R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 11
November 4, 2022
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Don't You Forget About Me by Naima Simone
Don’t You Forget About Me
Naima Simone
(Love on the Radio, #2)
Publication date: November 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Whoever said be careful what you wish for had a serious gift for understatement.
As one of the world’s hugest musicians I’d seen and had it all. Sold out tours. Awards. Fame. Money. Women… And I’d almost lost it all. Epically.
Now I’m back home. A broken, burned out, desperate rock star…and a single father. I returned to give my son a family, stability. To figure out my life. But coming home meant seeing her.
The woman who was once my everything. Who made life in this too small town bearable. Who I loved with my whole heart…my whole body. But long held secrets forced me to leave nine years ago. Forced me to abandon her. And she’s never forgiven me.
Still…
I’ve never forgotten her or the heat between us that burned so hot we damn near went up in flames with it. And I want it again. And again. Even knowing the past will only tear us apart once more…
—
SNEAK PEEK:
I enter Hunt Auto’s breakroom, closing the door behind us. As soon as the lock engages, Lennon whirls around, and I shift my gaze from her infuriated glare to over her head.
Just for a minute.
Because Jesus… She’s f*cking gorgeous.
My fingers itch to sink into those beautiful, thick curls, hold her steady while I desecrate that wide, lush mouth. The knit of her dress pays homage to every curve and dip of her body, molding to her high, firm breasts, the sensual flare of her hips, the thickness of her thighs. And fUck if I can’t feel the heels of her knee-high boots in my lower back.
At twenty I’d barely had the opportunity to explore the searing sexuality and lust that had existed between us before I had to leave. Barely had my fill of that violets and musk scent that was more intoxicating than the best top-shelf alcohol. My stomach aches with hunger for a woman whose particular flavor is still as fresh, as potent to me as it was ten years ago.
“What in the hell are you thinking?” she snaps, then flicks her gaze towards the closed door. She lowers her voice without losing any of the venom. “Do you know what you just did?”
“Yeah.” I drag my gaze from the wall and meet hers. Not daring to glance below her chin. No, f*ck that. Her nose. “I stopped you from driving while you were upset. And don’t try lying to me,” I interrupt when her lips part to do just that—lie. “You were upset. Still are. Don’t ask me to see you hurting and walk away, whether it’s my business or not. Don’t ask me to do it.”
“Why not?” She jerks her gaze back to me, and I go solid. “You do it so well. You’re a pro at it.”
I stare at her. At the tautness of the skin over her cheekbones. The darkness in her eyes. She’s a bomb set on emotional detonate, and the masochist that I am, I want all that shrapnel embedded in my skin. I want her to draw my blood.
“Don’t stop now. Let it out, baby. You’re right. I left you. Didn’t look back. Didn’t give a f*ck,” I lie.
“You don’t give a f*ck about anyone but yourself. You never did. You used me and then threw me away,” she rasps.
“Yeah, I did. Now what?” I keep shoving at her, even though guilt slides through me like filth. “You want me to apologize? To crawl on my knees and grovel? To beg?”
“Yes.” Her whisper echoes in the room as if she shouted it. “I want to see you hurt, sorry, suffering. Just like when you left me broken. You didn’t give a damn then so don’t pretend you do now. Nothing about you has changed, King. Not one thing. And I hate you for it. I hate you for not once looking back at the wreckage you left behind you. I hate you for going on with life and living it like I never mattered while I had to face reminders and memories of you every time I walked out my front door. I hate you…” Her voice hoarsens, and she crosses her arms over her chest, bowing her head. “I hate you because you gave another woman what you promised me. A family. Gunner could’ve been ours. Should’ve been ours. But you stole one more dream from me.”
F*ck.
F*ck.
It doesn’t occur to me not to touch her.
Eliminating the space between us, I pull her into my arms.
“King, don’t…” Her whisper ends on a sob, and I tighten my hold on her, pressing my lips to her hair.
“No. I can’t. There’s no way I can let you go right now.” I inhale her, take her so deep into my lungs, her scent burns me, marks me. Rubbing my mouth over her hair, I beg just like she wanted me to. “Let go, Len. Let go and allow me to be the one who carries you through it. Lean on me, baby. Just for a little while.”
Her fists ball into my shirt, stretching the material at my waist. She rolls her forehead against my chest, and her jagged breaths scorch me through my clothes. I slide a hand up her spine, cupping the back of her neck, squeezing it.
As if that unlocks something inside her, her shoulders shake and seconds later, her cries rip through the room. She crushes her cheek against me, and her tears dampen my shirt and skin. Stroking her back with one hand, I cradle her head with the other, fingers tunneling under the bun to scratch her scalp.
How long she sobs in my arms, I’m not certain. Minutes, hours. A lifetime. It’s not long enough. Curling my body over her, I brush my mouth over her ear.
