R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 110
February 20, 2021
B@@K REVEAL: Guns & Smoke by A. Smith & Lauren Sevier
Guns & Smoke
A. Smith & Lauren Sevier
Publication date: July 10th 2021
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Romance, Western
In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.
Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he’d heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.
Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.
Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
Author Bios:
Abbie Smith is an author of romance novels. She holds a Bachelor's degree in theatre, where she learned the art of storytelling. A lifelong resident of southern Louisiana, she is a lover of coffee, naps, and animals. When not writing, she can be found spending time with her dogs, Klaus and Bree, and her cat, Sirius. Abbie is passionate about mental healthcare and believes that helping others with their own mental health battles is her small way of changing the world. Abbie grew up watching westerns with her grandfather, which partially inspired the setting of her upcoming coauthored debut novel, Guns & Smoke.
Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram--Lauren Sevier lives a simple life in small town Walker, Louisiana with her family and two mischievous dogs. She's a proud firefighter wife and mother to her miracle son, born through IVF after an eight-year battle with infertility. She works full-time for a non-profit hospital in Cardiology caring for the elderly and low-income families all over the state of Louisiana in satellite and outreach clinics. Writing and being in the service of helping others are her two passions in life.
She started writing song lyrics and poems on the front porch swing of her family home nestled amidst a 200-year-old pecan tree orchard that was once part of a Civil War plantation. She's inspired the most by Shakespeare, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, and JK Rowling. Her background in Theatre introduced her to classic British literature, playwrights, and poets from a very young age. This helped her to understand story concepts, dramatization, and character development the way Shakespeare once did, as an actor.
Now her biggest inspiration for writing is her son who, like all children, learns by example. Lauren is determined to set a specific example for him; to live simply, work hard, and to never stop chasing her dreams. Because, one day, you just might catch them.
Author links:Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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BOXSET BLITZ: Love in the City: Limited Edition Romantic Comedy #GIVEAWAY
Love in the City: Limited Edition Romantic Comedy Box Set
Publication date: February 16th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance
Get ready for thirteen heart pounding and laugh out loud rom-coms from thirteen bestselling and award winning authors, including Amazon chart toppers and USA Today bestsellers. Filled with mystery, second chances, soulmates, brother’s best friends, bad boys, nobility, and the cute guy in the cubicle next to you, these stories will captivate you and leave you wishing for more.
Download this limited edition box set while you can and indulge in these sweet and sexy leading men and strong and beautiful heroines while they fall in love in cities around the world.
Sariah Wilson – All’s Fair in Love and War Becky Monson -The Love PotionJennifer Peel – Love the One You’re With Kirsty Greenwood – Love Will Save the DayWhitney Dineen – Love for Sale Aven Ellis – Love, the Viscount, & MeShari L. Tapscott – Little Lost Love Letter Lucy McConnell – Love: Going Up?Kate O’Keeffe – A Very English Love Story Erin Huss – Love, Lies, and Limo RidesMelissa Baldwin – Thanks for the Love Stephanie Fowers – Love at the MasqueradeKathryn R. Biel – Vision of Love
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—
SNEAK PEEKS:
Love For Sale—Whitney Dineen
Even though I don’t devour Hollywood news like a sycophant starlet, I still know who Jonathan Silver is. He’s the head of Ravenswood Films, the movie studio that’s been churning out a crazy-long streak of award-winning films.
“Why does Jonathan Silver want to work with you?” Lucy demands. “And what in the world does he mean by, ‘ready to buy love?’ Are you a madame in disguise?” She sneers the last question in such a way as to suggest that’s the only way someone like Jonathan would choose to work with me.
No one in the office, except for Sky, knows about my talent for matching people to the house that will lead them to true love. It’s not something I advertise and my whole client base comes from word of mouth. One happy customer tells a friend, who tells her sister, and so on. Which leads me to believe that somebody in my Rolodex must know Jonathan Silver.
I smile at Lucy as sincerely as I can before answering, “I have no idea what he meant. I guess I should give him a call and find out.”
The throng around my desk eventually begins to disperse when they realize I’m not going to do that in front of them. The only person who doesn’t leave is my boss, Frederic. The smile on his face radiates nothing short of greed. I assume he’s salivating over the commission we’ll get from whatever house Jonathan buys.
