R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 156

BOOK BLITZ: Grave Humor by R.J. Blain #GIVEAWAY

Grave Humor
R.J. Blain
(Magical Romantic Comedies #10)
Publication date: May 12th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Paranormal, Romance

Most days, Anwen regrets working at a funeral home despite the good pay. With the residents no longer inclined to stay in their coffins where they belong, she’s got her hands full making sure everyone follows the rules:In the funeral home, there is no screaming, no murdering, no mutilation, no possessions, no kidnappings, no resurrections, and no cursing of any type. Be quiet and stay polite.The day Old Man McGregor decides to take a walk and disturbs her peace, Anwen learns there’s a lot more to the basement in the funeral home than a vampire and a handsome gentleman on ice.If she’s not careful, she’ll learn first-hand why ‘eternally yours’ is the most potent of threats.

Warning: this novel contains romance, humor, bodies, shenanigans, and mythological puppies. Proceed with caution.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Google Play / Kobo—EXCERPT:Lemon smelled so much better than rot. As far as the restless dead went, Old Man McGregor hadn’t left me with too much of a mess to clean. He’d stayed mostly intact, limiting his oozing to a spot here and there. It took me twenty minutes to erase the evidence he’d gotten out of his coffin and taken a walk.Five minutes later, Direct Hammel and his merry band of somberly dressed assistants arrived. Why did Direct Hammel need four men to stand around? Most viewings, even the big ones where the whole town showed up, only needed two attendants. The rest of the time, I could handle the work without any help at all.While the viewings sometimes had upwards of the town’s full three hundred people, I couldn’t think of a single funeral with more than twenty attendees since I’d started working at the place. The old stayed, the young left, and with a world full of magic to discover, who wanted to stay in Sunset, Alabama? If my college fund hadn’t been bled dry on drugs and hookers, I would’ve been on the first bus out along with the other six seniors in my class.“Any problems?” the director asked, sniffing the air.I bet he smelled the lemon and wanted to know why I’d been cleaning. “No problems,” I replied. Any other day, Old Man McGregor rising and coming out of his coffin for a chat would’ve counted as a problem, but I was too worn and tired to care. Like with all things, problems were relative. If the restless dead hiding in his coffin decided to cause a problem, I’d back up and watch the fireworks. “I finished my other work for the morning, so I cleaned to make certain everything was ready for the viewing, sir.”“Good job. Our clients will arrive soon. We’ll handle the rest from here. Mr. McGregor’s family is rather conservative, so if you could handle inventorying and cleaning the preparation and refrigeration rooms, that would be useful. Otherwise, go home.”I didn’t need a diploma to read the writing on the wall. If I went home, I wouldn’t be invited back to work, which meant someone hadn’t done their job cleaning the basement.The funeral home went through inspections once a month to keep its license, and we were due to have a government worker poking around the place. Plastering a smile on my face, I nodded. “I’ll be downstairs if you need me, sir.”“Good. Call the main line if there are any problems.”Once again, I read the writing on the wall: if I had any problems during the viewing, I would be in need of a new job.I struggled to maintain a neutral, professional expression. To keep guests from wandering into the restricted parts of the funeral home, Director Hammel locked the stairwell door and turned off the lift. I’d spend the next six hours in the basement. After the surge of restless dead and corpse possessions, the funeral home boasted reinforced lower level walls and doors, fashioned of a mix of concrete and steel to keep the bodies contained should they decide to get up and take a walk.Fortunately, excluding Old Man McGregor, we only had two bodies in storage, and John Doe had been in our freezer since before I’d been born. If he decided to get up, they’d hear my screams in the next state. While the rules kept changing, one thing stayed the same: the older the corpse, the stronger the undead it became. I hadn’t seen Mr. Doe, but I sometimes heard Director Hammel talk about him in hushed, fearful tones.Nothing scared Director Hammel except our John Doe.The other body we had didn’t worry anyone; the vampire wasn’t going anywhere until someone reattached his limbs and revived him with a lot of blood. I wasn’t sure why we kept the vampire on ice, but someone from the CDC came once a month, along with the funeral home inspector, to make sure he remained as alive as an undead got. I’d gotten to take a look at the vampire, as Director Hammel wanted to make certain I knew to avoid the sleepers in the freezer.All in all, I didn’t care about either corpse. Unless I put my throat to the vampire’s mouth, he couldn’t hurt me. As for John Doe, I wasn’t sure what I thought about him.While I wanted to curse over my foul luck, I kept smiling, grabbed my purse and coat, and descended into the basement. I made it all of two steps before the lock clicked behind me.“Asshole,” I muttered, shaking my head and reaching for switches. I flipped three of the five, bathing the stairwell and landing below in a yellowed light. The stench of embalming fluid burned my nose, and I turned on the ventilation fans so I wouldn’t suffocate before the end of the viewing.When I found out who had left the basement a reeking hell hole, there’d be a third body in the freezer. In prison, I could study and pretend I had a future, and I’d do so on the government’s dime until they kicked me out and made me finish my term doing community service. Curling my lip in a snarl, I stomped down the steps and aimed for the disposal bin meant for the latex gloves. I caught it with my foot and launched the damned thing through the open doorway.It crashed onto the metal table bolted to the preparation room floor.“What’s the fucking point of having a three-inch thick containment door if it’s open all the time? I’m surrounded by brain-dead idiots.”“Yes, you are,” a husky, deep voice replied. “I was wondering who they’d sacrifice to me first. I knew the scarecrow would hide, but I thought he’d betray the whiner first. How disappointing.”

