R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 122
December 4, 2020
BOXSET BLITZ: O Night Divine: A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales #GIVEAWAY
O Night Divine: A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales
Publication date: December 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance, Romance
A MASTERPIECE OF HOLIDAY STORYTELLING…
Enjoy this stunning holiday collection from some of your favorite Dragonblade Publishing authors in this collection of never-before published seasonal tales!
Imagine, if you will, that it is Christmas Eve.
The candles are guttered, one by one, and a hush falls over the parlor. The children have gone to bed, and a tall, gloriously decorated Christmas tree looms in the shadows of the hearth’s dying embers. A tattered copy of Charles Dickens’ masterwork, “A Christmas Carol” sits, cold and lonely, upon a table nearby.
A small gust of wind, hurling from the seam of an ill-fitting window, blows the cover open. The first chapter appears… “Marley’s Ghost”…
The clock on the wall chimes midnight.
Now, the magic happens.
From the gaily bedecked halls of Regency England to the cold and crisp air of the Scottish Highlands, and everything in between, enjoy the magic of a holiday collection that has drawn inspiration from Charles Dickens’ most beloved literary works. Where the ghosts of Christmas, the incandescent spirit of a tiny disabled boy, and the joy that is the very heart of the Christmas season come alive.
USA Today and Internationally bestselling authors bring you their version of a Dickens’-inspired holiday in O NIGHT DIVINE.
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This collection includes:
'Twas the Executioner Knight Before Christmas by Kathryn Le Veque
A medieval version of the Ghost of Christmas Future…
No one survives an Executioner Knight and least of all, Maxton of Loxbeare. But when he married his wife and had children, three little girls right away, Maxton grew a heart. He became a devoted and dedicated father who loved his children dearly. But the Executioner Knight in him still lived. So after a very bad dream, Maxton sees that, for his daughters’ sake, he must change.
Learn more about Kathryn Le Veque: https://kathrynleveque.com
The Laird’s Yulebringer by Caroline Lee
The Mackenzies are in mourning… none so much as their laird. Since the loss of his wife, leaving Callan to raise a young son alone, he believes he’s lost his chance at happiness. As his extended family gathers to celebrate the Yule together, they can do naught to raise his spirits… until a midnight visitor—of the ghostly variety—brings him hope for the future.
Learn more about Caroline Lee: https://collettecameron.com
Making Spirits Bright by Chasity Bowlin
After a lifetime of secrets, scandal, and disappointment… Elizabeth doesn’t believe in happy endings, at least not for herself. But an unconventional nobleman, with the help of a novice Spirit of Christmas, may just change her mind…
Learn more about Chasity Bowlin: https://chasitybowlin.com
The Haunted Scot by Hildie McQueen
The allure of a reformed rake…
She’s as determined to pursue him as he is to keep his distance. After a heartbreaking debacle, Thomas Sullivan decides to give up his roguish ways and considers the priesthood. Unfortunately, the beautiful arrival gives him second thoughts. Mary Asher is not sure why the handsome new driver tries to avoid her at all costs. After being told he follows her every move, Mary decides to test him.
Learn more about Hildie McQueen: https://www.hildiemcqueen.com
Never Keep a Secret at Christmas by Maggi Andersen
Tis not the season to be surreptitious…
Alice Dountry’s father has gout, and she must spend Christmas with her sister, Marian, Lady Belfries. Their neighbor, the gruff, bad-tempered Earl of Hawkinge, refuses Marian’s invitation to Christmas dinner.
While chatting with him over the garden wall, Alice suspects something deeper lies beneath his humbug opinion of Christmas. Hawkinge and his grandson, Hugh Gifford, are at odds. Alice writes to Hugh but must keep it a secret from her sister.
When the handsome Lord Gifford arrives, there is an immediate spark between them. But Lord Hawkinge is hardly welcoming, and now, Marian and her husband argue over the secret letter.
Learn more about Maggi Andersen: https://maggiandersenauthor.com
Her Star from the East by Mary Lancaster
Miss Emma Sayle has enjoyed two London seasons and rejected many suitors. Her heart was given long ago to an exciting prince of the east, a man of another country and another faith. As Christmas approaches, she daydreams of what her life with him might have been – until his ghost walks out of the freezing fog. But is it the ghost of his past or her future?
Learn more about Mary Lancaster: https://www.facebook.com/mary.lancaster.1656
The Remembrance of Love by Meara Platt
Hyacinth Farthingale has known and loved Lord Innes Buchan since the day she was born. She is now in her debut season, and as Christmas approaches, it is high time this aloof and lonely lord realized his happiness depends on marrying her.
Learn more about Meara Platt: http://www.mearaplatt.com
How to get an Earl of Christmas by Violetta Rand
Learn more about Violetta Rand: http://www.violettarandromance.com/
Yuletide at Gillingham by Alexa Aston
A lonely holiday…
One boy abandoned by a greedy gambling father. Another boy watches his father slowly dying. A lasting friendship that will see them through the hard times—and beyond…
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Can two lonely boys draw strength from one another during a Yuletide season that only promises heartbreak?Learn more about Alexa Aston: https://alexaaston.com
A Thrill of Hope by Anna Markland
Foiling an attempt to assassinate Queen Victoria earns Parker a medal and royal gratitude. The lunatic’s bayonet plunged into his thigh leaves him with a pronounced limp and reassignment to a small constabulary. Particularly trying is having to spend Christmas Day with his
miserly uncle.
