R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 147

BOOK BLITZ: Crushing It by Lorelei Parker #GIVEAWAY

Crushing It
Lorelei Parker
Published by: Kingston Publishing Company
Publication date: June 30th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

In life, as in gaming, there’s a way around every obstacle . . .To pitch her new role-playing game at a European conference, developer Sierra Reid needs to overcome her terror of public speaking. What better practice than competing in a local bar’s diary slam, regaling an audience with old journal entries about her completely humiliating college crush on gorgeous Tristan Spencer?Until the moderator says, “Next up, Tristan Spencer . . .”Sierra is mortified, but Tristan is flattered. Caught up in memories of her decade-old obsession as they reconnect, Sierra tries to dismiss her growing qualms about him. But it’s not so easy to ignore her deepening friendship with Alfie, the cute, supportive bar owner. She and Alfie were college classmates too, and little by little, Sierra is starting to wonder if she’s been focusing her moves on the wrong target all along, misreading every player’s motivations.Maybe the only winning strategy is to start playing by her heart . . .
“Relatable, funny, and charming, this gamingesque book delivers laughs and romance in a warm, satisfying bundle.”–Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood
“Sexy and delicious.”–Kristin Wright, author of Lying Beneath the Oaks

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo—EXCERPT:“Hmm.” She tapped her finger on her lips. “Everyone’s had a crush on someone, right? It wouldn’t be the most embarrassing revelation in the world. Could you find something like that?”I thought about it. I really did not want to stand up in front of total strangers—or worse, former classmates—and get laughed at, but Aida was right that an admission of a decade-old crush on a boy in a college class wasn’t the worst thing I might reveal. Besides, everyone had a crush on pretty boy Tristan back in the day. That might work well for this kind of contest.“Would that be enough to win the prize?” And a guaranteed trip to Germany.“Why don’t we forget about the prize, okay? I’m more interested in helping you work through your anxiety.”Right. My forced therapy. “I just don’t see how muscling through one reading will achieve that.”She bit her lip. “Okay, so here’s the deal. It’s not a one-night contest. It’s an elimination-style competition. Like American Idol.”“Oh.” That changed things considerably. I just wanted the money, but I couldn’t imagine doing this week after week. Staying home and playing Undertale on the genocide route was sounding better and better.Aida stood, one hand bracing her back. “Look. It’s right up the street. Let’s just go check it out.”When she left, I skimmed the journal, hunting for something safe and boring. I didn’t believe reading something embarrassing was going to magically cure me. Nor was I going to win a weeks-long contest. But as Mr. Shepherd, my cross-country coach, used to say, “Running begins, not with the feet, but with the mind.” Maybe just preparing to do the contest, imagining myself succeeding, would be therapeutic on its own.I took a deep breath and pretended I was actually going to go through with it.

Author Bio:
Bouncing all over the north throughout her childhood, Lorelei Parker grew up believing she was a Yankee. However, raised by transplanted Alabamans, she was destined to eventually wind up in the south. After graduating from Auburn University, she disappointed her entire family by defecting to SEC rival University of Florida and eventually settled as far north as central Virginia for grad school in French literature. After a major career shift and a brief detour through New York City, she now works as a computer programmer in Charlottesville. In her free time, when she isn't playing video games, she writes contemporary romantic comedy.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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B@@K REVEAL: Full Tilt Boogie by Leslie Scott

Full Tilt Boogie
Leslie Scott
Publication date: July 22nd 2020
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Breanna Casey has only ever wanted two things in life: to race and to get the hell out of Arkadia, Texas. Stifled beneath her family’s turbo-charged reputation, she’s got her thumb firmly on the self-destruct button. A night of hyper-driven racing and rebellion leads to a one night stand with the one guy who knows how to press all her buttons: Noah McKay.Torn apart by the toll of his high-intensity enlistment in the Marines and guilt-ridden by what he’s seen, Noah McKay left the military to find peace. A chance encounter sends him working for the parents of a raven-haired Amazon goddess with a tongue that cuts sharper than any knife. Quiet is the last thing he’ll get. Finally, she gets her chance.Calloway Racing wants her to drive for them. But that’s not all they want. A good friend of her father’s, Calloway insists she take Noah along for the ride. Suddenly, her dreams are feeling more like a nightmare. Will they be able to help each other, maybe even find love, when living life full tilt boogie?