Author Bio:
R.J. Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until satisfied.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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B@@K REVEAL: The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy by Olivia Spring

The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy
Olivia Spring
(The Middle-Aged Virgin, #2)
Publication date: July 16th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Can a holiday romance lead to long-term love?When Sophia moves to Tuscany to join the hot Italian-stallion she’s fallen head over heels in love with, she dreams of an idyllic life filled with passion, pasta, sunshine and her favourite gelato.But will the reality live up to the fairy-tale?The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy is a fun, sexy sequel about stepping out of your comfort zone and keeping the spark alive in a relationship. If you like Sophie Kinsella and Sophie Ranald, you’ll love the latest novel in Olivia Spring’s page-turning, romantic comedy series.Pre-order today and get ready to join Sophia on her Italian adventures!

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Author Bio:
Olivia Spring is a British, London-based writer of contemporary women's fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her uplifting debut novel 'The Middle-Aged Virgin', which was released in July 2018, deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.Olivia published three novels in 2019: 'Only When It's Love', 'Losing My Inhibitions' and 'Love Offline'.When she's not writing, Olivia can be found making regular trips to Italy to indulge in pasta, pizza and gelato and of course, seeking inspiration for her next book!To get FREE books and exclusive updates, join the Olivia Spring VIP club by visiting: www.oliviaspring.comWebsite / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

BOOK BLITZ: All I Wanna Do Is You by Dylann Crush #GIVEAWAY

All I Wanna Do Is You
Dylann Crush
Publication date: May 14th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Can he keep his hands off her cupcakes?
Reagan Campbell’s flight just got grounded. She’s planned her brother’s perfect wedding weekend down to the minute, but her checklist didn’t include running into the one guy she’s never been able to get over. Only two things stand between her and the Florida Keys: fifteen-hundred miles and the man who broke her heart.Zach Anderson has a score to settle with Senator Campbell. And running into his daughter, Reagan, gives him just the opportunity he needs. But it’ll take more than planes, trains, and automobiles to get her all the way to Florida in one piece. He might not be able to keep his hands off her cupcakes, but will he be able to keep his heart out of the way long enough to exact his revenge?