He confirms my suspicions when he says, “Don’t sell him anything under twenty mil. I have four listings right now that you can choose from.”
“Frederic, Jonathan will make up his own mind about which house he wants. I’ll offer to show him your properties, but I can’t guarantee he’ll go for any of them.”
My boss shakes his bald head at me. Frederic looks like a villain from a Masterpiece Theatre show that takes place in Victorian London. He’s short, bald, has a pencil-thin mustache he actually waxes, and his eyes are too close together. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he had a rap sheet a mile long for offenses that include, but aren’t limited to, tying women to train tracks.
“I’m not kidding, Emily. I want you to sell him one of my listings.”
“I’m not kidding either, Frederic. I’ll do my best, but I make no promises.” My boss tolerates my non-deferential attitude, which is good because there’s no way I could fawn all over him like the other girls do. Chris Hemsworth, he’s not.
After Frederic stomps away, Sky scurries over and mouths, “OMG!” Then she leans in and whispers, “Let’s get out of here so we can talk.”
—
Love the One You’re With—Jennifer Peel
“You punched in the wrong code,” I whispered, a bit on edge. I mean, it wasn’t like I was getting ready to sneak into the home of one of the most recognizable women in the country right now. Okay, that was exactly what I was doing.
“Don’t get your panties in a wad, darlin’.” Dallas tried the code again to get into Vivian’s gated community. He had the fanciest car of anyone I knew—a Range Rover. And he was more than willing to help in the heist. Not only was he a troublemaker, but he was willing to do anything in the hope that Jake would move out of his place. I’d warned Dallas this was no guarantee that Jake and I were getting back together. In fact, I hadn’t even told Jake about the video yet. I thought maybe I should get the picture back first and then we should talk face-to-face.
“Don’t fuss at him,” Abs scolded me. “You’ll only make him nervous.”
I rolled my eyes. She was sitting in the front with Dallas, and the two had been flirting nonstop on the drive over here.
Dallas flashed Abs a devilish grin. “I’m excellent under pressure,” he drawled.
Even in the dark, I could see Abs blush. “Is that so? Would you like to prove that to me?”
Oh. My. Hello Kitty. I’d started saying that instead of hell when Maribelle was younger because there was nothing like your six-year-old telling your pastor that he gave a hell of a sermon. “Y’all, we are kind of in the middle of something important here. Can we push pause on the flirtation button?”
“I like the sound of pushing buttons,” Dallas said seductively. “Just tell me where.”
Abs giggled.
I threw up my hands and fell back against the seat. “I can’t deal with you two.”
Dallas turned around and pursed his lips together. “Now, darlin’, don’t go acting like someone licked the red off your candy. I got this under control.” Without looking, he reached out of the car window and punched in the code X had given me. The large wrought iron gate began to swing in, allowing us access to one of the glitziest neighborhoods in Nashville—Forest Hills.
“See, darlin’, I got this.”
I blew out a deep breath. I was glad someone had this under control. I didn’t know why I was doing this. If I wanted to, I could have had the picture reprinted and bought a new frame for Jake. It was just that something about Vivian got under my skin. The way she and the show’s producers manipulated those videos was wrong. They were intentionally hurting people’s lives. The lives I cared most about in the world—Maribelle’s and Jake’s. Even if Jake could be insensitive, I still loved the man. He was my first love, my only love.
—
The Love Potion – Excerpt by Becky Monson
It’s going to be a great day.
I believe this. I’m just having a bad moment. That’s all. One moment will not speak for an entire day.
“What’s that smell?” my coworker Josh asks as soon as he sees me. He’s sitting in his black, ergonomic work chair, leaning back, the cuffs of his pin-striped button-up dress shirt pulling taut as he folds his arms.
My heart is hammering in my head, my face feels flushed—even with the cool Phoenix morning—I’m sweating, my bangs are glued to my forehead with perspiration and my glasses are sliding down my nose. It could be this big chunky sweater I’m wearing. I grabbed it to put over my favorite navy dress with the white polka dots. Not even my favorite clothing item can save me from my current . . . predicament.