“I left, yes. But I did look back. So many damn times. And never, ever did I stop giving a f*ck,” I softly admit.
Her breath shudders against my chest, and locking down a groan, I lift my hands to her face, tilting it back. Her eyes, moist with all the tears she’s shed, meet mine. Even with her face wet and swollen, she’s beautiful to me.
“Liar,” she accuses, voice so rough, it’s nearly painful to hear. “You’re such a liar.”
Then she raises on her toes and crushes her mouth to mine.
Author Bio:
Published since 2009, USA Today Bestselling author Naima Simone loves writing sizzling romances with heart, a touch of humor, and snark. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and described as balancing “crackling, electric love scenes with exquisitely rendered characters caught in emotional turmoil.”
She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter
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—
November 3, 2022
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Ex Appeal by Cathy Yardley
Ex Appeal
Cathy Yardley
(Ponto Beach Reunion, #3)
Publication date: November 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A hacker and a fixer—who just happen to be high school exes—reunite to help each other out in this witty second-chance romance from the author of Love, Comment, Subscribe.
Vinh Doan has a problem. Ten million of them, in fact. He’s a high-level fixer for global conglomerates, which means big money…and big troubles. When ten million dollars go missing from one of his accounts, he needs a top-notch hacker to find it. His first thought? Emily MacDonald, his high school ex.
While Vinh has been taking the financial world by storm, Emily has been struggling. After her dad died, she dropped out of college and put her dreams aside. Her job in tech support has seriously tested her sunny disposition and her finances. Now, there’s an unexpected solution: Vinh, the guy who dumped her when she needed him most.
When Emily finally lets herself listen to Vinh’s request, she realizes that this is a desperately needed chance to get paid…and get payback. But the more time they spend together, the more they recognize that even though they’re not the same people they were a decade ago, their off the charts attraction is just as strong as ever. As they give in to their simmering chemistry, can Emily and Vinh let go of their past, figure out their futures—and hack a second chance at love?
—
SNEAK PEEK:
The man answering the door was taller than her, with jet black hair in a short, stylish cut, and obsidian eyes framed by mile-long sooty eyelashes. Cheekbones you could probably chisel marble with. His broad shoulders filled the hell out of – she swallowed hard – a gray Henley long-sleeved shirt, with the sleeves pushed up to reveal some really hot forearms. He was wearing a pair of worn jeans that completed the look. She could feel her mouth go dry. Holy hotness, this man is…
Wait.
She shook her head, then blinked. “Vinh?” she croaked.
He nodded, staring at her intensely. Just like she remembered. “Hello, Em,” he said, and his voice did that rumbly low baritone that had melted her for years.
Her first love.
Her first heartbreak.
And the one man she was not expecting to see here today.
She dropped the pie. Then she turned and, without one ounce of shame, ran.
Author Bio:
Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right.
She likes writing about quirky, crazy adventures, because she's had plenty of her own: she had her own army in the Society of Creative Anachronism; she spent a New Year's on a three-day solitary vision quest in the Mojave Desert; she had VIP access to the Viper Room in Los Angeles.
Now, she spends her time writing in the wilds of East Seattle, trying to prevent her son from learning the truth of any of said adventures, and riding herd on her two dogs (and one husband.)
Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Amazon
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Revenge Honeymoon by K.J. Gillenwater
Revenge Honeymoon
K.J. Gillenwater
Publication date: October 30th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
What happens in the Caribbean, stays in the Caribbean…
Emily Small has a big heart, a loud mouth, and a terrible taste in men. She’s used to living in her perfect best friend Ruby’s shadow – but when Ruby is left devastated at the altar, Emily becomes desperate to save her friend from heartache… and salvage their non-refundable cruise!
Emily hatches an ingenious plan to soothe Ruby’s broken heart by island-hopping together as an act of revenge. There’s only one teensy problem: the cruise is for newlyweds only. Naturally, they have a solution. They’ll pretend to be a married couple!
But their ten days of fun are about to spiral into a crazy, messy adventure that risks leaving a few hearts broken along the way – because when Emily bumps into the ship’s hot photographer, Max Keeling, she begins to wish she could rethink their arrangement. If her deception gets discovered, would they boot her off the boat? But Emily can’t keep her hands to herself, and her cruise fling could bring everything crashing down.
How can she support her best friend at the worst moment in her life while pursuing an out-of-her-league guy in the Caribbean? And can she somehow find a way to have the best of both worlds?
As a hilarious, sexy, and heartwarming read that strikes the perfect balance between feel-good emotions and laugh-out-loud humor, Revenge Honeymoon is a fun and memorable romantic comedy that you won’t be able to put down. Grab your copy today!
Note: This book was originally released on Kindle Vella in serialized format. This version has been edited with an additional epilogue added.