During her family’s Yuletide celebrations, Samantha discovers she doesn’t love her straitlaced fiancé. A bleak future looms large.
Neither realize that anarchists are plotting to blow up a newly-constructed railway bridge—although Parker might if he’d heed the mysterious warning voices he hears.
A tale of the eternal struggle between good and evil.
Learn more about Anna Markland: https://www.annamarkland.com/
A Gift for Agatha by Anna St. Claire
A visit and a warning…
Years after her husband’s death, Lady Agatha Wendt has become a surly, cold-hearted miser, increasingly left to her own company. Childless and with little family, the wealthy widow fears
falling into poverty and spurns even the smallest gestures of Christmas giving. A determined spirit visits the wealthy widow and warns her change must happen.
Charles Bentley, her butler, sees goodness in her, and finds himself attracted to the real Agatha—despite knowing they could never be.
Can the spirit awaken Agatha to her real fears and help her to overcome them in time to realize the gift she has always wanted?
Learn more about Anna St. Claire: https://www.annastclaire.com
The Heart is Never Silent by Aubrey Wynne
Miss Etta Rose Comden is desperate to protect her younger sister, Horatia, after the death of their father. When the heir—and Tia’s new guardian—finds out his ward is deaf, he makes plans to send her away and marry Etta. With no one to turn to, the sisters flee in the middle of the night.
Dr. Gus Wharren, disillusioned with his practice in London, retreats to his late grandmother’s estate. Instead of a much-needed respite, he finds two lovely females stranded along the road.
Two sisters on the run. A London physician who has given up on humanity. The spirit of a loving grandmother. The stage is set for a holiday full of coincidence, a little Christmas magic, and a happy ever after.
Learn more about Aubrey Wynne: https://www.aubreywynne.com
Of Christmas Past by Charlotte Wren
Pride and promise before forgiveness
At the volatile age of seventeen, Percival Josiah Northcott storms out of Highfield Hall on Christmas Eve, vowing never to return. It is a vow supported solely by pride, which, as the old adage goes, generally comes before a fall.
Five years later, Percival has fallen about as low as a man can get. He secretly longs to return home, but pride and fear stand in his way. That is, until he’s visited by someone from his past, someone who gives him the courage to seek his family’s forgiveness.
But first, he must promise to complete a very special task.
Learn more about Charlotte Wren: https://www.facebook.com/Wrenbook/
Tidings of Comfort by Elizabeth Ellen Carter
A boy with a remarkable talent…
In the lead up to Christmas, Captain Kit Hardacre is in London looking for his long-lost parents. After a disappointing initial search, he finds himself in the city alone. Bringing him out of his self-pity is a call to help in a search for a missing little boy. But which one of them is more lost?
When Kit finds Pip, he discovers a youngster with a remarkable talent for going directly into the heart of those he meets. After seeing Pip safely returned, Kit’s faith in family is restored and a kind word gives him the courage to continue his search.
Learn more about Elizabeth Ellen Carter: https://eecarter.com
A Christmas Miracle by Elizabeth Johns
Alex Hartmere, Duke of Frompton, has endured enough heartache to make any man bitter.
Having lost his wife and child in the war in Canada, he returns to England, only to inherit a dukedom from a father who dies in a scandalous duel soon afterwards.
Repairing to his family estate for Christmas, Alex finds his first love now widowed and penniless. Can a Christmas miracle, in the form of a crippled little girl, bring them the happiness which was once stripped away from them?
Learn more about Elizabeth Johns: https://www.elizabethjohnsauthor.com/
Her Christmas White Knight by Elizabeth Keysian
England, Yuletide 1587
The dice have really been loaded against Mistress Julia Wentworth. Little wonder she no longer trusts a soul—except for the urchin she rescued from the poorhouse. Having fallen in love with—and been abandoned by—a murderous traitor, Julia’s been turned out by her family and left to scrape what living she can on the brutal London streets. When a goose strays into her yard, it looks as if she’ll at least have something to feast on at Christmas.
Exploding into her life in pursuit of his goose is Myall Farrar, a scarred nobleman who loathes his miserly father and can’t afford to lose the fowl for which he’s scrimped and saved all year.
Can there be any common ground between the mismatched Myall and Julia? Is there any hope of goodwill within their families? And—perhaps more importantly—will the goose prove itself worth saving from the butcher’s knife?
Learn more about Elizabeth Keysian: https://elizabethkeysian.com/
Always the Mistletoe by Emily E K Murdoch
When a woman loves a man, it’ll take more than a little Scrooge like behavior to stop her standing by him. Her family, on the other hand…
Learn more about Emily E K Murdoch: https://emilyekmurdoch.com
A Libertine’s Christmas Miracle by Emily Royal
Christmas is a time for miracles
Alice and Ross Trelawney are enjoying a quiet Christmas in Cornwall, until their daughter Amelia strays onto the nearby estate of Mr. Scrimgeour, the infamous Beast of Boscarne. When Amelia comes home in tears after a terrifying encounter, Alice resolves to teach the Beast a lesson.