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Author Bio:
Award nominated author of Two Hearts, One Stone and the Arkadia Fast Series, Leslie Scott has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. The happier the ending, the better. Currently, she lives and writes amidst her own happily ever after with her soul mate, son, and domestic zoo. http://lesliescottromance.com/Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

BOOK BLITZ: Betting on Sin by Maria Ann Green #GIVEAWAY

Betting on Sin
Maria Ann Green
Publication date: June 26th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Greta has been here before. Like, literally. She was just in this Las Vegas penthouse a couple months ago. Back then she was meeting Finn, the handsome bachelor looking for love, on The Lock—the most popular reality dating TV show around. But when she was here last time she was dumped, and went home alone instead of engaged. Life sucks sometimes.But, other times, that same life has a beautiful way of showing you why it sucked so hard before – so you can appreciate what comes next even more. Because now Greta is the next lucky bachelorette to have thirty or so men worshiping her while she breaks up with them one at a time. It’s weird to be recognized in public, and even weirder to have so many dudes fighting over her. Actually after just a couple days it’s kind of exhausting, especially when she’d rather send all but a couple of them home. Be careful what you wish for, right?Throughout the whirlwind Greta spends more time with her personal cameraman, Oliver, than she does on Trysts with the guys she’s supposed to be falling in love with. And the more time she spends with Oliver the less she wants to spend with anyone else. Anyone. Even the guys here for her. It gets worse too. The fact that he’s behind the scenes instead of on the big screen…it’s not the only problem. He also has a girlfriend. And that’s a line Greta won’t cross. But she can’t stop wishing she’d met him before all of this craziness.Will Greta get her head together long enough to focus on following the rules of the show, or will she screw up this second shot at love too?*Content Warning: sex, alcohol use, and language*If you like reality dating TV shows, romances with steam and heart, female leads with no time for conflict or bullshit, and redheads, then Betting On Sin might be your next favorite book. It has plenty of awkward moments, friends to lovers, and promises the most dramatic season finale yet. It’ll keep you up way too late, reading just one more chapter all night.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:I watch as his eyes widen, and he bites his bottom lip for a moment. And I watch as he sits still. I watch him…not backing away, not stopping me from what we both know I’m doing. I close my eyes, too scared of the rejection I know is coming. Call me a coward, I don’t care anymore. I close my eyes and hover in front of his face, waiting. I want to go the rest of the way; I want to so badly, I can feel the need of it prickling all over. But I don’t. I cant. Not yet.Instead, I wait for him to show me somehow, tell me, that this is what he wants too.His hands find mine then, his fingers moving to intertwine with mine, and he leans forward. It’s just an inch. It’s not the rest of the way to me, doesn’t close the whole distance. But it’s enough. It’s enough to show me that we’re in this together. That I haven’t made everything up in my mind. That he wants me too. So I go for it. I close the last bit of space between us until my lips crash into his. And it’s like…I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Even though it’s only a kiss, nothing else. But it feels like home. Like what I’ve been waiting for my whole life. Like nothing in the universe has been this right.

Author Bio:
Maria lives in Minnesota despite the frozen winters. Actually, she prefers snow drifts and icicles over summer and all that sweat running everywhere. She lives with her husband and little family, which includes a couple lazy cats who make great lap warmers. You can usually find her whishing that she lived in a secret cabin in the woods where she could be a hermit reading and writing all of the time. Instead she lives the suburban life where she pretends to her neighbors and the other moms around that she doesn't swear like a sailor, have hidden tattoos, and love a good glass bottle of wine. She absolutely believes in unicorns and ghosts and hopes vampires and monsters are real too. She's a coffee-in-the-morning and wine-in-the-evening kind of person, preferably with a nap in between. Maria prefers cats over dogs, books over people, and late nights over early mornings. She probably shouldn't talk to anyone until she's had her first cup of coffee. And if you ever want to hang out with her, you'll have to be game for a horror movie or just a quick run to target for two (hundred) little things. Also, you couldn't pay her to be in her twenties again; Thirties is where it's at. She's a creative, mouthy, introverted, proud bisexual, highly-sensitive INFJ, Slytherpuff, dork with a sweet-tooth.Maria devours books, reading mostly in bed or listening to audio books in the car. Writing has been one of her passions for pretty much her whole life. So creativity is a necessity for her, always. After working in the mental health field for almost a decade, she's now living her dream as a stay-at-home writer, kiddo wrangler, professional snuggler, and constantly-tired-person. When it comes to her writing, she specializes in dark and twisted thrillers or gritty, angsty contemporary romances. But no matter the genre, she always prefers writing deeply flawed characters with dysfunctional relationships. She's pretty sure the whole "unlikable character" thing is a conspiracy because every character she loves have been labeled this way. Ridiculous. And because of this, she's pretty much found it impossible to write anything without at least a little mayhem.Maria was once told she painted with her words, and that phrase stuck with her - because writing really is an art, and good stories are true masterpieces. She's always trying to grow and improve in her craft, shooting for a masterpiece of her own someday. And she plans to write forever because writing gives Maria the ability to disappear into new worlds and create people within twisting plots, all from the comfort of her couch. She will always believe that though not every story is for her, and her stories aren't for everyone, every story has a reader.Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