—
EXCERPT:
“That was Tyler,” Emily gulped. Her mouth so dry she wished she had a bucketful of water to drink. “He’s not coming.” Her voice dropped to a bare whisper.
The cousins gasped and clutched one another in horror.
The make-up artist, who had been waiting to do final touch-ups, packed up her case in a flash and squeaked out of the room without a word.
Ruby’s eyes widened, her mouth formed an ‘o,’ and her body vibrated a fine tremor. “Oh no, was he in an accident? I told him not to drive himself. I’ve read so many stories about brides and grooms getting in accidents on the way to the church. Nerves, they said. Should I go to him? Where is he? Was he driving his father’s car or the rental? I hope he wasn’t driving the rental. We have to make it to our suite at the Hilton tonight, and I really don’t want to take an Uber. Or have my father drive. Oh, that would be so embarrassing.”
“Ruby.” Emily grasped her friend’s arm, the fine Mikado silk cool under her fingers. A long-sleeved dress for a late fall wedding maybe was too warm for the Tampa location, but it had been so gorgeous on her friend’s slender body there had been no other choice at the bridal boutique. “He’s calling off the wedding.”
Nausea soured Emily’s stomach.
Why did she have to be the one who picked up the phone?
One of the cousins burst into tears.
Ruby stood stock still in the middle of the bride’s dressing room. “But—”
Rhonda Madison Evers entered wearing a royal blue mother-of-the-bride dress covered in sequins. “My darling. The make-up artist told me the news. How could that man be so cruel?” She curved her arms around her only daughter.
“Mom, I don’t understand. How could he not be coming?” Ruby crumpled to the floor.
“You’ll crush your dress!” Mrs. Evers gasped and knelt beside her. She yanked at her daughter’s arm as if her will alone would lift up the one-hundred-twenty-five-pound woman and her ten pounds of underskirts and heavy fabric. “We can still return it.”
“No, we can’t. It’s been altered.” The bride spoke in a monotone.
“Well,” said Mrs. Evers, “there’s always eBay or Craigslist, I suppose.”
“Facebook Marketplace is better,” mumbled a cousin.
Mrs. Evers shot daggers in the woman’s direction.
“I need to talk to him.” The bride snapped her fingers at Emily. “Get Tyler on the phone. I will just demand that he come.”
Emily gulped and bit at her lower lip, then got up the courage to tell her best friend since grade school the worst thing a best friend could say. “Tyler doesn’t want to get married. Do you really want to force a man to marry you, Rubes?”
“But he promised me. He gave me this ring.” Ruby held out her hand for the cousins, her mother, Emily, and now the florist who’d arrived with her wedding bouquet. A gorgeous pear-shaped 2 ½ carat diamond decorated her left ring finger. “Would he have given me this ring if he didn’t want to marry me?”
“He doesn’t want to marry you, Rubes.” Emily knelt and put an arm around her friend. The bride sagged against her.
The florist quietly set the bridal bouquet on a chair and scrambled for the door.
Emily led Ruby to an empty chair and her mother sat beside her. “He’s an awful man. A terrible, mean, awful man. Who would do that to my little girl?” Mrs. Evers took her daughter by the hand and gripped it tightly.
“Ow, mother, that hurts.” Ruby pulled her hand out of her mother’s grasp and began to nibble on her freshly manicured nails. “What do we do about the guests?”
“Your father is telling them now,” Mrs. Evers reassured her.
“What will we do about the reception?” Ruby pulled the veil out of her hair.
“We’re inviting everyone to meet us over there,” her mother answered. “We’ve already paid for the hall, the food, the entertainment. We might as well have a party, don’t you think, darling?”
“What will we do about the honeymoon?” Ruby kicked off her satin heels and rubbed her toes.
“Well, I guess you’ll have to cancel,” sighed Mrs. Evers. “Maybe they’ll give you credit.”
“No, wait, I have a better idea,” said Emily.
And that’s when the revenge honeymoon took shape. That very moment. And Emily Small’s life would never be the same.
Author Bio:
K. J. Gillenwater has a B.A. in English and Spanish from Valparaiso University and an M.A. in Latin American Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara. She worked as a Russian linguist in the U.S. Navy, spending time at the National Security Agency doing secret things. After six years of service, she ended up as a technical writer in the software industry. She has lived all over the U.S. and currently resides in Wyoming with her family where she runs her own business writing government proposals and squeezes in fiction writing when she can. In the winter she likes to ski and snowshoe; in the summer she likes to garden with her husband, take walks with her dog, and explore the Big Horn Mountains. She has written multiple books and plans on writing more.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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—
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Enchanted Bungalow by Eva Pohler
The Enchanted Bungalow
Eva Pohler
(The Mystery House Series, #9)
Publication date: October 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Mystery
Ellen and her friends never saw this coming.