Haunted by his late wife’s ghost and taunted by the locals, Edward Scrimgeour hides away in his crumbling mansion. His peace is shattered when his neighbor’s hellion of a wife storms into his home on Christmas Eve. But she’s no ordinary trespasser. When events threaten to take a tragic turn, Edward is given a chance at salvation, showing that miracles can occur in the unlikeliest of places.
Learn more about Emily Royal: http://www.emroyal.com/
Past, Present, Future by Lynne Connolly
Rhona sent the love of her life away once, but now Frederick is back. He doesn’t care that she’s a housekeeper, and he’s a wounded soldier and the brother of a duke. For the three nights of Christmas, he’ll give her three gifts; wooden figures he carved for her in the long nights before his last battle. They represent their past, their present, and what they could have in the future. If she doesn’t accept his love this time, he’ll leave for good.
Learn more about Lynne Connolly: https://lynneconnolly.com
A Yuletide Yearning by Maeve Greyson
Regret is a sly enemy…
Captain Tait Mackenzie doesn’t regret a life of pirating, but it’s Christmas and he’s lonely. Thoughts of dying alone trouble him. What woman would settle for a life with a pirate lord?
If wishes and dreams were oceans and streams, she’d sail her way to happiness…
Ellie has always loved Tait, but he politely ignores her. She intends to change that with a little help from the North Star.
Can three pirate ghosts on Christmas Eve scare some sense into a Scottish rogue and make him see that the love he needs has been right in front of him all along?
Learn more about Maeve Greyson: http://www.maevegreyson.com/
A Strange Christmas Game by Whitney Blake
Mr. Charles Mason doesn’t expect a December summons to end in his own love story…
Learn more about Whitney Blake:
https://www.whitneyblakeauthor.net
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December 3, 2020
BOOK BLITZ: A Wedding in Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann #GIVEAWAY
A Wedding in Twinkle Falls
Freda Ann
(A Twinkle Falls Novel, #2)
Publication date: December 2nd 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
The couple you fell in love with in book 1 (Christmas in Twinkle Falls) are on their way to a HEA…or are they.
In this sweet, clean Hallmark style love story, you’ll get plenty more of the characters you fell in love with in the first book, to include Shelby the smart rescue dog!
After swoony Air Force Sergeant, Liam James, proposes to the love of his life, preparations for a wedding in two short months begin. But no wedding goes off without a hitch.
As Sophie starts planning, her son Cam, on the autism spectrum, experiences events that threaten the black and white world he lives in. Trying to maintain a peaceful existence for her family, Sophie’s world is rocked to the core once again when her fiancé leaves town.
Will she muster the strength to bring her future family back together so they can have their forever happiness?
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EXCERPT:
After a longer than planned visit, Mitch’s widow and I hug goodbye. Watching Rochelle’s car fade in the distance, I realize I have to talk to Pastor Morgan before things go any further.
Why am I such a mess? This is what I want. It’s all I thought about on base, and while driving home. What will mom and dad think?
I sigh and pull in the church driveway. Pastor Morgon texted me before I left the house. He said to meet him behind the church at the picnic table. What will he think about my plan? I guess I’m about to find out.
Turning the truck off, I take a deep breath and rub my hands over my face. It’s going to be fine. I give myself a pep talk as I amble along the sidewalk to the table where he sits eyeing me.
“You look like a man with something big on his mind.” He grins. “Have a seat. I figured a hot cup of coffee might calm your nerves.” Pastor Morgan notes in his southern accent.
Plopping down, I cradle the mug between my hands staring at it. “Did I sound that bad?”
The man whose gotten to know me all too well the last year chuckles. “Lets just say I can sense when things are out of whack. And if there was any doubt before you got here, your body language was a dead giveaway.”
Shaking my head, one corner of my mouth curls up before I sip the warm liquid. “I did a lot of soul searching while I was away and I made a life-changing decision.”
“Ahh, okay, that explains a lot. So now you’re having second thoughts?”
“No…not really. While I was away I spent time with someone I hadn’t seen in over a year. It’s someone I’ve thought a lot about since taking leave from the Air Force. She uh—helped open my eyes to what kind of future I want.”
With his hands steepled, he glares over his glasses at me. “Go on.”
Downing half my coffee, I set the cup down. “Will I be hurting the people I care about with the decision I’ve made? Am I making any sense?”
“Not so much. You know there’s not much I haven’t heard before and anything you tell me stays between you, me and the man above. I think the best thing you can do is spell it out for me Liam, Just start at the beginning.”
Author Bio:
Freda was born in southern New Jersey but grew up in Florida. She has loved writing her entire life. After retiring from a career in law enforcement, she knew it was time to fulfill her lifelong dream of being a published author.
She's the author of The Hawaii Series, proudly named from her love of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. It's a three-book series with all of them written as standalone books.
Freda loves her large family, horses, dogs, cat, and close friends. She hosts monthly family dinners at her home in the country, which she shares with her husband.
She loves baking (she owned and operated a cupcake business for years), cooking, yoga, crocheting, nature and traveling with the love of her life.
