella genesis of book 6
by Kim Iverson HeadleeGenre: Epic Historical Fantasy


From the award-winning, critically acclaimed pen of Kim Iverson Headlee comes the fall of Camelot as you have never seen it before.

The death of their mother knells the death of any hope for a joyful future for Gyan’s identical twin daughters, Gwenhwyfar and Gwenhwyfach. Their father, Arthur the High King, wastes no time in announcing firstborn Gwenhwyfar’s betrothal to Medraut—the man whom Gwenhwyfach secretly loves. And Gwenhwyfar is in love with Angusel’s son Lannchu.

The twins conspire to defy Fate and trade places. They know how ambitious is their scheme, for Gwenhwyfar is trained in the domestic arts and Gwenhwyfach has chosen the warrior’s path, yet the sisters are confident of success. The wedding and its accompanying night come off without a hitch… for both of them.

Fate, however, shall not be defied.

Incorporating ancient Welsh legends of the “False Guinevere” and “Feasting the Hungry Man,” and featuring many characters introduced in Dawnflight, Morning’s Journey, and Raging Sea, this glimpse into their destiny, thirty years after the setting of those novels, reveals the destruction of Arthur’s realm that’s unique in all of Arthurian literature.

Praise for other Arthurian works by Kim Iverson Headlee:

“Intense.” USA Today (Dawnflight)

“Solidly entertaining.” Publishers Weekly (King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court)


He crushed her to him with startling force, thrusting his tongue into her mouth to probe its secrets. Too soon, he shifted his focus to her chin, her throat, her neck, each kiss torturing her with promises that could never be kept. A raw blend of pleasure and pain forced a moan from her lips.

“It would be best to remain a virgin for your wedding night,” said a new voice.

With a startled cry, Gwenhwyfar straightened and looked about. Hand to dagger, Lannchu whirled. When the intruder stepped from behind a nearby piling, Lannchu folded his arms.

“Gwenhwyfach.” Gwenhwyfar didn’t care how her sister had found them; the pertinent question was why. “Don’t expect me to bid you well come, because you aren’t.”

Gwenhwyfach tossed her braids, uttering a light chuckle. “Not even if I were to give you the solution to your dilemma?”

“What would you do? Guard our backs as we run away?” A romantic notion, but not a feasible one. “Father would kill us all. If Medraut didn’t find us first.”

“You’re right. My plan is simpler.” She extended her open-palmed hand. “We trade places.”


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✯✯✯✯✯Short, but Packed full of delightful content!ByCLMon August 19, 2017I have to confess, the names were a tangle for me.But that aside, I never got lost. This is a short but packed full of content delight.I was shocked many times in this story.There appears to be a chance for love. Two twins, one experienced with a sword and the other experienced running the castle decide to switch identities so each can have the one they love.Kim Headless puts so much into her stories. Even this short story is filled with so many court intrigues.


Dawnflight ✯ Morning's Journey ✯ The Color of Vengeance Raging Sea: Reckonings ✯ Raging Sea: Enemies and Allies ✯ The Challenge



Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight first edition, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian Legends for nigh on half a century.

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RELEASE TOUR: Bittersweets: Terry & Alex by Suzanne Jenkins

BITTERSWEETS: Terry & AlexSteamy Romance series, book 1
by Suzanne JenkinsGenre: Steamy Romance


A one night stand segues to a weekend of passion, leading to a lifetime of romance in Bittersweets – Terry and Alex.

A Philadelphia lawyer, tired of making the same relationship mistakes, falls in love at last, and with the advice of her aging father, Harry, traverses the mysteries of romance and heartache.

Bittersweets: Terry and Alex is the first stand alone in the saga, introducing you to Arvin and Tina, Brenda and Larry, Rick and Jason, Mrs. Dell, and the rest of the cast.


October 1st

Autumn rain hit the round window. Sheets of water slid down the glass obscuring the view, but Terry Kovac gazed out anyway. The window seat where she sat was the perfect place for reflection and contemplation. Coffee long grown cold, stirring it served a purpose, and she lifted the cup to her lips for a sip. The cold, bitter liquid brought her back to reality.

Although nothing had happened yet, a strong feeling of the future came over her; not of apprehension dread, but something positive, of change looming ahead, the next chapter of her life about to begin.

The wall phone in the kitchen rang, the appliance a throwback to another time, and she let it go to voicemail. If the caller was anyone who knew her well and cared about what she wanted, they’d call her cell phone first. Waiting, she heard the click of the old fashioned answering machine.

“This is Terry, leave a message.”