During a Twilight tour of Forks, Washington, Ellen, Sue, and Tanya rent a bungalow on Quileute land to celebrate Tanya’s sixtieth birthday. They’re having the time of their lives until strange visions make them question everything they know about the afterlife. Can the three best friends uncover the mystery of the Machiavellian spirit sharing their bungalow?
Here’s what readers are saying about this series:
“Slightly wacky ladies, humor & good intentions result in a very interesting story. I’ve already ordered the second one in the series.”–Lynne J. Condon, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
“They begin a dangerous quest digging into the real history behind the Gold House. What they find will blow your mind! My heart was racing throughout this entire book. If you believe in ghosts or even if you don’t, I suggest reading by a lamp. I jumped several times as if a movie were playing inside my mind. . . . The three women in this book are wonderful. This is definitely a must-read. 5 stars for Eva! Well done!!”–Book Lover Reviews ★★★★★
“This is a real page turner. Riveting, and exciting. The characters are very well written, it’s easy to read and you won’t want to put it down.”–Southermermaid85, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
“This is my first experience with author Eva Pohler and I can’t believe I haven’t read anything of hers before! Loved the book and I’ll be checking out more in this series.”–The Novel Lady, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
Described as “Nancy Drew meets The Golden Girls,” these friends get in way over their heads as they try to bring peace to ghosts haunting their most recent flip project or vacation rental.
**The books in this series can be read in any order.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play
—
EXCERPT:
Two days later, Ellen flew with Moseby to Seattle, where she rented an SUV—a white Nissan Rogue—and drove in the dark and through the rain for three hours toward La Push. The last two hours were on winding roads that had Ellen gripping the steering wheel and clenching her teeth.
Moseby whined. He sat in a carrier strapped in the front passenger seat.
“I know, Moseby-Mo. It’s been a long car ride, but I think we’re nearly there.”
Brian had business meetings in Portland all week, and Ellen hadn’t wanted to board the dog, worried it would cause post-traumatic stress disorder. Plus, she needed him, since she was traveling without her friends, hoping to get everything ready to save Tanya’s birthday.
It was so dark and rainy in La Push when she arrived that she nearly missed the turn into the Oceanside Resort Office. She pulled in, put the rental in park, found the totem pole Dorothy had described, and, clutching her hood beneath her chin, used the phone inside the totem to telephone security.
“I’ll be right there,” a man on the other end of the line assured her.
Moments later, a black truck approached, and a police officer rolled down his window to hand her a key.
“Are you staying there alone?” he asked as she stood in the rain beside his truck. “I thought there were three of you. My paperwork shows three signatures.”
Ellen and her friends had been asked to sign, scan, and email liability waivers.
“The other two will be joining me in a couple of days.”
The officer frowned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, staying there alone? Dorothy told you about the history of the place, didn’t she?”
“I’ll be fine.” Ellen sounded more confident than she felt. “I just need directions.”
“It’s up there on the highest hill,” he pointed out. “Just follow this road on up. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you,” Ellen said.
“Let us know if you decide to leave early,” the officer added, handing her his card with his contact information. “The cell service is spotty out here, but you can always drive over to the totem and call me from here.”
“Will do.” Ellen read the card. “Thank you, Officer Hobucket.”
The officer waited until Ellen had returned to the SUV before he drove off. She said a prayer as she followed him from the parking area and back onto the road in the opposite direction, heading toward the beach, until she came to a fork. The road to the right went downhill and the road to the left went up, so she went left.
“This has to be it,” she said to Mo as they neared a bungalow surrounded by enormous western red cedar trees, the silhouettes of which were visible in her headlights.
She parked the Nissan Rogue and took Moseby from his carrier. With his leash attached to his collar, she walked him toward the front door. It was too dark to make out much about its features. An old porchlight illuminated the front door and wooden porch, but not much else. She couldn’t even tell what color it was painted. Maybe gray?
As she waited for Mo to do his business, she turned her face toward the ocean, but it was too dark to see. She could hear it, though, gathering in great bursts against rocks that must not be too far below. A glance to the dark sky above revealed no moon, but an ocean of stars twinkled down at her, and she felt suddenly small and nervous.
“Come on, Moseby-Mo.” She nudged her dog from the grass toward the front door. “Let’s check out the inside.”
Dorothy had warned her that it hadn’t been cleaned in years, and the stale air that greeted her when Ellen opened the door did nothing to contradict that.
Moseby whined at the stoop.
“Inside,” Ellen commanded as she blindly felt the wall for a switch.
Not finding one, she stepped further into the bungalow, making the leash taut between her and Mo, who’d remained on the threshold.
Ellen’s hand swept across a cobweb, and she gasped with surprise at the unexpected texture. Shuddering and wiping her hand against her jeans, she continued to flail around for a light switch and finally found a floor lamp when she walked right into it.
She dropped the leash by accident to steady the lamp, and Moseby scurried away.