What helps her write? Music makes her happy! If music doesn't give her the right motivation, she puts on a romantic movie, usually from the Hallmark Channel, which she can't get enough of!
Freda speaks her mind and pushes perfection to its limit. She strives to be her best, most positive self she can be in life. With time, determination, and practice, she believes anything is possible.
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BOXSET BLITZ: Christmas Actually: Bite-sized sweet holiday romance reads #GIVEAWAY
Christmas Actually: Bite-sized sweet holiday romance reads
Publication date: December 1st 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Christmas actually is all around…
Join eleven best-selling and award-winning authors under the mistletoe as they share bite-sized holiday romances celebrating the joy and romcom sweetness of the Christmas season!
The Christmas Wedding Date by Shirley JumpWhen Holly McDaniels gets roped into attending her hometown Christmas ball, she convinces her handsome neighbor, workaholic Nick Corvino, to play the part of husband, giving the bah humbug bachelor a taste of Christmas magic that just might lead to a very real holiday happy-ever-after. Gingerbread and Jingle Bells by Caro CarsonA big-city businesswoman answers her grandma’s plea for holiday-rush help at the family bakery, only to find herself apologizing to the small town’s handsome veterinarian each time she thwarts her grandma’s matchmaking schemes—until she discovers the mastermind behind all the romantic plans wasn’t her grandma, after all. A Merry Aussie Christmas by Stefanie LondonTheir relationship is so fake it comes with costumes… Will spending a whole month as Patterson’s Bluff’s official Mr. and Mrs. Claus give a golden girl and the town outcast a second chance at love? Mission: Merry Christmas by Nancy NaigleA physical therapist finds her client bah-humbugging the Christmas spirit out of everyone and decides to focus on getting him back on the nice list. Christmas In Sweetland by Lacey BakerA restless hometown girl strikes a deal with the uptight guy next door to win a neighborhood holiday decorating contest—but they’ll both need a little Christmas magic to survive missing cupcakes, broken twinkle lights and falling in love. The Matchmaking Christmas Spirit by Lindsay EmoryAn event planner and a handsome handyman keep getting thrown together by a matchmaking Christmas spirit who won’t stop meddling in matters of the heart. Christmas Eve at the USO by Tif MarceloWhen former college sweethearts and Army soldiers reunite at the Dallas Airport USO during a Christmas Eve snowstorm, they try to ignore the love they lost—until the Christmas spirit decides to play Cupid, leaving them with no choice but to go after the love wished they still had. A Midnight Clear by Victoria SchadeA dog sitter booked to spend the Christmas holiday caring for a client’s new puppy is surprised to discover that an approaching snowstorm has trapped her with the handsome man of the house. Love Letters for Christmas by Sasha SummersWhen a soldier decides it’s time to meet his long-time teacher pen pal, his visit to her classroom brings all sort of surprises—and might just give them their greatest Christmas gift ever: love. A Snow Maiden for Christmas by Sariah WilsonChristina and Jack were high school sweethearts until he left her behind to follow his dreams. Now he’s back and their meddling mothers are determined to give Christina and Jack’s former romance a second chance by forcing them to play roles opposite one another in their local winter festival. A Merry Royal Layover by Teri WilsonWhen a veterinarian traveling to a remote European village to volunteer at an animal shelter during the Christmas holidays gets an unexpected first-class upgrade, she meets a charming stranger in the airport lounge who may or may not be the country’s crown prince.
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BOOK BLITZ: Last Kiss Under the Mistletoe by Melanie A. Smith #GIVEAWAY
Last Kiss Under the Mistletoe
Melanie A. Smith
Publication date: December 3rd 2020
Genres: Adult, Holiday, Romance, Suspense
From award-winning and international best-selling author Melanie A. Smith comes a steamy holiday murder-mystery romance with a psychic twist.
Holidays should be filled with cheer…
CJ Roberts just wants to be a normal girl, have a normal job, normal friends, maybe even a normal boyfriend. Unfortunately, she’s about as far from normal as it gets, because she can See the future. And like two sides of a coin, her twin brother, Matt, can See the past. Sounds like a neat party trick, right? Actually, it’s frustrating and sometimes even dangerous. And if the past is any indicator, CJ can’t do much to change what she Sees.
Drew Davies lives and breathes his job as a chef at one of the hottest restaurants in San Francisco. He’s content to focus on his craft, and dating has always been on the back burner. That is, until he meets CJ. When sparks fly, things heat up quickly between them. It’s an unexpected but welcome connection as the holidays approach.
But just as hope blooms, CJ has a vision that changes everything. She doesn’t know how it will happen, but she knows Drew is going to die. Now she’s left with a decision: Does she risk exposing herself to save Drew, or does she play it safe and let fate deal its hand? Secrecy has protected her until now, but can she really do nothing when the life of the man she’s falling for hangs in the balance?
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EXCERPT:
“I’m Chef Davies,” he introduces himself. His voice is just as warm as his smile, and deep enough to send chills down my spine. “And I hear you need some help picking a main course.”
I stare dumbly at him for another few moments before collecting myself. I resist the urge to slide my hand into his. As much as I want to touch him, experience has taught me that what I might See will make me even more awkward than I already am naturally.