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:Reagan Campbell smoothed a non-existent wrinkle from the lapel of her three-quarter sleeve, out-of-season black blazer. Trying to figure out what to wear as she made the transition from the raging March blizzard in Chicago to the white sandy beaches of the Florida Keys had almost made her late for her afternoon flight at O’Hare.The sooner she got on the plane, the better she’d feel. She leaned against a pillar and glanced at her watch. Any minute they should be making the boarding announcement.On cue, the gate agent picked up the microphone and a crackle sounded through the gate-area speakers. “May I have your attention, please? For passengers traveling on flight 542 to Miami, we’ve received word from the ground crew that they’ve shut down one runway due to snow accumulation. We’ll be delayed for at least an hour while they work through the backlog of departures.”A collective groan rose from the disgruntled passengers, like someone stood in front of them with a conductor’s baton and told them to let their disappointment out in unison on the count of three. An hour or two? Reagan’s hand shook as she slipped a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Teddy would kill her for not taking the flight with the rest of their family earlier this morning.The gate agent continued, “Things might change if they can get another de-icing machine up and running. So please stay close to the gate area.”Reagan glanced out the wall of windows at the blustery, late winter snowstorm. A mid-March blizzard wasn’t outside the realm of possibility in Chicago. But how dare the weather try to interfere with her plans? She’d orchestrated her brother’s wedding down to the tiniest detail. And now Mother Nature wanted to mess with her?The rest of her family made it out of Chicago before the storm rolled in, on a chartered, early morning flight her dad’s Chief of Staff had arranged. As Senate Majority Leader, Ross Campbell had connections and wasn’t shy about using them. Especially if it meant keeping his family out of the limelight and avoiding any unpleasant run-ins with the press.Reagan’s anxiety had kicked into high gear at the thought of flying halfway across the country in a tiny tin can with wings. So she’d used a mandatory meeting at the office as an excuse to take a later commercial flight. If she was going to be gone for a long weekend, she justified to herself, she’d better tie up loose ends or she’d never be able to enjoy herself. It had taken her years to secure a promotion to executive management for a nationwide luxury resort chain that was headed her way. She wasn’t about to risk it.At least on a big plane she felt a little safer. If she’d finally had the courage to conquer her fear of flying, she’d be sliding her freshly-pedicured toes into strappy sandals and sitting at the beachside bar, sipping a mojito by now.The strappy sandals were nestled inside a felt shoe pouch in her checked roller bag. But she could do something about that drink. Her gaze swept over the tacky, thatched hut of the busy airport bar, no doubt an attempt to bring some south of the border sizzle to the dull terminal. She gathered her purse and the bakery box full of cupcakes she’d picked up for her brother, and made her way to a vacant high-top.Just as she reached for a stool, a trio of flight attendants laid claim to the table. Reagan stepped to the side to glance around the packed bar. With so many passengers delayed, it would probably be a while before another table cleared. A cup of hot tea from the coffee shop across the way would have to keep her pre-flight jitters at bay.“You can sit with me.”The voice came from behind her. She hadn’t heard that mixture of grit and deep, rich timbre since the ill-fated night of her high school graduation party. But that was impossible, it couldn’t be him.She took in a deep breath and steeled herself for disappointment. He’d moved to California. Hadn’t heard anything about him in over eight years. Well, except for a late-night, wine-induced Googling session where she’d discovered he’d become a professional photographer after all and had some prints for sale through a gallery in Santa Cruz.Seeing his two-by-two-inch bio picture had sent a zing right to her hoohah and left her tingling with a mixture of regret and what-might-have-been remorse. Slowly turning, she braced herself for the letdown of some middle-aged businessman on the hunt for a quickie.“Reagan Campbell. Long time no see, huh?”Four square inches of a pixelated PNG image on his web site had done nothing to prepare her for the sight of the broad-chested, confident man before her. Her knees turned to spaghetti noodles, and her vision went fuzzy at the edges, like she was looking through a dark tunnel and Zach Anderson stood at the other end, illuminated in a beam of dazzling sunlight.She grabbed the back of a stool to steady herself.“Zach?” His name floated from her lips on a breathy exhale. For over eight years his memory made her emotions bounce back and forth between extremes. Joy at the way he used to make her feel. Anger at the chicken shit way he’d ended things. Shame at the way she’d thrown herself at him the last night they’d been together.The anger and sadness had eventually faded. She even let herself think about Zach from time to time. Even pictured running into each other. But meeting at a cheesy airport bar wasn’t how it was supposed to go.He stood and wrapped her in a strong, comfortable hug.The scent of sunshine and leather drifted off his skin. Her brain registered the scruff of his whiskers against her cheek and the feel of his pecs crushed against her chest. Her heart glowed at the warmth and security of being snug in his arms. Her girly parts screamed for more.All too soon, the hug ended. He gestured to an empty stool and signaled the harried waitress to return to the table.“Pull up a chair. You on that flight to Miami?”Stunned by her reaction to the embrace, Reagan nodded and waited a beat, sure the hunky hallucination would fade away as quickly as he had appeared. When Zach’s image didn’t dissolve, she gripped the edges of the small table in both hands.He smiled, actually gave her the grin with the dimples, like the last time she’d seen him he hadn’t had his hands all over her naked chest. A wave of heat rolled up her neck.“You all right, Reagan? You look a little warm. Have some water.”

Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author Dylann Crush writes contemporary romance with sizzle, sass, heart and humor. A true romantic, she loves her heroines spunky and her heroes super sexy. When she's not dreaming up steamy storylines, she can be found sipping a margarita and searching for the best Tex-Mex food in the Upper Midwest.Dylann co-hosts Romance Happy Hour (https://www.romancehappyhour.com/) with live episodes every 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month and is a founding member of the Romance Chicks group where authors and romance readers can connect.Although she grew up in Texas, she currently lives in a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul with her unflappable husband, three energetic kids, a clumsy Great Dane, a lovable rescue mutt, and a very chill cat. She loves to connect with readers, other authors and fans of tequila. You can find her at www.dylanncrush.com.Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

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BOOK BLITZ: Gilded Ruins by Chantal Gadoury #GIVEAWAY

Gilded Ruins
Chantal Gadoury
(Blinding Night #2)
Published by: Parliament House
Publication date: May 12th 2020
Genres: Mythology, New Adult, Paranormal, Retelling, Romance

The Story Continues. . .Summer and Darce are summoned by the order of Zeus himself to travel to the home of the Gods: Mount Olympus, where they’re to face even more ancient Gods and Goddesses.Summer braces to confront her mother again, illuminating secrets about the truth of her tragic pasts, while also persuading Zeus to allow her to stay with the God of the Underworld, her true love – Darce.Aboard Poseidon’s luxury yacht, Summer meets her mythological family, while also uncovering what exactly happened to her past lives – and the true roles her mother and Darce played.When Darce and Summer suddenly find themselves separated, Summer must find her inner power and unite them together, before her mortal time runs out.