But it’s fine. It’s going to be fine. I push my large, blue-framed glasses up my nose—the ones my best friend Hazel calls “nerdy-cute”—and set my shoulders straight. Everything is all right. Good, even.
“Seriously, Ally, what is that?” Josh’s face is now scrunched, his light-brown eyes squinting. His extra thick brown hair styled in what can only be called a modern mullet. It’s tall and sort of unruly in the front, and the back is halfway down his neck, the ends curling just behind his ears. It’s the kind of hair that women would want to run their fingers through. I have, actually—I couldn’t help myself.
Josh Wise—never wrong, always wise. That’s how he introduced himself to me when I first started working with him. We were instant friends and not just the work kind. We spend plenty of nonworking time together, too. He’s part of my inner circle now, one of my favorite people.
“Is it bad?” I ask as I sit down in my chair at our shared workspace, the long, double-wide table where my team sits. I open the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet just under my space, putting my purse inside and shutting it with my red patent leather heel–clad foot. I wrap a hand around my long, dark-brown hair and pull it away from my neck, letting the cool air of the office hit it.
Josh crinkles his nose. “I mean . . . it’s not the worst thing I’ve smelled.” He waves his hand in front of his face, as if to ward off the offensive stink.
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February 19, 2021
B@@K REVEAL: I Put a Spell On You by Sarah Vance-Tompkins
I Put a Spell On You
Sarah Vance-Tompkins
Publication date: March 23rd 2021
Genres: Adult, Fairy Tales
A novice fairy godmother falls in love with Prince Charming. What could possibly go wrong?
AVIANA WILLOWBROOK has no idea that her mother is a living legend until the day the tattered old copy of “The Fairy Godmother’s Rulebook” arrives in the mail on her twenty-first birthday. Estranged from her mom, and living in Beverly Hills with her father, her stepmother and two super-achieving stepsisters, Aviana is unhappy and directionless.Hotel heir and tech billionaire, NASH NOLAN doesn’t know Aviana exists until the day she transforms into a fairy godmother. The chick with the phobia about being pecked to death by a pack of winged creatures suddenly has a pair of unruly wings of her own to deal with. As if that isn’t enough, Aviana’s first assignment is to spark a romance between her wicked stepsister and the tall and handsome tech billionaire who’s been her crush forever.
Will Aviana use her powers to help her wicked stepsister find happiness, or will she use her pixie dust to make sure Nash is destined to be hers?
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Author Bio:
Sarah Vance-Tompkins received an MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California, and went on to work in feature film development in Hollywood. Prior to film school, she wrote and produced radio and television commercials. She grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan, and now lives in Southern California with her husband and a glaring of unruly cats.
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BOOK BLITZ: Leather and Lace by Magen Cubed #GIVEAWAY
Leather and Lace
Magen Cubed
(Southern Gothic Series, #1)
Publication date: February 16th 2021
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Falling in love with a vampire bites—and sometimes loving a human bites back.
Dorian Villeneuve is an unlucky vampire from the slums of Devil’s Row. He makes ends meet for himself and his emotional support Chihuahua by working sleazy bars and nightclubs, doing what it takes to get by. Cash Leroy is a monster hunter from East Texas with a golden voice and an unrivaled devotion to Stevie Nicks. Hunting does not leave time for friends, let alone love.
When their paths cross during a bloody run-in with the vampire mob, Cash upends Dorian’s life—and takes Dorian under his wing to teach how to hunt monsters.
The unlikely pair become partners, and soon, best friends. However, their deepening bond grows complicated when Dorian falls in love with Cash. Their friendship is too important to throw away over an interspecies attraction, especially in a career that is already nasty, brutish, and short.
And things become even more complicated when Cash finds himself returning the vampire’s affections.
When an unusually deadly case lands in the hunters’ laps, their ill-fated affair takes a backseat. A pair of man-eating weredeer are on the loose taking victims’ hearts. With the pressure on to end the killing spree, Dorian and Cash must set aside their feelings and hunt down the blood-thirsty deer.
Can Dorian and Cash’s friendship survive this monstrous romance, or will they lose their hearts in the process?