“I’m CJ Roberts,” I reply, blushing down at his hand. “And I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t shake hands.” I’m so used to saying the words without remorse, but this time is different, and I’m worried about offending him.
“It’s nice to meet you CJ Roberts who doesn’t shake hands,” he replies, withdrawing his hand and sinking into the chair to my left. I look up to see him leaning in and smiling winningly, and if it’s possible to blush harder, I do. “Is it okay to ask what CJ stands for?”
His proximity makes my cheeks burn hotter by the second. “Catherine Jane,” I murmur, looking up into his eyes.
“Catherine Jane,” he replies slowly, as if tasting the words.
“Chef Davies,” I reply teasingly, folding my hands in my lap.
He laughs, deep and booming. “Okay, I guess you can call me Drew. Short for Andrew.” He grins, and I notice a dimple on his left cheek. “Now. Salmon versus halibut?”
I take a deep breath and nod, refocusing. It’s not easy. Being this close to him, trying to have a normal conversation, takes everything I’ve got. It would help if I weren’t so gawky to begin with, but here we are.
He gestures to the bread. “Have a bite. Then try the salmon again.”
I do as he asks. I go to lift the fork to my mouth, and he reaches to stop me. Instinctively, I pull back and look at him, wide-eyed.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he says huskily, with a sexy smile that makes me melt under his stare. “Just … I was going to tell you to close your eyes.” Then he clears his throat, as if suddenly aware of the intimacy that’s bubbled between us.
I breathe through my nose, close my eyes, and take a bite. The subtle flavor sings under the lime dressing. I can’t help the groan that slips out of my mouth. My eyes fly open self-consciously to find Drew staring at me with an inscrutable expression.
I swallow hard. “Sorry,” I say. “It’s just so good.”
A smile tugs at his lips. “Thank you,” he replies. His eyes flick down to the bread, then back up to me. “Now, bread, then halibut. Eyes closed.”
Something about his quiet command makes me blush again, but I comply. The firm, slightly sweet fish has a mushroom sauce that complements it nicely. But I realize it doesn’t have the heartiness and the punch of the salmon. This time when I open my eyes, I know exactly what I want.
“Salmon. Hands down.” My eyes meet his. “You’re good.”
He gives a shrug. “I’ve done this a time or three,” he replies nonchalantly. Coming from anyone else it would sound arrogant. But he’s got a humility that is ridiculously endearing.
“What would you have chosen?” I ask curiously.
His answering grin is so gorgeous it practically makes me dizzy. “Life’s too short for absolutes. Salmon for lunch, halibut for dinner, I say.”
“Well, if I could cook like you, I’d probably say the same,” I admit. “Or, if I could cook at all.”
He leans forward on the table. “Well nobody’s perfect,” he replies. Our eyes meet for a moment, and I let myself stare back. The small space between us practically crackles with energy.
Author Bio:
Melanie A. Smith is the best-selling author of The Safeguarded Heart Series and other contemporary romance fiction. Originally from upstate New York, she spent most of her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles for college. After that, she spent almost fifteen years in the Seattle Area, and now lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her family.
A voracious reader and lifelong writer, Melanie’s writing began at a young age with short stories and poetry. Having completed a bachelor of science in electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s in business administration at the University of Washington, her writing abilities were mainly utilized for technical documents as a lead engineer for the Boeing Company, where she worked for ten years.
After shifting careers to domestic engineering and property management in 2015, she eventually found a balance where she was able to return to writing fiction.
Melanie is also a Mensan and enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and driving with the windows down and the stereo cranked up loud.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter
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December 2, 2020
B@@K REVEAL: A Fighting Chance by Chrys Fey #GIVEAWAY
A Fighting Chance
Chrys Fey
(Disaster Crimes, #5)
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: January 11th 2021
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
*A FIGHTING CHANCE is Book 6 in the Disaster Crimes series, but it’s a spin-off featuring a new couple, so it can be read as a standalone.*
Thorn has loved Amanda from afar, giving her whatever she needs as a survivor of abuse—space, protection, and stability. He yearns to give her more, though, to share his feelings, kiss her, love her, but he’s worried the truth will frighten her away.And Amanda is afraid. She’s scared of her attraction for Thorn. Most of all, she’s terrified of her ex-boyfriend, who is lurking nearby where no one can find him. When she grows closer to Thorn, Damon retaliates, jeopardizing their happy ending.
Up against an abusive ex and Mother Nature, do Thorn and Amanda have a fighting chance?
Author Bio:
Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com
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B@@K REVEAL: Keeping Mr. Ever After by Annie K. #PreORDER
Keeping Mr. Ever After
Annie K.
Publication date: December 29th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Getting dumped via text on my first day as a high school teacher wasn’t the ideal way to start my morning. Neither was getting hit on by one of my students. It was all a ridiculous wreck, until the beautifully single Mr. Drake McCain found me hiding in the dark in my classroom. Sixty seconds later, he had me laughing and I kind of couldn’t stop staring at his lips.
Drake isn’t complicated. He’s sweet and kind and insanely adorable. The chemistry between us? It’s there in spades. One moment we’re making out in a locked janitor’s closet, and the next I can see myself eating pancakes with him every Sunday morning for the rest of my life.