Ellen rushed outside into the rain. “Mo! Come back here!”
Mo stood at their rental car looking back at her without any intention of minding her call.
Fortunately, he didn’t run off as she approached him and scooped him into her arms.
“Why are you shaking, boy?” she said in a soothing voice. “Are you cold? I’ve got you. It’s okay.”
She fumbled for her phone, which was somewhere at the bottom of the purse draped over her shoulder. Once she found it, she turned on the flashlight app and proceeded back toward the house.
When she reached the porch, the front door, which she’d left ajar, slammed shut in her face.
“The wind is really something out here,” Ellen remarked as she reached for the knob.
Author Bio:
Eva Pohler is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty-five novels in multiple genres, including paranormal mysteries, thrillers, and young adult fantasy based on Greek mythology. Her books have been described as "addictive" and "sure to thrill"--Kirkus Reviews.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Youtube
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—
November 2, 2022
B@@K REVEAL: Monica Adams Skips Christmas by Krista Harper
Monica Adams Skips Christmas
Krista Harper
Publication date: November 29th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, Holiday, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance
Nineteen-year-old engineering student Monica Adams is excited to be back home in the Windy City for Christmas, even if she’s planning to tell her parents she’s dropping out of college. But when her longtime boyfriend unexpectedly dumps her, her elderly grandfather moves in, and her parents are too busy working to notice she’s home, Monica decides she’s skipping the holidays this year. It isn’t until she begins spending time with her neighbor Paige that things take a turn towards yuletide glee.
Eighteen-year-old Paige Yoshida is an art student, local bookseller and self-proclaimed Christmas fanatic. She’s also lived upstairs from Monica since they were kids and may have had a secret crush on her during high school.
As the countdown to Christmas continues, Monica and Paige find themselves unexpectedly spending more and more time together. Will the two take a chance on love this holiday season, or will they ignore their building chemistry and keep things strictly friends?
Author Bio:
Krista Harper is a contemporary romance and romantic comedy writer. She also publishes non-fiction books on writing under the pseudonym K.L. Harper.
The first in her family to attend college, Harper received a practical degree in nursing before pursuing her MFA over two decades later, graduating as a distinguished scholar from Southern New Hampshire University.
A Chicago native, Harper currently resides in the Colorado mountains with her family and five rescues. When she isn't reading or writing, she's binge-watching the Great British Baking Show and dreaming of summer on the lake.
Website / Pinterest / Instagram / Amazon / TikTok
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Storms and Embers by C.D. Britt
Storms and Embers
C.D. Britt
(The Reign of Goddesses, #3)
Publication date: November 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Archon of Zephyr.Queen of the Goddesses.A Broken Woman.Hera has reigned over Olympus and humanity for millennia. Seen as cold, sarcastic, and callous, she uses this to her advantage, keeping everyone, including her sisters, at a distance. It’s a lonely life, but it worked, until the Titans decided that breaking her father out of Tartarus was a good idea. A move that put her and her sisters against the Titans in a battle for their thrones upon Olympus.
Dr. Viktor Alden understands being alone. As a man who has spent his immortal life as a nomad, living with an oath that has kept him from allowing anyone to really know him, he is fascinated by the enigmatic woman who quite literally runs the world. Too bad they have a battle they may not win, or even live through, for him to learn the intricacies that make up the Queen of the Goddesses.
Now, two people who have spent their entire lives distrusting the world must learn to trust each other if they want to survive the upcoming war.
Storms and Embers is the final book in the Reign of Goddesses series.TW: violence, cursing, adult situations.
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SNEAK PEEK:
A horrible scream rent the air, stilling Hera in the middle of the dirt pathway. Before she could move forward, another piercing scream followed on the heels of the first. This time, she knew the voice as it begged their father to stop.
Ignoring her instincts to run in the opposite direction, to find her mother, she ran to the great tree that grew next to her home. She clambered up the tree, her skin scraping on the bark as her limbs climbed from memory.
When she reached the branch that overlooked the window near the hearth, she looked into the house, squinting in the dim light of morning. As she leaned forward, she lost her grip on the branch and barely caught herself. Steadying her hold, Hera held her breath and watched for movement.
She could see a hand, blood streaming from it, grapple with the edge of the window. Black hair and a tear-streaked face entered her view as her sister pulled herself up.
Persephone.
Catching a glimpse of her in the tree, Persephone found her gaze and mouthed, “Run.”
Hera’s heart raced. Run? Run where? To whom? How could she run when something was so, so wrong?
Her sister, her serious and beautiful sister, slumped forward, unconscious. The slight movement of her hair against her mouth from her shallow breaths was the only indication that she was still alive at all.