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B@@K REVEAL: Marauder by Bella Di Corte #PreORDER

Marauder
Bella Di Corte
(Gangsters of New York, #2)
Publication date: August 7th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

He stole my heart out of revenge.There was one thing I always thought was mine to give: my heart.I never imagined a marauder would steal it out of vengeance—vengeance that had nothing to do with me. His greatest enemy happened to be the man in love with me, and somehow I became nothing but a pawn. I was no damsel in distress, though. More like an archer, ready to battle.And my target? The marauder himself.Cashel “Cash” Kelly.Kelly might have been as gorgeous as he was ruthless, but he had no idea what I’d do to steal it back. Or better yet, get even.She was determined to keep what was mine.They say hearts can’t be stolen unless they’re willing to be. Tell that to the man everyone on the streets called “the marauder.”Me.Because by the time I was through, Keely Ryan’s heart would be mine. And my enemy’s? As good as broken. Trouble was, the archer was precise with her aim, and her arrow was pointed at my heart.

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Author Bio:
Bella Di Corte has been writing romance for seven years, even longer if you count the stories in her head that were never written down, but she didn’t realize how much she enjoyed writing alphas until recently. Tough guys who walk the line between irredeemable and savable, and the strong women who force them to feel, inspire her to keep putting words to the page.Apart from writing, Bella loves to spend time with her husband, daughter, and family. She also loves to read, listen to music, cook meals that were passed down to her, and take photographs. She mostly takes pictures of her family (when they let her) and her three dogs. Bella grew up in New Orleans, a place she considers a creative playground.She loves to connect with readers, so don’t hesitate to email her at belladicorte@gmail.com if you’d like to reach out. Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Instagram / Bookbub