I believe in fairy tales and happily ever afters, and maybe the search for Prince Charming is over.
Cue the reality check in the form of one bad decision made six weeks ago.
Keeping Mr. Ever After is a sweet and sassy romance with a happy ending, perfect for readers who want all the swooning without the explicit content.
Author Bio:
Annie K. has been devouring love stories since she was a teenager and her obsession with love hasn't slowed much since! She grew up along along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where, from a young age, she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now lives on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night. She writes science fiction and fantasy under the name Keary Taylor and thrillers and suspense under T.L. Keary. To learn more about her, visit AnnieKBooks.com.
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BOOK BLITZ: Book It: A Literary Lover's Anthology by Multiple Authors #GIVEAWAY
Book It: A Literary Lover’s Anthology
Publication date: November 30th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance
IN THE REALMS OF LITERATURE, ROMANCE KNOWS NO BOUNDS.
From bookstore owners to college students, drag queens to muses, professors and erotica authors; whether in a brothel of the old west or a spaceship in uncharted territory, the stories of Book It cross genres to warm hearts.
In these pages, you’ll find sweet stories of first-time love to established couples growing closer through their love of the written word. Each author delivers a unique and diverse tale of romance and literature.
Featuring the stories of Marie Piper, Kat Ryan, K. Parr, Katey Tattrie, Sonni de Soto, Felicia Nicole Hall, J. Leigh Bailey, Trisha McKee, Stephen Sottong, Leandra Vane, Mallory Behr, CM Peters, Alexis Ames, and Aila Alvina Boyd.
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SNEAK PEEKS:
A PAGE OUT OF HIS BOOK
by K. Parr
Hot Dad was back again.
With thick muscles, a neon blue Mohawk, abundant piercings, and colorful tattoos that crept down his neck and arms, he presented as exactly Max’s type—tough-looking on the outside, gooey on the inside.
From behind the cart of graphic novels he was shelving, Max witnessed the gooeyness in action while Hot Dad, in ripped jeans and a flannel button-down, played house with his daughter in the children’s area of the library. The girl couldn’t be more than four and shrieked with joy whenever her dad sampled imaginary food or helped ‘chop vegetables’. The sheer earnestness of Hot Dad’s encouragement made Max’s insides squirm like a colony of fuzzy ants.
Oh, to be treated so tenderly, to have such kindness and love directed toward him. Hot Dad was the rugged yet soft hero of Max’s beloved romance novels, and Max was the heroine swooning onto a settee.
Except unlike book heroines, Max was doomed to remain invisible. Who would notice him—a scrawny library page with thick glasses that made his eyes bug, brown curls that were always too frizzy, and drab clothes that hung off his skinny frame?
With a sigh, Max pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and returned to his cart. Luckily, shelving afforded him the opportunity to fantasize as his body moved on autopilot. He picked up where he left off, dreaming of carding his fingers through Hot Dad’s Mohawk, of counting each piercing along his ears and lips, of tracing the tattoos and learning their meanings.
An ear-splitting squeal preceded a small projectile ramming into the back of Max’s legs, and he let out an ‘oof’ as he blinked down at Hot Dad’s daughter.
She put a finger over her mouth. “Shh! I’m hiding.” She dropped down to crawl behind his cart.
“You know, the library isn’t a playground,” Max started—his usual spiel to kids who ran around uncontrolled.
And then Hot Dad rounded the corner.
Max’s whole body flushed hot, then cold, then hot again.
—
SEEING THE STORY
by CM Peters
Talking in front of his students was one thing. Introducing himself to a bunch of strangers was another, even if they had something in common. Gabe Collins wiped his moist hands on his jeans; it was as if the rain falling outside came straight out of his fingers.
The book club was a new thing for him and the best way he’d thought of to meet new people. With a deep breath, he smiled to his nearest seat neighbor and lifted his head when he heard his name called out.
“Why don’t you tell us about yourself, Mr. Collins?” the club president, Mrs. Gray, asked with a smile on her lips.
He nodded, cleared his throat, and stood nervously. “Hi. I’m Gabriel Collins. Gabe. I’m… uh… I’m the new History teacher at Fairview High, and uh…”
“Good thing you’re not the dialect coach,” a female voice called out mockingly.
With a frown, Gabe scanned the small crowd to see a brunette, curly-haired woman with a lopsided smile on her face. “Excuse me?”
“Sorry, couldn’t help myself. For someone who speaks to kids all day, you sound nervous to talk to people your age.”
His shoulders slumped and Gabe let out a laugh, feeling all the tension in his shoulders evaporate. “Yeah, uh… It’s different when I’m not talking to kids.”
“Mr. Collins, this is a book club, not the United Nations. We just want to know who you are and what you’ll bring to the club.”
He nodded. “Right. So, I’m Gabe, I’m thirty-eight, I’m into fantasy, historical, and crime novels mostly. I write in my spare time, I read a lot, and I’m here to broaden my horizons.”
“There you go!” The woman let out a tinkling laugh, clutching the book on her lap.
Gabe wasn’t sure how to react to this woman heckling so he chose not to say a word. Instead, he sat back down and grabbed his notebook.