“Hey babe, it’s Arvin. Give me a call before noon if you want to ride out to Oscar’s with me. I’m leaving at one. Talk to you later.”

Oscar was Arvin’s biker friend, an aging hippie who Terry felt used Arvin. Shaking her head, Arvin knew she disliked Oscar, and the act of calling her on the house phone was his passive aggressive way to justify saying later, “I called you and you never returned my call. I didn’t want to go alone, so when I didn’t hear from you, I asked Gloria.”

Or Laura, or Kathy, or any one of his group of women who had such compelling personalities that he couldn’t give them up.

She got up off the window seat and took the cup into the kitchen, dumping the coffee in the sink. A fresh cup poured, she returned to the living room to sit at the window. Then her cell phone rang. Picking it up, she saw Arvin’s number and answered.

“What? None of your other babes could go?” she asked.

“Ha! No, I actually had a change of plans. I’m leaving now. Do you want me to swing by?”

He’d never gone out of his way to drive up to her apartment in all the years they’d been seeing each other. She wondered what had possessed him now.

“No, I’m staying in today. Besides, it would be out of your way. Have fun, tell Oscar I said hi,” Terry said.

“Right, I’ll let you tell him that yourself,” Arvin replied, laughing. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Goodbye, Arvin,” Terry said, and hung up.

Before she sat down again, she got a pen and her journal. Desperate to make a change, her logical thinking in matters of the heart had disappeared where Arvin was concerned, and it had been that way since the beginning of their relationship.

Brenda, Terry’s best friend and also a lawyer working as her clerk, introduced her to Arvin. Both Arvin and Brenda’s husband, Larry, were ER doctors at one of the big hospitals in the city.

“Let me introduce you!” Brenda begged. “You’ll love Arvin. He’s so much fun, and he’s easy on the eyes, too.”

Now, after the thrill had worn off, his charms were not enough to cover up his inadequacies. Terry needed to decide about Arvin in her life. Making a pro and con list wasn’t very scientific, but at least it would help her to see things in black and white. Sitting down again with her journal, she wrote Arvin at the top of the page. On the left she wrote Pro, and on the right, Con.





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BITTERSWEETS: Brenda & Larry
Steamy Romance series, book 2Releases: Oct 1

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A trip to the emergency room leads to a whirlwind romance for Philadelphia law student Brenda and ER physician Larry. Head over heels in love with Brenda, nothing can disturb the love he has for her, not even a dark secret from her past.



Suzanne Jenkins Bio Suzanne writes page-turning contemporary romance, mystery, and women's fiction with passionately gripping characters that stay with readers long after they turn the last page. The Detroit Detective Stories, beginning with The Greeks of Beaubien Street are a reflection of American fantasy with historical reality. Pam of Babylon books consistently rank in the Top 100 Best Sellers in American Drama with over 500,000 downloads. A retired operating room nurse, Jenkins lives in Southern California.

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COVER REVEAL: Minefield by K.H. Bixby

MINEFIELDDeadly Gambit, book 2
by K.H. BixbyGenre: Thriller

Complications mount when Sam Turan agrees to work part-time for Heidelberg Bank and dedicate the rest of his time to rebuilding his homeland in the Middle East. Conspiracies and plots threaten his relationship with the Adler heiress and attempts to blow him up escalates the danger level. Sam can only trust a handful of friends. With the ground shifting beneath him, is anyone what they claim to be?

Speaking in a casual tone Sami said. “Face me as if we were just chatting.” Amanj moved and watched his friend’s face, studying every nuance that flickered across it. “What did you see?” “A flash of light in the higher foothills. Yesterday that meant binoculars. I wanted to see if it is repeated.”

He paused as he scanned the hills, looking over his friend’s shoulder. “Yes, there it is again. We need to join the others. We’re being watched. I’ll keep talking to you in that direction.”

“Sami, it could be something else. No point in being subtle.” He stopped and scanned the skies, then finally pointed. “There.” A small dark speck was silhouetted against the sky, coming toward them from the far end of the town. He began running toward the older men.

“DRONE! SCATTER!”

Sami sprinted right beside his friend, trying to watch his footing on the uneven ground and the sky at the same time. The drone’s buzzing was getting louder. The older men broke into a run, too, each heading in a slightly different direction.

As the two got to a cypress tree on the outskirts of the town, Amanj ducked into its shadows. Instantly he slipped the large rifle from his shoulder and pointed it at the swiftly enlarging black dot in the air. Now the buzzing was like standing next to a hornet’s nest. They watched as the drone dropped in altitude a little and changed course.

“You have the range?”

“I will in less than a minute. It won’t be able to see clearly what I’m doing from the shadow of the tree and neither will our watcher. Come on. Just a little bit closer you evil wasp!”