The fear that crowded her mind was intense, and Hera began to tremble, nearly losing her grip again. All she could see was Persephone not moving and covered in blood. Suddenly, a thump and several screams rang in her ears. Screams she knew would haunt all her days. High screams. Young screams. And deep, wordless shouts of a man’s rage.
It was the silence that followed that punched her into action.
Turning, she scrambled down the tree and ran to the wheat fields where she had left her mother chatting. Her feet pounded the earth as she ran the fastest she’d ever moved, tripping over vines in her haste. She ignored the pain of the rocks digging into her flesh, desperate to get to her mother.
Before she could reach Mother at the end of the path, a large figure emerged from the line of trees ahead of her. A chill ran up Hera’s spine, and she dug her heels into the dirt, pivoting to hide behind a fallen log as she watched her father step out into the road. Her thoughts raced— how had he gotten to the road before her?
Father raised his hand, revealing in his grip a knife dripping with blood. She knew at that moment her sisters were dead.
He rotated slowly, his eyes scanning the tree line.
“Hera, Hera, Hera,” he called out in a sing-song voice. “I saw you running, dearest. I know you are here. Come on out and talk to me.”
Her stomach dropped through to the earth below at his bold lie. She knew her father did not want to talk.
Crouching, she quietly moved to the end of the log, keeping herself as covered as possible by the bracken around her, and the road in sight. Father was on one end and her mother, farther down in the opposite direction. Could Mother see him yet? Would she look over and see Father in this mad state?
Hera knew she was taking a risk getting her mother’s attention, but she had to do something before Father found her.
She backed deeper into the woods, careful not to step on fallen leaves and twigs. Father paced the road, knife still in hand. If she could get closer to her mother…
Snap.
Dread struck her chest as her father whirled toward the sound with stunning speed, and Hera’s heart raced. She’d been able to get closer to her mother by creeping through the undergrowth, but had she gotten close enough?
It would have to do. As her father started in her direction, Hera burst out into the road.
“Mother!” she cried out, straightening and preparing to run to her. Her mother turned abruptly, her smile faltering as she caught sight of the murderous presence behind Hera.
In a split second, her mother disappeared, only to reappear beside her. Stunned, Hera faltered and blinked at the empty space where her mother had been as she pushed Hera behind her. She fell to her hands and knees as her mother widened her stance, standing like a wall between Hera and her father.
Her mind spun. Her mother’s speed. Her father’s rampage. The sight of her sister’s bloody hand and the sound of their screams. Hera was confused by all of it.
“You swore they were human,” he growled.
Human? Of course, they were human. What else could they be? Was there something about her parents that she and her sisters had not known?
Author Bio:
C.D. Britt began her writing journey when her husband told her she needed to use her excessive imagination to write stories as opposed to creating a daily narrative for him. Ever since she penned her first words, life has been a lot more peaceful for him.
She currently resides in Texas where she has yet to adapt to the heat. Her husband thrives in it, so unfortunately they will not be relocating to colder climates anytime soon.
Their two young children would honestly complain either way.
When she is not in her writing cave (hiding from the sun), she enjoys ignoring the world as much as her children will allow with a good book, music, and vast amounts of coffee (until it’s time for wine).
C.D. Britt is the author of Shadows and Vines and the upcoming book, Sirens and Leviathans. Both books are part of the Reign of Goddesses series.
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November 1, 2022
NEW RELEASE: SauraCorps: Salvation by Derek Borne
ƬIMΣ ƬӨ ЯIFƬ 
ꜱᴀᴜʀᴀᴄᴏʀᴘꜱ.
ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴀ ᴄʀɪᴍɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴛ ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʀᴀꜰꜰɪᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴅɪɴᴏꜱᴀᴜʀꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇꜰᴏʀᴍᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ɴᴏᴡ ꜰɪɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀ ꜱᴇᴇᴍɪɴɢʟʏ ꜰᴜᴛɪʟᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴅɪɴᴏꜱᴀᴜʀꜱ ꜱᴀꜰᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴇʏᴇ.
ʜɪɢʜ ꜱᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ɢʀᴀᴅꜱ, ᴋᴀᴍʀᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠɪᴠɪᴇɴɴᴇ, ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱʜɪᴘ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴜꜱ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴠᴀᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.
ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴀ ᴅᴏᴅᴏ ʙɪʀᴅ ᴡᴀᴅᴅʟᴇꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟɪᴠᴇꜱ.
ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴜꜱᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴘʀᴇʜɪꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴄ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴜꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ꜰᴏʀ ɴᴇꜰᴀʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏꜱᴇꜱ ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇꜱ ᴀ ʀɪꜰᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴇɴꜱ.
ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴋᴀᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠɪᴠ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪɴᴏꜱᴀᴜʀꜱ…ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍꜱᴇʟᴠᴇꜱ?