“Thank you, Mr. Collins,” the older woman said. “Welcome to Fairview’s Book Club. If you have suggestions for future books, we’ll be discussing that later, and we’ll get to this month’s book in a minute. For now, a welcome back is needed, although everyone has heard her.” She turned to the curly-haired woman. “Frankie, we’re so happy to see you here again.”
A low murmur rose in the small crowd, making Gabe frown again. He observed the young woman for a moment, seeing emotions on her face until she composed herself.
“I’m glad to hear you guys, too. I’m here for the company, I guess. I’m still learning,” she said, lifting the book on her lap.
From afar, Gabe finally understood. The book was in Braille and the woman, blind. Something came over him and he called out, “Maybe we could help?” he asked, standing.
A blush came over the woman’s skin and she turned her face toward him, tilting her chin. “Are you blind too?”
“Uh…”
“Come on, get it out. What did you mean?” she said with a sigh.
He gave his answer a longer thought, and a soft grunt later, Gabe said, “If you let us, we could take turns reading the books to you?”
Frankie’s face closed up. “Do I look ninety?” she asked through gritted teeth, quick as lightning.
“Well, no!” Gabe replied quickly. “Never mind, I just wanted to help.” All around him, he saw averted eyes, making him a bit disheartened by this first contact with the book club.
When he moved to Fairview, Maryland, a fresh start after the end of a relationship and five years teaching on the West Coast, he thought it would be easy to blend in a small town, meet nice people, and establish relationships. This was not how he’d expected things to go during a book club.
The older woman called for attention. “So, if we get back to our musings, a nice welcome back to Frankie. We’re all happy to have you with us again and that’s why you chose the book for us this month. An oldie but a goodie, you said?”
Frankie nodded. “One of my favorites, yes. It’s from a South American author and a short novel. But since I’ve read it before… you know… I can follow the discussion when it’s time.” She held the book in her lap while lifting another book from her bag after puttering in it. “In Spanish, it’s called ‘El Cartero de Neruda’.” The cover showed a man standing by a bicycle on a cliff overlooking the ocean.
Gabe smiled inwardly. He’d read this book years ago in college from a Literature of the Americas class. The Postman had been a favorite of his from then on and he re-read it at least once a year, enough that he was on his second copy.
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December 1, 2020
BOOK BLITZ: The Shape of Stars Unknown by Sybil Le Pyrmont #GIVEAWAY
The Shape of Stars Unknown
Sybil Le Pyrmont
(The Aldarfall Saga, #1)
Publication date: October 15th 2020
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
World domination is the least of their problems.
A STRANDED DEMIGOD. Lau of the House of Feofar, troubled and headstrong, screwed up. Royally. Now he lives out his days in exile on Earth – the very planet he once tried to exterminate.
A RUDDERLESS MORTAL WOMAN. Silver Laing leads the ordinary life of a white-collar worker. Lonely and desperately in search of purpose and new horizons, she gets more than she bargained for when she is offered a mysterious job.
A CATACLYSMIC PLAN BILLIONS OF YEARS IN THE MAKING. When a deadly visitor from Lau’s shrouded past threatens to lay the world in ashes, Silver and Lau must form an unlikely alliance against ancient and far superior forces.
An alliance with the potential to shake the very foundation of the Universe.
Shimmering new worlds?Sizzling tension?Secrets as old as time?Splashes of humour?If your answer to all of the above is ‘Hell, yeah!’ then The Shape of Stars Unknown is your guy. This first book in Sybil Le Pyrmont’s new urban fantasy adventure series, The Aldarfall Saga, will take you from Germany to Tibet, from Japan to Iceland and all the way to the other end of the Universe.
—
EXCERPT:
‘Who’s the employer sending you halfway around the world?’ he asked, resting his chin in his hand while they climbed steeply into the leaden skies.
She did not usually disclose her occupation – or her employer – to fellow passengers. It tended to result in exhaustive conversations about everything that had gone awry with their last fifty to three hundred flights. Then again, Julian Watkins did not convey the impression of having harassment on his mind, which was why she chose to stick to candour and gestured at her surroundings.
‘Voila.’
He lifted a brow. ‘United? What do you do for them?’
‘I’m in sales.’
‘I deduce from the slight hesitation that you aren’t entirely happy with your job.’
‘Who is?’ Silver countered. She was grateful to have the job in the first place, but that did not stop her from wondering whether she was cut out to endure another thirty-plus years of corporate treadmill – not that she had a choice, what with staggering debts to repay and a deplorable lack of billionaire husbands or relatives. ‘What do you do for a living?’
Julian Watkins dropped back into his seat and gave her a challenging glance. ‘Any guesses?’ Despite the humour in his voice, Silver could not help but feel that she was being tested. She had no idea what it took to pass the test; all she knew was that for some funky reason, she wanted to pass. Which was when she usually failed. Crossing her legs, she decided to simply say the first thing that sprang to mind.
‘Spy.’
She had expected him to smirk and ask whether she had watched The Night Manager one time too many – which she had – but he remained unperturbed. ‘Exhibits to support your allegation?’
‘The way you observe,’ she said after a moment of consideration. ‘Nothing seems to escape you. Let’s see … What colour shirt is the passenger in 1A wearing?’
‘A nauseating shade of orange,’ he offered without looking at the man in question.