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Sequel to:
—EXCERPT:“Summer,” a warm, gentle voice whispered against my ear. Their breath fluttered across my flush skin like the wings of a butterfly. It was warm and sweet smelling. I curled deeper into the blankets, turning my chin into the soft pillow.“Summer,” the voice said again, as a soft hand slid over my hip, and down around my stomach. It pulled me back against it, crushing me tenderly into a cushioned wall. Lips brushed over my exposed neck, leaving a small kiss in its wake.I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the darkness of the room. What time was it? I felt the strength of the arms around me, holding me tightly. Darce.“Darce?” I asked groggily.“Hmmm…” he hummed, nestling my neck. My body began to react, welcoming the warmth of him. Everything inside of me wanted him, invited him—all except my brain. It screamed for me to turn around, to confront him about the stunt he had just pulled out on the dance floor. Minthe. Dancing. Her wicked, smug grin.“What—” I untangled myself from him, turning to my side to face his dark silhouette. He sucked in a breath as I pulled the blankets up around myself. “What are you doing?”“He pulled a hand through his hair; I could feel his gaze on me even in the darkness.“You disappeared.”“You were occupied.” I didn’t even try to hide the venom in my words.“I was doing what I had been asked to do,” He retorted curtly.I didn’t know how to respond. I remained still, curling my fingers into the blankets.“Do you think I enjoyed a moment of it?” He asked after a long, silent moment. The rumble in his chest vibrated against the bed as his voice deepened. I shivered and bit my bottom lip. Of course he hadn’t. I had known but. . .“I saw you both and it felt like. . .like you were allowing her to win.”“Win?” Darce asked. I shook my head, though, I knew he couldn’t see me.“She knew what she was doing.”“As did I,” Darce interjected.The sound of my heart was racing in my ears, and I pushed myself up to sit. After a moment, I finally found my voice again.“But why?” There were so many whys. Why had they asked him to dance with her? What did they have to gain from the interaction? What were they planning with Darce? With Minthe? With me? My head was spinning with so many questions that it was beginning to ache. I had already thought of a thousand different ways Minthe could have seduced him or touched him, and the whole thing made me even more angry. Jealous. I bet I could give Hera a run for her money in the jealousy department.“Why?” He asked, echoing my question.“Why did they ask you to? What did they. . .” but I couldn’t bring myself to continue. I couldn’t become like her. I had to trust Darce, now more than ever. I felt the smoothness of his hand slide over my knee and come to rest there.“I will do whatever is needed to bring peace. To bring us the freedom to—”“She wants the Underworld,” I interjected. “There is no peace with her around.”“She just wants your throne,” he corrected.“Just,” I scoffed. “She wants you too.” I added, drawing my knees up to my chest. I wrapped my arms around my legs and lowered my chin to the tops of my knees.“She can’t have me,” he replied softly, drawing me closer against him. He tugged at my waist, drawing me underneath him. “I belong to no one but you.”His whisper was husky and warm against my cheek, and it sent a shiver of pleasure down my spine. I gasped with surprise as his hands drew my legs to rest on either side of his. He was so warm, and I felt myself melting into him. I knew what he was doing, and my body suddenly craved his. It felt strange to want him as I did, all the while being surrounded by Gods and Goddesses who were seemingly plotting against us.“All of this is such a dangerous game,” I murmured as I felt his thumb hook around the waistband of my sleeping shorts.“I like dangerous games,” he said with a chuckle as he pressed a tender kiss against my stomach. I sucked in a breath, trying to concentrate on what I wanted to say. We were walking around on this boat with targets on our backs. We were far from safe—and he knew that. We wouldn’t be until we reached the depths of the Underworld again.But his mouth was so hot against my skin and it was bliss.“Not me,” I said, shaking my head, pressing my hands against his bare chest.“Them! The game they’re playing. The things I’ve learned. . .” I sighed as he nipped my hip bone. Tears welled in my eyes as I sucked in a breath.“I just want to go home.”Darce paused, his warm palm cupped my cheek.“I know,” he said tenderly and leaned forward to press a kiss against my temple. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, burrowing my nose into the crook of his neck.“We’ll go home, I promise,” he said gently.“Together,” I reiterated as I traced a line down the length of his back. He tensed and nodded beside me.“Together,” he finished as his hands went to work, swiftly removing my shirt and shorts. I let myself sink into him, and the temporary comfort he could provide. It was easier to hide the truth in the shadows of the night. And in the darkness of his arms, I allowed myself to disappear.