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—
EXCERPT:
Cash Leroy could have been a singer but killing paid the bills. He stood at the karaoke machine and bathed in the pink neon spotlight, every inch of him painted in a dusky glow. Mic in hand, he commanded his favorite booth with lowered eyes, splinters of light catching in his fallen lashes as they fluttered against his stubbled cheeks. His voice hit the high notes of ‘Outside the Rain’ in a velvety dither that belied his smoky drawl and taste for Pall Mall cigarettes. In a depth of sound so full, it overshadowed the shrill karaoke track.
Here, on most nights and nearly every weekend, Cash sang Stevie Nicks songs and only Stevie Nicks songs. This was his ritual for the eight months that Dorian knew Cash, but it went well beyond their partnership. Cash was a man of singular interest, and no one else loved Stevie Nicks like he did.
The hunter cradled the mic between strong hands, his booted foot keeping time as he swayed to the music. Onstage, he seemed like a different man from the one Dorian knew the rest of the day. Singing straightened his slouched posture as his voice overtook the room. The stage broke Cash’s even temperament and replaced it with a showman’s presence as he performed for his preferred audience of one. Even the flecks of blood on the collar of his shirt disappeared into the neon. Everything else about Cash seemed to fall away whenever he opened his mouth to sing.
And Dorian, despite his best efforts, was in love with Cash.
Dorian nursed his second beer of the night on the modular pink loveseat across from the karaoke machine. He tried not to watch Cash as closely as he did. It was hard not to watch Cash in all things, both on the stage and off it. Dorian fought to keep his gaze from wandering over Cash’s strong legs in his beat-up blue jeans. The vampire fought harder to avoid staring at Cash’s neck, mouth, and sweep of his dark lashes as he sang.
Because Cash was Dorian’s best friend, roommate, and partner. He didn’t want to be in love with Cash. Loving Cash made Dorian’s life complicated and scary. It put an ache deep inside the vampire’s rib cage, choking on glass whenever the feeling threatened to claw its way out of his throat. Choking it down because they could never be together.
But sitting in a karaoke booth, watching Cash sing, Dorian loved Cash anyway.
Author Bio:
Magen Cubed is an Eisner-nominated writer, essayist, and occasional critic, best known for her queer monster-hunting urban fantasy/paranormal romance series SOUTHERN GOTHIC. She has appeared in the critically acclaimed TWISTED ROMANCE comics anthology from Image Comics and has bylines on the award-winning Women Write About Comics. Magen lives in Florida with her girlfriend Melissa and a little dog named Cecil.
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February 18, 2021
B@@K REVEAL: The Jade Talisman by Alanna MacKenzie
The Jade Talisman
Alanna Mackenzie
(The Jade Chronicles, #2)
Publication date: March 2021
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Science Fiction
A talisman. A song. A story about time itself, as it moves through each winding branch in the tree of life.
It is the year 2762 in the Empire of Khalendar, and AI Masters rule the civilized world, striving to crush all dissent. But they have not yet managed to quell the Jade Rebellion or its leader, Walter Saltanetska. The Jade Queen, once a prison ship commandeered by the AI Masters, is now a rebel stronghold. Walter and his companions have sailed all the way to Vei’arash, a lush island reputedly home to exiled dissidents and evil shamans. Their mission is to fulfill a pact with their Mage allies—to find animal spirits exiled to Vei’arash long ago by the AI Masters.
As the rebels plunge deeper into the jungle, physical laws are upended. The plants and animals of the rainforest are inextricably linked to divine beings. The most powerful of these beings entrusts Walter with an enchanted gemstone, the Jade Talisman, that warps the basic rules of time and space.
The Talisman allows Walter to gaze into a mesmerizing labyrinth of future possibilities. But the visions it offers up are troublingly dark, giving Walter insight into the deepest recesses of the human soul. While he needs to remain emotionally distant from them, he cannot. The people in these visions are not strangers, but Walter and his loved ones. This gift proves to be a crushing burden, and Walter desperately longs for an ordinary life. But there is no going back…
The gripping sequel to The Jade Rebellion, The Jade Talisman is a tribute to the perseverance of spirituality in a world dominated by the cold logic of artificial intelligence.
Sequel to:
Author Bio:
Alanna Mackenzie lives in Vancouver, Canada. She holds degrees in History, French studies, and Law from the University of British Columbia. An environmentalist at heart, she believes in using the law as a tool for social and environmental change. When she is not pursuing that passion, she can be found brainstorming the next chapter in her novels, playing Irish fiddle tunes on the violin, and hiking West Coast trails.