If you still need Dino-Rift (the book that started it all) you can grab it there as well or here: https://mybook.to/Dino-Rift
And learn more about Canadian author Derek Born here: https://linktr.ee/DerekBorneAuthor
#newrelease #scifibooks #ya #canadianauthor #amwriting #booksbooksbooks #dinosaurs #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookrecommendations #bookstack #bookseries #bookish #readmorebooks #reading #readersofinstagram #timetorift
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Upon a Wicked Tide by Kate Craft
Upon a Wicked Tide
Kate Craft
Publication date: October 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
In a world of sirens, pirates and unspeakable danger, one might crave a quiet life on the Garden Isle…but not this blue-eyed girl.
Upon the death of her guardians, Emerelda Mirabel comes to inherit three curious things:
A book…
Not a diary or fable, but something almost sentient. This riddlesome book hums with power, each page offering strange warnings and temptations…Perhaps speaking to a future already written?
A desire…
Adventure calls to the young captain, a hunger for something more than a simple fisherwoman’s life. Upon her ship, The King’s Arcana, she will sail the eight seas, venturing to strange lands with strangers amongst her crew. But at what cost?
A heartless prince…
Seemingly cursed with no heart, Prince Ryder could not care less about his kingdom, his family or even life itself. But when the king insists his son travel with Emery to find a cure for the affliction, something finally stirs within. Something he cannot explain. Something binding him to the blue-eyed girl.
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Author Bio:
Hello!
If you're really curious, here's a little about me.
I am an emerging writer of fantasy romance. With CHAOS FORGED A FABLE, I will be debuting into the world of published authors with nothing but excitement and an arsenal of future projects waiting to be brought to life.
I studied at the University of Roehampton, graduating in 2014 with a BSc in Psychology and Criminology. Growing up, I was lucky enough to live and travel around the world on various trips and expeditions. This experience has bled into my books, offering adventure and excitement.
I have two partners in crime. The first is my fiancé, who will remain a mystery for the foreseeable future. The second is my fur-baby, Bodhi, the beautiful fox-red Labrador! Together we live in the perpetually dreary United Kingdom.
Check out my website for more info on books, giveaways and blog updates!
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Hate, Rinse, Repeat by Whitney Dineen & Melanie Summers
Hate, Rinse, Repeat
Whitney Dineen & Melanie Summers
(A Gamble on Love Mom-Com, #3)
Publication date: October 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Christmas is a time for hate…
Maisy Moore is not looking forward to the holiday season. As owner of the only hair salon in Gamble, Alaska, she’ll be run off her feet helping her clients get dolled up for Christmas and New Years Eve parties. Parties she’ll never be invited to.
But that’s not the worst of it. As a single mom, she knows she still won’t be able to give her seven-year-old son, Jack, the kind of magical Christmas his classmates get. Telling him how much she loves him will only get a kid that age so far. If only she could give him what he really wants—to know who his dad is.
The last thing Maisy needs is for NHL star Chase Evans to come waltzing back into town like he’s God’s gift to women. But that’s exactly what Chase does.
After a taking a crosscheck from behind, Chase’s season is over. Instead of scoring goals, he’s recovering from shoulder surgery, and according to his mother, there’s no better place to recover than home. Because let’s face it, basking in the glow of local adoration won’t be too bad. There are no fans quite like hometown fans.
The last thing Chase expects is to find Maisy Moore still single. He decides to see if maybe they could rekindle their brief romance that occurred the night of their ten-year high school reunion. But when he tries to talk to her, he discovers Maisy’s feelings of lust have turned to loathing. And he’s determined to find out why.
Will Maisy manage to keep the identity of her son a secret? Will there be a holiday miracle that will reunite two hard-headed lovers? Will the BOGO special on shampoo and conditioner be a hit?
Find out in the deliciously funny and ridiculously romantic final installment of the Love is a Gamble Mom-Com Series.
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EXCERPT:
Childhood can be hard at the best of times. But when your name rhymes with crazy, lazy, hazy, daisy, and Swayze—as in Patrick—it’s worse than you can imagine. Here are a few phrases I heard ad nauseum during my formative years:
“It’s crazy Maisy with the lazy eye!” Corrective glasses fixed the eye, but there’s no coming back from such an abysmal start to your school years. Kind of like if you wore a body brace in middle school, you will always be the girl who wore the body brace in middle school. And if you wore a body brace and had a lazy eye? It was no picnic, let me tell you.
An actual allergy to allergy medication—you can’t make this stuff up—was to blame for my third-grade teacher often complaining, “Maisy was a little hazy today.”
I have Dr. Seuss to thank for, “It’s Daisy Head Maisy!” That’s right, his first posthumous book was gunning for me. I turned down free tickets to Seussical (the musical) because of it.
Finally, my least favorite and most often heard—thank you, Chase Evans—“Maisy Swayzeee, wassup?!” This one was often accompanied by, “Nobody puts Maisy in the corner.”