BOOK BLITZ: Beast by Marteeka Karland #GIVEAWAY

Beast
Marteeka Karland
(Salvation’s Bane, #2)
Published by: Changeling Press
Publication date: June 26th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Fleur: Never in a million years would I have expected a woman I considered a friend to betray me in the worst possible way. Yet it happened. Drugged and in the back room of a BDSM club, I was about to be used in a brutal way. Until he exploded to my rescue.Beast: I’m Salvation’s Bane’s enforcer. My job is to protect. So when I notice something amiss in the BDSM club Bane owns, I’m there to shut that shit down. What I find is a woman who ignites passions inside me better left alone. What will she think when she finds out the lengths I’ll go to protect what’s mine? I come by my name honest. When it comes to protecting my club, or my woman, I’m the most ferocious beast you could ever imagine.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—EXCERPT:His own chuckle surprised Beast. He wasn’t the kind of man who laughed much. “The only rule you need to worry about is to do what I tell you. Beyond that, there aren’t many rules. Don’t betray the club. Don’t talk about anything you see here unless it’s with me. That’s it. The girls will probably test you, but that’s normal.”“Test me?”“Oh yeah. They got Vicious’s ol’ lady drunk at the first party she went to.”“That doesn’t sound too bad.”“Well, once her inhibitions were gone, she put on a show like no one had ever seen. And we own two strip clubs.”“Wow. Was she pissed?”He shrugged. “Don’t know what she said to Vicious in private, but I can tell you it backfired mightily on the girls. They all got laid, but every single man in the club had visions of Lucy in his head when they fucked, I can tell you that.”She opened her mouth then closed it. Tried again. “I have no idea what to say to that.”He snorted. “Not much to say. Everyone had a good time and Vicious learned a thing or two about his ol’ lady. Mainly that she’s an exhibitionist.”“Holy shit!”That got a chuckle out of him. Again, it startled him that the sound came so easily. It made his chest feel funny, too. OK, so it wasn’t the sound of his laughter that got him. It was the woman in front of him. She made him do it so easily. Almost casually. Every time he did it, he could see her lips twitch. Most of the time, her smile followed. And it was a glorious smile. Fucking glorious! Just like the sunshine he’d nicknamed her.“Yeah. That’s what we said. They tend to not be discreet about fuckin’. Vicious has always been up for a good time, but I think he’s met his match in Lucy.”“I think I better sleep on this. You know I’m probably not going to do anything like that while I’m here. Right?”“Sunshine, no one expects you to. Join in the fun, watch, or don’t participate in any way. Stay for the food until you see it’s goin’ in a way you are uncomfortable with. No one judges.”She yawned and stretched, pulling his shirt tight over her tits before she adjusted it absently. Thing nearly swallowed her whole, but she’d gotten tangled settling into bed. “What about you? You judging me for what happened in the club?”That hit him like she’d slapped him. “Sunshine, none of that was your fault.”“I didn’t have to walk in there. I could have said ‘no’ to Debbie. I willingly went into a BDSM club, knowing what went on there.” She shook her head slightly. “More precisely, I thought I knew what went on, but that’s not the point.”“Then what is? ‘Cause, I gotta tell ya, I’m not likin’ where you’re goin’ with this.” Did she really think he’d take advantage of her just because she was in a place like that? “I work there, honey. I’m there every fuckin’ night it’s open. I’ve seen lots of women come and go. Literally. In all senses of the word. All different shapes, sizes, colors, and sexual orientation. They come there for even more different reasons. Some want to fuck anything moving anywhere they can. Others want to find a Dom who can care for their needs, not all of them sexual in nature. Then there are the ones who are just curious. They come in wanting to watch and fantasize. I think you fall into the latter category, though, I bet I could make you want to try at least some of the shit goin’ on in there.”“In your dreams, big guy.” She yawned again. “That’s not me.”“Whatever you say, Sunshine.”He sat back in the chair he’d pulled near the bed and sprawled out. It wasn’t the most comfortable place in the world, but he didn’t want to leave her alone until Doc said it was OK. The longer he sat there, the more uncomfortable it got. And not because of the chair. Picturing Fleur at one of the club’s wild and rowdy parties was getting him hard. Maybe she’d participate, maybe she wouldn’t. But she’d watch. She’d be there. He’d just bet he could coax her behind a palm tree or something. If not, he’d still get to enjoy watching her watch others.Fuck.“Gideon?” That sleepy, sultry note to her voice was the nail in his coffin. His cock was sprung like a fucking teenager. Barely suppressing his frustrated groan, he sat up a little straighter.“You all right, Sunshine?”“Uh, yeah. I’m fine. I just… well, that chair can’t be comfortable. Why not go on to your room? I promise I won’t get up by myself. You’ve done enough for now.”“This is my room. And I’m not leavin’ you by yourself. Just go back to sleep.”There was another long silence. Then, “Beast.” Her tone brooked no nonsense, a bit of a dominant tone to it when he was certain that wasn’t her core personality. He also noticed she used his street name, not his given name. “Just get in the fucking bed, will you?”“Snippy little thing, huh?”“I’m not lying here while you’re in that stupid chair like a dumbass. There’s plenty of room in here for both of us.”“Not afraid I’ll take advantage?”“Oh, I’m sure you’ll take advantage. But I’m not in a position to be taken advantage of by you, and you’re not the kind of guy to push it.”He stood and crossed to the bed. Instead of going around to the other side where there was more room and he wouldn’t crowd her, he slipped in close to her small body. “You sure about that?” He took her little hand, his big one wrapping completely around her wrist with room to spare, and pulled it to his crotch. “‘Cause I ain’t sure my own Goddamned self.”Instead of pulling away, she wrapped those slim fingers around his cock through his jeans. “Absolutely,” she answered. Did she sound a little breathless? “If that was the kind of man you were, you wouldn’t have rescued me from those creeps in the first place.”Beast let go of her wrist but covered her hand with his, pressing it against his dick so he could move a little and have at least some of the friction he wanted. “You’re gonna be the fuckin’ death of me, woman.”