Author Bio:
Amazon Best Selling Author, Chantal Gadoury, is a 2011 graduate from Susquehanna University with a Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing. Since graduation, she has published several titles, including "The Songs in Our Hearts" with 48Fourteen Publishing, and "Between the Sea and Stars," "WinterDream," and "Blinding Night" with Parliament House Press. Chantal first started writing stories at the age of seven and continues to love writing today. Chantal is also the Co-Founder and Senior Editor of the Parliament House Press. Writing and sharing books with the world has become a dream come true! When she's not working, she enjoys painting, drinking lots of DD Iced Coffee, and watching Disney classics. Chantal lives in Muncy, Pennsylvania with her family.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

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B@@K REVEAL: Shadow's Lyric by C.A. Worley #GIVEAWAY

Shadow’s Lyric
C.A. Worley
(Crossing Daggers, #1)
Publication date: June 1st 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

It began with a blood oath.It ended in bloodshed.
When twenty-one-year-old Lyric is told by her father, Gabrian, she will be crossing into the Otherland as payment for a favor he owes the Shadow Lord, she thinks her life is over. In truth, it is just beginning. Years of training as a soldier and an uncanny ability to learn pretty much anything give Lyric the tools she needs to survive her new reality—and it totally helps that her new lord and master is sex incarnate.Draven has long awaited Lyric’s arrival, and not just because he needs her to track a powerful weapon stolen by an unknown adversary. He believes he has everything firmly in hand, despite the subterfuge he foolishly agreed to some twenty years back. When Draven’s enemies and lies of omission both threaten the fragile bond he and Lyric are forming, he refuses to allow anything to stand in the way, not even the razor-sharp blade of Lyric’s favorite sword.

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Author Bio:
C.A. Worley is the alter-ego of Romance Author Cass Alexander. Where Cass tends to focus on humor in her publications, C.A. loves to write fantasy. She chose to write under the two different monikers so as to not confuse (or tick off) her readers.C.A. currently resides in the Midwest, but was born and raised in the South. She spends her days working from home and her evenings are spent shuttling her kids to and fro. Her dinners are subpar, but she makes a mean dessert.When she's tired of living her sons' travel sports schedules, C.A. enjoys a glass (or four) of wine. She needs the liquid courage to click the publish button for her fantasy romance novels.Her motto is, "Be Brave," and she tries to live it every day. It takes a healthy dose of courage to get through this thing we call life.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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BOOK BLITZ: Planning for Love by Christi Barth #GIVEAWAY

Planning for Love
Christi Barth
(Aisle Bound #1)
Publication date: May 11th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In the harsh spotlight of reality television, a romance-a-holic wedding planner tries to snare the anti-Cupid.Chicago wedding planner Ivy Rhodes lives and breathes romance. She won’t let anything burst the perfect bubble of happiness she creates for her clients. So she’s immediately on guard when a reality television crew appears to tape one of her weddings. Tall, blonde and sexy, the cameraman’s a relentless flirt, and Ivy follows his easygoing charm straight into the bedroom.Ever since a scandal ended his career as a news videographer, Bennett Westcott is relegated to filming reality catfights and bridezillas. His latest assignment comes with the bonus of a gorgeous wedding planner. But Ivy ruins their one-night stand by turning too serious too quickly. Although a big fan of lust, Ben’s allergic to love. He rejects her and everything she holds dear, leaving her brokenhearted.The network builds a reality show around Ivy, Planning for Love. She signs the contract before learning the man who shredded her heart into confetti will spend the next three months filming her. Suddenly Ben has to spend every day with the woman he knows he shouldn’t be with, but can’t resist. And Ivy’s stuck wondering, how do you plan for happily ever after when the guy you want doesn’t believe in it?