Being that I live in the town where I grew up, I’m often reminded of my past nicknames. Owning the only hair salon in Gamble, Alaska, means old classmates and their mothers are always hanging around (and bringing their hilarious memories of me with them—Remember that time your back brace got caught in the monkey bars?).
If having a challenging start to life wasn’t enough, I’ve made one or two questionable decisions along the way that have added to my troubles. The first being that the father of my son does not know he’s the father of my son.
I know, I know, “secret baby” is by far the worst romance trope. As romance novels are my only social life, I read a ton of them. And even before I got pregnant with Jack, I always passed on the secret baby ones. I mean, who keeps a secret that big?
Short answer—me. But I have my reasons. More on that later because I’ve got much bigger problems these days.
Author Bio:
Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order.
Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.
She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.
Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.
Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.
Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.
Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.
Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017
Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017
Author links
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.
Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.
In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).
Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.
She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.
Author links
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October 31, 2022
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Temporarily in Love by Danica Flynn
Temporarily In Love
Danica Flynn
(MacGregor Brothers Brewing Company, #3)
Publication date: October 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
I’ve never loved someone quite like my high school sweetheart. But she shattered my heart to pieces when she moved to California for college and never came back.
Now she’s back in Drakesville and for the first time in sixteen years, I’ve come face-to-face with the only woman I’ve ever loved. Kissing her was a bad idea. Spending countless nights tangled in my sheets was an even worse idea.
She’s only here long enough to make sure her parents’ bar stays afloat. I can’t get attached, when I know she’s just going to leave again.
And I know I’m not reason enough to make her stay.
Temporarily In Love is a small-town second chance autumn-themed romance book. If you love fall and Halloween, you’ll love this book.
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SNEAK PEEK:
Declan’s dark eyes seared across the length of my body like he remembered all the times he had stripped me out of my clothes. He always did like the knee-high boots I wore during the fall.
“You cold?” he asked.
I nodded. “Been in California too long.”
He shed his zip-up hoodie and put it over my shoulders. “Here.”
A memory of this exact scene played through my mind’s eye. Of me not wearing proper attire because I wanted to dress cute for him and him giving me his jacket. But that was sixteen-year-old Declan and Lila; we weren’t those people anymore.
“Dec…”
“Come on, love, let’s go on the zipper,” he said and took my hand.
I didn’t question his slip up. The old pet name rolled off his tongue like it hadn’t been sixteen years since I broke his heart. Like I hadn’t stood in his driveway all those years ago and told him I got accepted to Stanford and wasn’t going with him to Penn State. I told him I wanted to break up, because long-distance relationships never worked, but I’d always love him. That part had been true, was still true, but I never came back to him. I went to California and stayed there while he stayed in our gossipy small town and made a name for himself.
The pad of his thumb brushed against the back of my palm. “Love?”
“Right. Let’s go on the zipper!” I said excitedly, pulling myself away from the trip down memory lane.
We walked over to the ride and waited in line for a few minutes, but neither of us wanted to sever the connection of our hands. I wondered if he was thinking about all the times we had done this before. Of those times back in high school when he was the one dragging me toward the rides. Adult Declan was quiet and reserved, and I couldn’t get a read on him. He wasn’t the boy I fell in love with, but yet, at the same time, he was.
He led me into the cage and made sure I was seated before he slid in next to me. We pulled the lap bar down, and the ride operator clicked us in before shutting us inside the metal cage. We were pressed so close together, I felt his thigh against my own.
I didn’t know why I did it, but I turned to him and found he was staring back at me intensely. He didn’t jerk back when I brushed my lips against his. He threaded his hands through my hair, one of them gripping my neck possessively as he deepened the kiss. We kissed like we hadn’t forgotten, like it hadn’t been years since we were pressed together. We still fit so perfectly.
Then the ride lurched, and I pulled away to grab onto the handlebar above my head as we moved upwards. We screamed our heads off as our cage flipped us around. I held onto Declan’s arm when the ride took us up to its full height and then brought us back down to the ground, all the while flipping us upside down in our cage.
I felt dizzy by the time we were back on the ground, and the ride operator opened the cage for us. Declan got out first, then offered me a hand when I stumbled out.
He studied me. “Okay, love?”
I could only nod.
My heart was doing somersaults, and it wasn’t because I was motion sick from the ride. It was singing with the way this man still turned me inside out. But I couldn’t get ideas like that. I didn’t deserve him after what I did. Not after I had been such a coward and cut him out of my life.
Author Bio:
Danica Flynn is a marketer by day, and a writer by nights and weekends. AKA she doesn't sleep! She is a rabid hockey fan of both The Philadelphia Flyers and the Metropolitan Riveters. When not writing, she can be found hanging with her partner, playing video games, and reading a ton of books.
Visit her at danicaflynn.com for the latest news.
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