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BOOK BLITZ: Wynter by Mia Harlan #GIVEAWAY
Wynter
Mia Harlan
(Silver Skates, #1)
Publication date: January 18th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Paranormal, Romance
When a pair of magical skates helps me find my fated mates, the last thing I expect is to get rejected, betrayed, and framed for a crime I didn’t commit.
I moved to Silver Springs to escape my past. Fell in love with the small supernatural town. Made friends with its quirky residents. Even got my dream job.
But just when life’s finally looking up, disaster strikes. The cleaning company I work for falls under threat, and I’m framed for a crime I didn’t commit.
Then, I find my fated mates:
A shifter hockey player who knows how to handle his stick.A sweet journalist who shifts into a block of ice but is oh so hot.And a mage detective who already broke my heart once.This should be the happiest time in my life, but my mates reject me, one by one.
As the new life I built starts to crumble around me, can I work things out with my mates and catch whoever framed me? Or will I end up broken-hearted, alone, and behind bars? Because I may be the best magical maid in town, but my life is one mess no spells in the world can fix.
If you like sassy witches, wonky magic, panty-melting fated mates, and intriguing mysteries, you’ll love this steamy, laugh-out-loud paranormal romantic comedy with all the feels!
Wynter is a standalone in the Silver Springs shared universe and comes complete with a happily-ever-after. Scroll up to read this fun, quirky romance today.
—
EXCERPT:
“I thought I’d test out the rink,” I tell Hockey Hottie—who I really can’t keep calling that, even just in my head. Not unless I want to risk blurting it aloud. “I’m Zoelle Wynter. Zoe for short.”
“Wynter, eh?” He lets out a deep, throaty chuckle that I can feel right down to my toes.
Then he extends one large hand, palm up. For a second, I think he wants me to cross the distance between us to shake it. But then he looks up at the sky and watches as the snowflakes drift down onto his skin. They melt against his bare palm and suddenly, I want to melt against his palm, too. To feel his hands all over me. To see what those long fingers of his can do.
I don’t think I’ve ever had such a strong reaction to a man. Not at first sight. I’ve had one-night stands before, but I’ve never wanted to strip a man naked outdoors, in the dead of winter. Or wondered if a hockey player might want to do any other type of scoring on the ice.
“Leaf,” he calls out.
“What?” I stare up at him, wondering if I just zoned out on half of what he was saying. Why else would he be talking about leaves? Unless he means the Maple Leafs? But why even bring up a human hockey team, when as far as the NHL is concerned, supe teams—and supe players—do not exist?
“My name.” He rewards me with a throaty chuckle. “Scottish mother. Jewish father.”
“And they called you Leaf?”
“Leith, with a TH.” He grins as he spells it out for me. “It actually means wet. So nothing to do with leaves.”
“Wet,” I repeat and swallow hard.
Leith rewards me with a knowing grin. One that has my body reacting in… well… the way his name would entail.
Author Bio:
Mia Harlan lives in Canada with her husband (who's definitely Not a Vampire) and their adorably fluffy cat. They recently welcomed a Mini Mortal (a baby girl) into the world and are happy to report she doesn't have fangs. Mia is a librarian by day and an author by night. She's been reading romance since she turned thirteen and published her first one in mid-2019. She writes humorous, quirky (and mostly paranormal) reverse harem romance.
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BOOK BLITZ: House of Diamonds by Amber Jakeman #GIVEAWAY
House of Diamonds
Amber Jakeman
(House of Jewels, #1)
Publication date: February 10th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A heartwarming, emotionally satisfying contemporary Australian romance with an international flavour, by Amber Jakeman
A fresh start. An instant enemy. But Stella is determined.
Sparkles fly when former office manager Stella Rhees, 30, flees a failed affair with her old boss, Damian. Determined to run her own show, she pursues her dream of creating and selling her own jewellery.
The problem? She’s opened her jaunty stall directly outside the famous Huntleys House of Jewels at the very moment handsome James Huntley the Third, 33, asks her to move so he can stage a publicity stunt. Feisty Stella won’t budge.