Author Bio:
Romance author by night, emergency room tech/clerk by day, Marteeka Karland works really hard to drive everyone in her life completely and totally nuts. She has been creating stories from her warped imagination since she was in the third grade. Her love of writing blossomed throughout her teenage years until it developed into the totally unorthodox and irreverent style her English teachers tried so hard to rid her of. Now, she breathes life into faeries, space hunters, werewolves, vampires, shapeshifters, and a few just plane ole ordinary people. She loves to see the awkward, self-conscious band geek get the captain of the football team and make him beg for it.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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B@@K REVEAL: Born for Leaving by Jude Munro

Born for Leaving
Jude Munro
Publication date: July 2020
Genres: Adult, LGBTQ+, Romance

When they say be careful what you wish for, do you pay attention?Neither did Oliver Tunstead.Oliver wishes for nothing more than to get his mind off his crappy bartending job, pile of debt big enough to swallow him whole, and playboy ex-boyfriend/boss who refuses to back off. Too bad distractions, like the hot little convertible he has his eye on, cost megabucks. And Oliver is flat broke. Renting the spare bedroom in his rundown beachfront cottage is his only option to pick up the cash he needs—a risky proposition, as Oliver is the polar opposite of a people-person. When he responds to a bizarre ad in the Waterfront Gazette seeking summer housing, he gets more than he bargained for. But Oliver can cope… After all, how much harm can a single quirky tenant do to his tightly guarded life in three short months?WhereOliver is a loner by design, urban cowboy Bodie is a loner by necessity. A family dispute long ago dropkicked him onto the path of a lifelong wanderer. This changes when Bodie moves into the tiny beachfront cottage and starts working the door at Oliver’s bar.Despite Oliver and Bodie’s nearly paralyzing instinct to avoid commitment, they fall into a wary romance. And to their surprise, life as a couple is sweetly satisfying; that is, until their jealous boss devises a cruel plan to destroy the tentative bond they’ve built. True to form, Bodie hits the road, leaving Oliver to lick his wounds alone.Can these wounded souls defy their urge to flee and fight for love?

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Author Bio:
Like Jude Munro, her fictional characters in her gay romance novels are drawn to the beach. They’ve sunbathed on the sands of many alluring East Coast beaches—Chappaquiddick, Hampton, Old Orchard, and Bradenton—along with the fantastical beaches in Jude’s books. They’ll answer questions like “Who do you think you are, the sun god?” (which they often resemble) if they can hear you over "Boys of Summer" cranking on their headphones. Though some prefer "Margaritaville." To most of Jude’s men, no shoes and no shirt is really not a problem. But even on the sunniest of beach days, the guys in Jude’s books do have problems… as in, serious relationship issues. Many of which seem insurmountable. And each character must earn his day at the beach (yes, there is always a HEA). Website / Facebook