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:“I want to taste you, Ivy.” The scrape of his feet against the stones came to a halt. A gentle nudge with his forehead tipped her head back. Their eyes locked. “Why don’t we get a jump on the inevitable? Because I don’t want to wait another moment.”Ivy had a split second to decide. Stick to her guns—and her professional ethics—and slip out of his arms? Or stay and lock lips with a super sexy man in the moonlight? Really, it was easiest to not decide at all. Her eyelids drifted shut as she waited for Ben to make his move. And waited. Nothing happened. She peeked out from beneath her lashes to see the merest hint of a smirk lifting the edges of Ben’s mouth. Her eyes flew open the rest of the way.“What? What happened to the tasting and the moment?”“The moment’s not right until you decide to commit to it. I promised earlier I wouldn’t steal any more kisses from you. Kissing is interactive. A two-way street. You’ve got to choose to slide behind the wheel and turn the key.”Why did men turn everything in life into a car metaphor? Well, she could play along. Despite showing every sign of being something of a player, Ben had shown her, with that one little pause, that he also had bucket loads of integrity. No sane, single woman could turn down an honest to goodness gentleman. They were a rare breed, and she didn’t intend to waste this particular chance sighting. Time to seize the day…or at least what was left of the night.“Oh, my motor’s fully revved. You’d better buckle your seatbelt, Mr. Westcott.”Ivy tightened her grip around his neck and went up on her tiptoes to reach his mouth. The mouth she’d stared at off and on all day, remembering the firm albeit brief feel of his lips against hers. He wasn’t the only one who wanted a taste. She puckered up and planted a soft kiss. And then Ben quite expertly elbowed his way back into the driver’s seat.His lips slanted hard across hers, instantly ratcheting the level of heat up from tender to full on sizzle. This was no getting-to-know-you smooch. Ben claimed her mouth with possessive pressure. His teeth nibbled open her lips, allowing his tongue to sweep inside. Her moan of pleasure was all the urging he needed to slide his hands down to not only cup her ass, but lift her off the ground.Ivy’s world spun. Under the spell of the spring night, she’d yearned for nothing more than a touch, a quiet kiss. She’d wanted a sip of water to slake her lustful thirst. Instead, Ben’s kisses drowned her in a downpour of passion and heat. The arch of her foot curved around his calf, looking for something to ground her. Each stroke of his tongue ignited an array of sparks behind her closed eyes. He tore his mouth away but hovered his lips a breath away from hers. Eyes heavy lidded, he moved not at all, aside from the pounding of his heart thumping through his tuxedo shirt. Suddenly, she realized what he waited to hear.“Okay, Ben. You’ve convinced me to have a drink with you.”A hum of approval sounded low in his throat. He buried his face in the curve of her neck. And then from somewhere behind them, a short high gasp, and the unmistakable crash of glass breaking on the stone floor. Ben’s grip bobbled, but he didn’t drop her.“Get your hands off my friend’s ass right now, or I’ll call in someone a lot bigger than me to make you.”

Author Bio:
USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series. Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Newsletter

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B@@K REVEAL: Changed by Vicki Steifel #GIVEAWAY

Changed
Vicki Stiefel
(The Made Ones Saga, #2)
Publication date: July 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

What if you could be young again? Would it be a dream come true or truly a nightmare?That’s the startling reality retired circus trapeze artist Breena Balážová awakens to on the world of Eleutia in her own re-engineered younger body. For a woman whose death on Earth was inches away, it seems like a second chance at life. But in this parallel world, where horses fly and animals and humans are symbionts, Bree is intended as breeding stock to balance the plummeting female birthrate.As she searches for her missing sisters, who were pulled to Eleutia with her, Bree also must survive assassination attempts, the growing threat of war, and her unexpected attraction to the arrogant animal Clan Alpha, Gato, a man with terrible burdens and secrets.The animal Clans join forces to combat a dark conspiracy that will shake the foundations of their world, even as Bree’s search for her sisters grows more desperate and dangerous.If Bree has any hope of finding her sisters and fulfilling her own destiny, she and Gato must carry out a perilous deception, their success or failure deciding not only their own fate, but that of all Eleutia.