‘What did the flight attendant do after she closed the door?’
‘She dropped her earring.’
With a triumphant beam, Silver gave a nod. ‘I stick to my guns. Spy.’
‘You seem to be rather perceptive yourself, Miss Laing.’ His expression became thoughtful. ‘And your guess isn’t completely off, although I’m not a spy in the classic sense of the word. Picture an organisation that appreciates a certain level of vigilance.’
‘Sounds cryptic. Industrial espionage?’
He chuckled. ‘Let’s call it complicated.’
Author Bio:
Sybil Le Pyrmont was born in Germany and was raised on the Canary Islands (that Gallic name is a pseudonym – her actual name has as much flair as a tax return). Although she now resides in Frankfurt, Germany, her heart has been beating for Tokyo ever since she spent a year in that city and discovered her epic love for all things Japan. That includes, to her acute embarrassment, the Shinagawa train station jingle she has installed as her ringtone. When Sybil isn’t writing, or dreaming of the anonymous donor who will some day gift her a house in Japan, she splits her time between her airline day job and long rants about the sunshine and the always-too-hot weather.
Sybil writes urban fantasy adventure to whisk her readers away to realms of imagination that have a distinct possibility of existing somewhere in the depths of the Universe.
Visit spyrmont.com for more on Sybil and her writing.
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November 30, 2020
BOOK BLITZ: Protecting Tova by Havana Wilder #GIVEAWAY
Protecting Tova
Havana Wilder
Publication date: December 4th 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Escaping the tormenting demons of her past was all Tova wanted, but someone has other plans.
An Internally tormented girl An Unexpected protector One deadly huntTova, sexually and physically abused as a child, lives in a territory protected by a thick forest and stone wall. She has no desire to leave, and not because of the savages and mutated beasts that roam beyond the walls…
On a quest to deliverance, her plan has always been to learn self-defense and to learn how to protect those who can’t protect themselves while overcoming the demons of her past.
Meanwhile, an unsuspecting heartthrob catches her attention. Not knowing the secrets that lay deep within, he anxiously wants to pursue her, but someone else has other plans for her.
In the midst of all the mayhem, does their relationship end before it can begin?
Protecting Tova is an exciting journey as Tova fights to forget her past in a dystopian world inundated by threats, mysteries, and treachery.
***This is an adrenaline rush novel with a mixture of fantasy and paranormal/supernatural. Perfect for fans of sarcastic heroines, protective males, and instant attraction.***
Author Bio:
Havana has always had a vivid imagination and is an avid dreamer. As a child, she used to have a goal of making her mom laugh as much as she could by coming up with some very outlandish stories. As she grew up she discovered her love of fantasy romances and dreamt about becoming an author herself. So, she decided to put her dreams into reality by becoming an author herself.Be sure to follow her on Instagram and Facebook for updates at Havana Wilder.
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BOOK BLITZ: The Prince's Bride Part 2 by J.J. McAvoy #GIVEAWAY
The Prince’s Bride Part 2
J.J. McAvoy
(The Prince’s Bride #2)
Publication date: November 27th 2020
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Romance
Book 2 of The Prince’s Bride duet.
In book one, he was just a spoiled playboy prince whose family was in desperate need of money. Now everything has changed Odette Wyntor has a choice.Stay or Run.Royalty is not for the weak of heart.Can they handle what is to come?
Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
“Is there wine?” he asked, stepping in farther.
And that was when the words came back to me. “We haven’t seen each other in months, and the first thing you ask me about is wine?” I couldn’t believe it.
“You’re right. That was rude,” he said gently, walking up to me.
“Being rude isn’t the point, Gale. How could you—”
“My first question should have been, how are you, Odette?” he whispered, placing his hand on my cheek, and it was like he had shocked me. Electricity flowed throughout my veins, and the hair on my arms stood up, so I had to step back away from his touch.
“What do you think you are doing?” I snapped.
“He dropped his hands, his gaze softening. “Can we save our argument for the morning? It has been a very long day, and I really need some sleep.”
“What?”
He didn’t answer me; instead, he took off his jacket and walked to the bedroom.
“What are you doing?” I rushed to stand in front of him. “If you want to sleep, go back to your palace!”
“My wife isn’t in the palace. She is here, and I can hardly let her spend her first night here alone, now can I?” he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Like oh, of course, you shouldn’t look directly at the sun.
“So, there is the wine.” He snickered and walked around me again into the bedroom, tossing his coat onto the ottoman at the end of the bed, grabbing my unfinished glass to drink from it.
“Gale!”
“Hmm?” He looked at me, still drinking.
He—I—What was he doing right now? Breathe, Odette. Breathe. “Gale, you cannot just break into my bedroom, demand to sleep, and drink my wine like nothing has happened—like we don’t need to talk.”
Author Bio:
J.J. McAvoy was born in Montreal, Canada and graduated from Carleton University in 2016 with an honours degree in Humanities. She is the oldest of three and has loved writing for years. She is inspired by everything from Shakespearean tragedies to current culture. Her novels hope to push boundaries and allow readers to look at the world from another perspective. Please feel free to stay in touch with her via Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube, where she video blogs.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Tumblr / Youtube
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