BOOK BLITZ: Crude by Sloan Storm #GIVEAWAY

Crude
Sloan Storm
Publication date: June 26th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Hunky oil billionaire Colt Kincade demands I sell him my ranch. But I refuse, and he’s not happy about it.Pfft. Whatever. Mr. Tall, Dark and Country thinks he can get whatever he wants, huh?Well, I’m not some social-climbing, gold-digging, moon-eyed-orbiter lusting after him just because he’s hotter than a two-dollar pistol. He may have tongues wagging all across the Lone Star state, but his charms won’t work on me.I hate everything about him – his tantalizing Texas drawl, his swaggering God’s gift attitude, his soul-searing, come-and-get-it-girls stare.And no. I don’t care that he loves dogs, his momma or his daddy’s dusty old pickup.He’s trouble. Trouble I do not need. Besides, I’ve got problems of my own.Broke? Yep.Single? Sadly.Desperate? Getting there.The truth is, I’m running out of time, out of options, and out of hope.I need the money he’s offering.But even worse, my heart thinks it needs Colt, too.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:I’m not sure what was harder.Slipping and sliding all over the place from that damn hot yoga or trying to keep my cock from tying in a knot. I had a vague idea of what I expected her to look like…And it sure as hell wasn’t this.I went there with one thing in mind… completing my mission and closing the deal.But, after watching her curvy figure prowl around the classroom for an hour, drilling of a different sort was on my mind. However, despite her earlier behavior, or maybe because of it, Jessie kept it professional, stopping by once or twice to correct my form.Did that matter to me, though?Hell no.Wherever her tiny hands touched, my skin lit up like red-hot charcoal.After class ended, I hung around, sipping on some cold water and toweling off. Shit, sweat poured from places I didn’t know it could. No idea how people made a regular habit of this insanity.That room was hotter than all git out.She chatted with one of the folks in the class, I polished off my drink and headed her direction. Thing is, I had to be careful. Sending the wrong message would get me in a heap of trouble and no closer to the actual reason I’d come there.I closed in on her, our eyes met.What a damn angel.Lucky for me she didn’t bear any resemblance to ole Clint. Poor bastard was so ugly his momma had to tie a pork chop around his neck so the dogs would play with him.No, she got her looks from her mother.Especially those eyes – big and blue and bright – like nothing I’d ever seen.Jessie tucked a wisp of loose hair behind her ear.“I was pretty impressed with you,” she said before finishing her dig with a cute little wink. “Not bad. Usually big guys like yourself quit the first time around. They never come back after that.”I enjoyed her teasing.How couldn’t I?“That a fact? What makes you think this is my first time?”Jessie shot me a liar’s look, wrapping her fingers around her hips.“Fair enough.” Held up my hands, showed her my palms. “I guess you could say this is my first yoga rodeo.”So, my initial plan was to just get it over with, explain what I was doing there, see how she reacted. But, the longer we talked, the more impossible I realized that would be. Bullets were already flying, ricocheting on the battlefield, and I needed a new strategy.After all, I’d have to reveal everything to her.No way in hell that would work.Think about it…Somehow a random stranger knew everything about her life, including her adoption. Also, I knew her birth father, was a friend of his. If that wasn’t enough to have her kicking me out the front door, she was the heir to a ranch I needed in the worst way.Course I was under the gun to get the damn deal done before Tucker tracked her down. My gut told me there had to be another way to make it happen, but my brain hadn’t bothered to provide me any details. Getting an eyeful of that tight, lean body of hers though, I knew one thing for sure.That dog wouldn’t hunt.This wasn’t the time or place to be in deal-making mode.“So,” she began, snapping me out of my strategizing. “Are you from out of town? Here on business?”“No, Dallas born and bred.”“Uh huh.” Jessie deadpanned. “Hmm, why do I feel like you don’t belong in a yoga studio?”“Because I don’t. Said so yourself.”“Well, do you think you’ll come back? Hot yoga isn’t the easiest class for a beginner. We have other options.”“Do you teach any of those options?”“No. I only teach the advanced classes.”“I suppose I’ll have to take my chances then. Hope I don’t turn myself into a pretzel in the meantime.”She chirped a melodic laugh – the type a man never tires of hearing. It was like the first bird you hear when Spring’s sprung at last. When she finished, Jessie drew her hands together at her waiflike waist, smiling so bright, I swore I saw it twinkle.“Well, it was nice meeting you. I’ve got one more class to teach, so if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready for it.”“Pleasure,” I replied, stepping to one side and letting her pass.When she walked off, my body caught fire. Barely an hour in her presence and that little woman stirred sensations inside of me that’d been dormant for a long damn time. She turned and looked at me over her shoulder, catching me in the act.Didn’t matter. I wasn’t ashamed of anything.I stared right back at her, letting her know there’d be more sweat in our future and not a yoga mat in sight.After she left though, I blew out a long breath.I wouldn’t go so far as to say her beauty and gentle spirit hypnotized me, but it was awful close. That little dove was a far cry from the viper pit of the social scene around Dallas. Over the years, I’d seen some women do crazy shit to remain in my orbit.But Jessie?She didn’t know a thing about me.She was just… herself.No pretending. No gold-digging. No horseshit games.“Hmm,” I muttered, wiping my brow with the towel. “This is gonna be a problem.”A serious problem.Damn it to hell, Colt.

Author Bio:
Sloan Storm pens imaginative yarns based on dominant men and the women who challenge them. As such, power plays and passion are the heart of each and every story.The writer's creative tendencies may drift as the mood strikes, but the essence of all tales told wind up back at the same place... the polarizing difference between the sexes.After all, what else is there in life?When not glued to a keyboard creating tales of whimsy, Sloan loves to talk to fans! If you want to connect, you can do it in any number of ways:Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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BOOK BLITZ: The Magic of a Kiss by Tracey L. Dragon #GIVEAWAY

The Magic of a Kiss
Tracey L. Dragon
(Return to the Home Front, #4)
Published by: Soul Mate Publishing
Publication date: June 24th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance

In 2015 when Nicki Stewart, an Army widow, arrives at the lake cottage bequeathed to her, she finds not only Lt. Josh Taylor, a cocky Navy Pilot, residing next door, but also an old diary left for her by Maggie, her deceased husband’s great aunt. When Nicki shares with Josh the colorful details about Hank, a man mentioned in Maggie’s diary, Josh shows her a journal written by the same guy. Before long, the two neighboring strangers become engrossed in the magic of a long-gone era.In 1950 Maggie Frank, a prim librarian, buys a duplex cottage at Olcott Beach, NY where she learns that the man residing next door is both a womanizer and a drunkard. Hank Jones, a World War II Veteran struggling to adjust to civilian life, is at first annoyed but later intrigued by the straight-laced Maggie whose situation he finds puzzling. Before long, the two opposites become friends in an odd sort of way until the day Maggie’s secret is exposed, and they go their separate ways. When Hank returns unannounced on Christmas Eve, Maggie must decide if love can overcome the wounds of the past.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:June 1950As Maggie Frank strolled along the pebbled shoreline, she bent periodically to pick up shells and to breathe deeply of the fresh air. The late sun’s rays on her face warmed her through and through, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a semblance of peace. That is until she spied a strange man standing on her porch hunched over trying unsuccessfully to open her front door. Thank goodness she had the foresight to lock it.“Excuse me,” she said, when she reached him. “Can I help you?”The rather scruffy man bent over her doorknob trying uselessly to unlock it ignored her and continued to jab his key in the lock, mumbling under his breath what sounded like some rather inventive cursing.“Hello.” She stepped closer. “I’m the owner of the cottage you’re trying to enter. Can I help you? I think you may have the wrong place.”Finally, the man straightened and turned to face her.She took a step back, unnerved by his appearance. He obviously hadn’t shaved in several days or bothered to change his clothing, and she’d bet her bottom dollar that he’d slept in them the night before. The odor of alcohol wafting from his breath would have knocked a lesser body over. She couldn’t image how he still stood upright.He squinted at her then opened his bloodshot eyes wider as if he were having trouble seeing her. “Nope, this is my cottage, I’m sure of it.”Her heart plummeted into her stomach as the realization hit. Oh, please God, don’t let this be my neighbor. “Perhaps you should try your key in that door.” She pointed to the black one next to hers and held her breath.“Oh,” was all he managed to mumble as he started to tilt forward.“Whoa.” Maggie placed her hands on his shoulders to brace him against the cottage wall. “Why don’t you let me have your key, and I’ll see if it opens the other door?”The drunken man slumped against the gray siding and held out the key, dangling it from the end of his index finger. “Feel free.” He leered. “I could use some pretty little company.”Knowing from experience how drunks could turn belligerent at the drop of a hat, Maggie kept her mouth shut, snatched the key from him, and inserted it into the locked door next to hers. Darn. The key worked, and the door opened under her hand. Just my luck. She turned to step out of the stranger’s way but bumped into him as he lurched forward and almost fell on her. She let out a deep sigh, cursing the swear words she heard Jimmy use often enough, but usually refrained from doing so herself. She latched on to the man and managed to steer him toward the small couch in the living room where she dropped him sprawled face down.“Not that you will remember, but I’m Maggie Frank, your neighbor,” she said.“Hank Jones,” he muttered then promptly threw up at her feet.

Author Bio:
Tracey L. Dragon is a relocated New Yorker, former Navy Wife, and retired educator who lives in Yulee, Florida with her husband Bill and Mickey, their black and white Miniature Goldendoodle.Tracey's first publication came at the age of twelve when the short poem she wrote about the Apollo moon landing was published in her hometown newspaper. After seven military moves, raising two Navy brats, and twenty years teaching troubled youth and incarcerated adults, she is now able to put her full attention to publishing the children's stories and historic romance novels she's written over the years as a hobby. Tracey's Adult Fiction Series, "Return to the Home Front" is a collection of dual-time military themed romance novels: The first three books "Cherished Wings", "When the Geese Fly North" are available in print and Kindle editions now. The third, "When Love Simply Is" will be released in October 2019 by Soul Mate Publishing.Her "Military Brat Series" for children is also available with 3 stories available now and additional titles coming soon.
Tracey enjoys running, crocheting, and spending time with her grandchildren.She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Florida Author & Publishers Association.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter

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BOOK BLITZ: The Random Series Boxed Set by Julia Kent #GIVEAWAY

The Random Series Boxed Set
Julia Kent
(The Random Series, #4-6)
Publication date: May 28th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