Despite a mutual physical attraction, Stella and James become instant enemies, their rivalry fanned by a social media war.
While Huntleys appears prosperous, it’s facing bankruptcy, and James’s mother and playboy brother are squandering the family fortune overseas.
James finds Stella and her fresh ideas irresistible, and she becomes the catalyst for him to change Huntleys’ path of self-destruction. He offers her a job, but how can she accept when she’s vowed to never fall into the old trap of falling in love with the boss?
For Stella and James to find their Happily Ever After, each must overcome personal demons, take risks and learn to trust the other. In this delightful first book of the House of Jewels series, will this dazzling couple ever work out how to put a Huntley engagement ring to its proper purpose?
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—
EXCERPT:
What? Move? Why would she move? She’d only just finished setting up. It had taken her months to prepare, and so much time just that morning, arranging her earrings and bracelets. What on earth could he mean?
“… just for a short time, thank you,” he said.
Her hackles rose. However handsome he might be, with that sun-kissed brown hair, and that way of smiling just on one side, as if life was a bit of joke as long as he was in control, he had no right to push her around.
“Actually, Mr …”
“Huntley. James Huntley.” He tipped his head back a little, indicating his connection with the three-storey building behind him, and she turned and read the ornate sign. Huntleys House of Diamonds.
Stella sighed. She didn’t reconfigure her whole life, resigning and moving here from Perth on the other side of the country, only to fall into the trap of obeying the next handsome man. No. She’d been there and done that. For too long. She’d been totally, pathetically, at the mercy of her boss Damian’s demands.
Obeying handsome men was a bad habit she’d finally kicked, hadn’t she?
This new Stella was strong and independent, she reminded herself. Stella now worked for herself, trusted only herself and obeyed only herself. She would no longer be told what to do by men who assumed she’d comply. So, whatever this man wanted, and however attractive he might be – and he was, quite attractive, every bit as good-looking as Damian, his hair more fair, and with a bit of a wave at the front, and those eyes – intense – she knew she had every right to stand her ground. And she would.
He waited expectantly, but she was only just ready to trade. With customers gathering, she needed to sell, sell, sell – and not waste another moment. Her licence to trade wasn’t a give away. It would take her months to pay back the loan she’d taken out to pay for it.
He lifted one hand up toward the side of her stack of display trays, as if to test his strength against its weight, to simply push her stall away. She could swear she saw his healthy bicep flex beneath that high quality pale grey woollen fabric.
How dare he! The flame of defiance inside her flashed fire. No. She would not be shoved away.
“Stella Rhys, Mr Huntley,” she answered, keeping her voice low and controlled, and extending her own hand to be shaken. His was smooth, the hand of a businessman, as cool as her own. It was a fine handshake, pleasant even.
Her mother would have fun reading this palm, she thought, smiling. It was a mistake. He must have interpreted her smile as acquiescence. Nodding and smiling in return, he held her hand just a moment longer than necessary.
“Thanks, so much, Stella. These stalls… There was nothing here for months, and suddenly you appear! Today of all days. It’s so good of you to move. Just for an hour or so.” He gave her the full blue gaze again and smiled.
For a moment Stella weakened, but she remembered the advice of Fritz, ther nearest stallholder, who’d welcomed her to the mall only that morning.
“I’ve been here nearly thirty years, young lady,” Fritz had said. “Seen a thing or two in my time. Seen stalls come and seen them go. Can be tough out here on the mall. Don’t you let anyone push you around.”
Stella knew the terms of her licence. Thursday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm. Right here. So she lifted her sunglasses and fired back a dose of her own dark eyes – bright, quick and determined.
“Actually, James,” she began, amiably enough, with a hint of steel. She gestured at the small crowd gathering to admire her unusual brooches, rings, earrings and pendants, all laid out so temptingly in the bright sunshine. Her excitement ratcheted up a notch. Behind James, two older women, sisters perhaps, were pulling out their purses. Her first customers! It was James who needed to move, so she could trade.
“Look. This is my business, James – ‘Stellar,’” she continued, polite yet firm, her voice steady. “And I’m not moving it. Not at all. I don’t mean to be unreasonable; nothing personal; but as I see it, the Huntleys property boundary begins at the edge of your doorway. The mall here is public space, and this patch is mine.”