The drone was over where the three men had been and was still flying. Amanj let out his breath and gently squeezed the trigger. Less than a heartbeat later the drone exploded. Light flashed and a fiery blossom exploded in the sky. A puff of smoke and black bits rained down.

“That devil was armed. Otherwise it wouldn’t have exploded like that.”

“Shit. The fun just continues.” Sami looked over at his friend, a little rattled but trying to be calm. “Im-press-ive!






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Shell Game
Uprooted from the violence of his homeland, Sami Turan leads a sheltered existence in New York until an explosive encounter with a family member brings back to the surface all he’d lost. On a mission to right a wrong in the best way he can think of, he discovers monsters wear many masks.

Trying to correct his ill-conceived actions, he inadvertently nudges out of balance the first domino of an overlooked international conflict.

Will his actions help his homeland or will he end up starting the next world war? At what price? And will the monsters he exposes in the process be obliterated?



As a person who views news and politics with the fascination of watching a train-wreck, Bixby is driven to extract what IS discussed and twist it into the light of what ISN’T.

Writing fiction, but keeping it within parameters of the believable and possible, K.H.’s thrillers grab the reader, causing them to wonder … is the story real?

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RELEASE TOUR: Lost Protector by Maggie Mundy

LOST PROTECTORMidworlder Trilogy, book 3
by Maggie MundyGenre: Paranormal Romance


Angels and demons are not what you think. They are aliens, and the Midworlders are their representatives on Earth.

Soren is a Midworlder who has no memory of his past. His present life is one of torture where the alien Liliath experiments on him.Anne is a young woman who has never fitted in. All her life she has had dreams of angels. When she is kidnapped, she is offered an escape by Soren. Can she trust him when he has visions of death and murder?

On the run from her kidnappers, the two of them will have to overcome their differences or the future of the whole world will be at stake.


Soren bent down and gently moved the woman’s hair back with his finger. It was her. Even with her eyes closed he could tell. The woman in the darkness really existed and was here. She opened her eyes wide with what he could only imagine to be utter fear as she stared at him.

She shuffled back on the bed, and up against the wall. Her eyes glanced past him to the door like a frightened rabbit caught in the headlights of a car.

“Where am I? Who the hell are you?”

“My names, Soren. You’re at the Adelaide Enclave for Demonic Midworlders. How did you get into my dream? You called for help.”

She shook her head then stared beyond him again. Soren could sense the heat of someone standing behind him. Virgil stood by the door with his arms folded across his chest. The stillness didn’t last long as the giant of a man stormed across and yanked him from the room. Soren could see the woman crawl to the end of the bed. She was going to make a run for it. Virgil glared back at her.

“I would stay put if I was you. I can tie you to the bed if I have to. In fact, I think I’d enjoy it.”

Soren glanced back at the woman for a second. She crawled back up to the top of the bed again. She mouthed one word to him, as he read her lips.

Help.


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Unknown Protector
Two things have helped Nicole cope since the murder of her husband. One is running her detective agency, and the other is her guardian angel, Mira. When Mira is killed by a demon, Nicole accepts the help of a Ridge, a long-haired, cigar-smoking diamond in the rough with wings. Things go from bad to worse when a replacement guardian cannot be found. She has to trust Ridge, which is tricky when she realizes there are no demons or angels, just parasitic aliens that humans have built the myths of these celestial beings around. Ridge isn’t an angel or a devil, but an alien half breed known as a Midworlder. He is also way too sexy for his own good.

Scarred Protector
Angels and demons are not what you think. They are aliens, and the Midworlders are their representatives on Earth. Heath is an Angelic Midworlder with a tortured past where he could not save the woman he loved. Evie is a woman haunted by a dark presence in her mind that allows her to see the angels and demons around her. Heath saves her when she is attacked by Demonic Midworlders but will he fail her like he has others before? These two tortured souls are connected by the past, a past that has left an evil lurking inside Evie that could kill them both.




I live in Adelaide, Australia with my husband, one cat, two dogs and a snake. I have a motorbike that I would like to ride more than I do and I love walking at the beach and listening to the waves.  I've always loved reading all forms of fiction from high fantasy and paranormal to contemporary and decided the stories in my head needed to be written down. It was either that or start on medication. Unlike many, I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer until a few years back.  I started off doing a degree in drama but soon realized my love was in writing, though there is a play lurking somewhere on my computer. My day job is as a nurse in the operating room. I believe romance can be fun to read and write but it’s exciting to spice it up with the uncertainty that comes with suspense where the rules can be broken.

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