It may have all started with a hitchhiker wearing a guitar – and only a guitar – but now the band’s on the rise, and every member – Trevor, Joe, Liam, Sam, and Frown – has a story.A love story.From working the “day job” in creative ways to pay bills to engagements gone awry to second chance romances and breakups that make Mavis the Chicken return along with the ever-assured Happily Ever After, this wild and crazy ride leaves you filled with HOPE, screaming YES, and so full of LOVE.This boxed set contains Random Acts of Hope, Random Acts of Yes, and Random Acts of Love, books 4, 5 and 6 in the New York Times bestselling Random series by Julia Kent.Note: Random Acts of Yes was previously published under the title Randomly Ever After: Sam and Amy.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:The last thing I expected to see when I walked into the kitchen of this Friday night gig was eight vibrators twitching furiously on the tile floor in various states of orgasm-inducing glory.The giant black dildo with huge, egg-shaped, bulbous balls at the base was winning. A close second, the pink rabbit with the little clit extenders tried to catch up. Next came a two-inch silver bullet, flailing off to the right but occasionally making a giant leap forward. The other four, a ragtag assemblage of peach and brown flesh-colored rubbery plastic, seemed to cluster around the refrigerator as if stoned, lolling about aimlessly after getting their hands on a quarter bag and a limitless supply of nachos.Ah, yes. The famous vibrator races at a sex toy party. I’d heard about this from one of the other bachelorette party strippers, but I’d never actually seen one.Check that off my list.I assumed that would be the biggest surprise tonight as I hovered behind the crowd in my police officer’s costume, ready to “arrest” the bride and handcuff her to my partner Jack, the other stripper, who would then undress and pretend to get teabagged by her.Yeah—I know. It’s pretty programmed, right? But that’s what the maid of honor always asks for.And the customer is always right.Tonight, though, was full of unexpected curves (and I don’t just mean the women). Because when I looked at one of the chicks on all fours, cheering that big old black vibrator to victory, I realized that wasn’t just any woman.That was Charlotte.My ex-girlfriend.

Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bookbub / Amazon / Newsletter

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BOOK BLITZ: The Marriage Game by Sara Desai #GIVEAWAY

The Marriage Game
Sara Desai
Publication date: June 9th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

One of Oprah Magazine’s Most Anticipated Romances of 2020A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy.After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door…As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he’s forced to share his space with the owner’s beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play—EXCERPT:“You’re sitting at my desk.” She put the pot on the reception desk and folded her arms.Sam shuffled his papers, spreading them across the polished wood surface for no reason other than to keep his gaze off her distractingly perfect breasts. “I didn’t see your name on it.”“Just look at your lease. You’ll see it written across the top, or can’t you read big words like Patel?”“I don’t recall seeing any identification,” he countered. “For all I know, you could have just walked in off the street. You’re certainly not dressed like you’re running a business.”Eyes blazing, she glared. “What’s wrong with how I’m dressed?”“An apron and a pink tracksuit with Juicy written across the ass are hardly serious business attire and they certainly don’t scream swipe right on desi Tinder.”Sam didn’t know if there was such a thing as Tinder for people of South Asian descent living abroad, but if it did exist, he and Layla would definitely not have been a match.Layla gave a growl of frustration. “You may be surprised to hear that I don’t live my life seeking male approval. I’m just getting over a breakup so I’m a little bit fragile. Last night, I went out with Daisy and drank too much, smoked something I thought was a cigarette, danced on a speaker, and fell onto some loser named Jimbo, whose girlfriend just happened to be an MMA fighter and didn’t like to see me sprawled on top of her man. We had a minor physical altercation and I was kicked out of the bar. Then I got dumped on the street by my Uber driver because I threw up in his cab. So today, I just couldn’t manage office wear. It’s called self-care, and we all need it sometimes. Danny certainly didn’t mind.” Danny certainly didn’t mind.”“Who’s Danny?” The question came out before he could stop it.“Someone who appreciates all I’ve got going here…” She ran a hand in and out of her generous curves. “… and isn’t hung up on trivial things like clothes.” She tugged off the apron and folded it on the crock-pot.“I’m not hung up on clothes either,” Sam teased. “When I’m with a woman I prefer her to have no clothes at all.”“You’re disgusting.” Layla grabbed her crock-pot and donuts and marched into the small kitchen at the back of the office.Sam heard cupboards bang. Cutlery clatter. Angry mutters and a huff. A few minutes later Layla marched back out with a bowl of dal in one hand and two donuts circling her finger like rings.Only when she sat down and proceeded to eat one of the donuts off her finger did he realize he hadn’t done any work since she walked in.“Donuts and dal are not two foods that naturally go together,” he pointed out.Layla took a giant bite and licked her lips. “Do you not have work to do? Or are you just going to sit there and look pretty?”

Author Bio:
Sara Desai has been a lawyer, radio DJ, marathon runner, historian, bouncer and librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, kids and an assortment of forest creatures who think they are pets. Sara writes sexy romantic comedy and contemporary romance with a multicultural twist. When not laughing at her own jokes, Sara can be found eating nachos.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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