Author Bio:
Partial to sunsets, picnics and poetry, feel-good fiction writer Amber Jakeman was a journalist, ghost writer and editor before succumbing to her addiction to uplifting endings.
She writes from her tiny apartment on the edge of Sydney Harbour, creating wholesome historical and contemporary romance with an international flavour.
When not writing, Amber enjoys time with family and friends, sailing with her husband, travel, walking and savouring other writers' creations.
Amber Jakeman acknowledges Australia's first storytellers and offers respect to Aboriginal people past and present and to their descendants.
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February 17, 2021
🔥 🔥 🔥 GIVEAWAYS🔥 🔥 🔥 BLEEDING SOULS SAVED BY LOVE!
🩸~🩸Bleeding Souls Saved By Love🩸~🩸
With these 2 Brand New Book Series coming to you March 2021 through 2023 (so far) these great authors want to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
First up, fill out this Rafflecopter with your Author Goodreads follows and be entered to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card, a Paperback from Cedar Rose, plus (1) e-book from R.E. Hargrave, and (1) e-book from K R Hall.
Ends March 15, 2021
🩸~🩸Bleeding Souls Saved By Love🩸~🩸
~•~With the Upcoming March Releases for this brand new book series, a few of the amazing authors have come together to offer you a chance at some fantastic prizes.~•~
👠Midnight Ride a Wicked Warriors MC👠
by P.T. Macias (Retelling of Cinderella)
&
🖤Brutal Love A Fabled Wars Dark Mafia Romance🖤
by Cedar Rose (Retelling of Pocahontas)
Fine print: Closes on March 15, 2021!
#bleedingsoulssaved
Also, please consider adding both of these books to your Must Buy Lists.
B@@K REVEAL: Lost in Lia by T.S. Arthur
RELEASING MARCH 10, 2021
Summary:
When Drew Swan met Lia Hayes, his plans to live as a happy bachelor flew out the window. In fact, he wants nothing more than to make their holiday romance something more long-term.
However, when a promise he made in the past returns to haunt him, he realises his happy ever after is in danger.
Can he prevent his past mistakes from ruining his future?
Book Links:
Add to your Goodreads TBR list
Lost In Lia is the second in the Puddles of Love Series.
Book One: Found by Drew
Author Info:TS Arthur is an author from the UK who enjoys chasing words as they appear to her at random, inconvenient times. A mummy, teacher and avid reader, she squeezes in writing when the family are napping or busy playing. You’ll often find her sat writing whilst being battered by a teddy or plastic axe, or sometimes a cat paw.
Happy to try any genre, her stories mostly feature relatable characters that everyone can enjoy. She has always carried a notebook and held dreams of being an author, although it took longer than planned to get the ball rolling. Whilst her life may be busy and hectic at times, she will always continue building a wide range of stories and characters to help readers achieve that ‘escape.’
Author Links:
B@@K REVEAL: Mirror Witch Magic by D.H. Gibbs
Mirror Witch Magic
D.H. Gibbs
Publication date: TBA
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
Some secrets stay buried while others surface just like the dead…
Fusion City—a place where magic was power and the more a person had, the higher up the caste system they went. It was also the perfect place for Selena Decland, a mirror witch wanting to shuck the responsibility of her magic and lineage, to fly under the radar. At least it was until someone left a dead body on her nightclub’s steps, along with a note written in blood:
I know your secret.
As Selena struggled to keep her secret hidden, she is faced with threats from multiple places—a rep from the witch’s council who would like nothing better than to sell Selena’s talents to the highest bidder; a powerful demon who could make life difficult if he found out her secret; and a killer willing to do anything, including use dark magic, to get what he wants.
Author Bio:
A Newsday T&T Choice finalist, D.H. Gibbs enjoys writing fantasy, contemporary romance, and children's books. When not navigating the adventures of her kick-ass female leads, she's a complete Starbucks and book addict who binge-watches TV series like Lucifer, Carnival Row, and Warrior. A Trinidadian native, she currently lives and creates new worlds in Japan.
For exclusive reads, updates and sneak peeks about her real-life shenanigans, subscribe to her newsletter.
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