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Author Bio:

Vicki’s fantasy romantic suspense series, The Afterworld Chronicles, launched with Chest of Bone, followed by Chest of Stone and Chest of Time. She is currently pounding the keys on her series’ fourth novel, Chest of Fire, and the first in a new series, The Made Ones Sags: Altered.Her mystery/thrillers include Body Parts, The Dead Stone, The Bone Man, and The Grief Shop, a Daphne du Maurier prize winner. All feature homicide counselor Tally Whyte. All are available as ebooks.She co-wrote (with Lisa Souza) and photographed the 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters. With her late husband, William G. Tapply, she ran The Writers Studio workshops in creative fiction.Vicki taught fiction writing and modern media writing at Clark University.She loves both a well-crafted sentence and unlocking the doors of a student’s imagination.She grew up in professional theater and planned to become an actress, with a bent for song and dance. She didn’t. Instead, she’s been a professional photographer, a high-school teacher, a hamburger slinger, a scuba-shop manager, and an editor.She’s Blake’s and Ben’s mom, her favorite role of all.Her passions include scuba diving and fly fishing and knitting; photography and movies; vinho verde and bourbon (not together!); Maine lobster and chocolate (also not together!); and musical comedy scores, which she sing in the shower, unfortunately not an Equity venue; and a fascination with people in all walks of life.
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BOOK BLITZ: Dragon by Harley Wylde #GIVEAWAY

Dragon
Harley Wylde
(Devil’s Fury MC #3)
Published by: Changeling Press
Publication date: May 8th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Lilian — I may have survived my time with the Colombian cartel, but it nearly broke me. Even now, I can’t stand to be touched by men. But there’s one man who makes me feel safe. Dragon. He’s intrigued me for so long. I never counted on things getting heated between us, or me ending up pregnant. He made it clear he doesn’t want me, or a baby, so I ran. I thought I’d found sanctuary with the Reckless Kings, but it only put me in the crosshairs of a lunatic intent on revenge.Dragon — I knew Lilian was still skittish with men. When she asked for my help in learning self-defense, I’d been surprised. I never counted on those lessons bringing us closer together, or that she’d ask the unthinkable of me. Now she’s carrying my kid, and I f***ed up six ways to Sunday. When she’s kidnapped, I realize it’s time to bring her home. My home. Whatever it takes, I’ll make sure Lilian knows she’s mine. Even if I have to grovel a little.WARNING: This is a romance with darker themes that may trigger some readers. It has strong language and graphic violence, a heroine who is tougher than she realizes, and an alpha hero who will stop at nothing to make her his. If you’ve read this author’s work before, please be advised Dragon is more violent than the previous books. Guaranteed HEA and no cliffhanger!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—EXCERPT:I pressed a hand to my belly as I came to a stoplight. “I promise I will give you the best life I can. No one will ever hurt you.”Maybe it was stupid. My parents hadn’t been able to protect me any more than I could keep this child out of the wrong hands. Sometimes Fate just liked to fuck you over. I didn’t remember a lot about my parents, and my memories had become fuzzy over the years. I didn’t know if they’d handed me to the cartel, or if I’d been taken without their knowledge. When I’d been rescued, I’d been offered the chance to go home, but I couldn’t face my parents. They were devout Catholics, and even though I’d been violated and not given up my virginity freely, I hadn’t been certain they’d have seen the difference. To them, I still would have sinned.So I’d come home with the Devil’s Boneyard and Grizzly, a friend from another club, had taken me into his home. He’d shown me papers that said I was legally his adopted daughter, and he’d had my name changed from Lilian Sanchez to Lilian Moore. He’d offered to let me change my first name, but I’d kept it as a reminder of where I’d come from, and what I’d survived.A horn honked behind me and I startled, realizing the light had changed at some point. I eased through the intersection and headed for the clubhouse. The Prospect at the gate waved me through and I went straight home. My sister’s car was in the driveway and I was reluctant to go inside. I loved Shella, but there were times she could be a bit trying. All I’d wanted was to shower, change into something comfortable, and relax for a while. Now that didn’t seem likely.I walked inside and shut the door, only to frown when I heard Shella talking to someone. I hadn’t seen our dad’s bike out front, or anyone else’s, so who did she have over? Creeping closer to the sound of her voice, I stopped when I realized she was on the phone.“I don’t know why she didn’t tell you, Daddy, but I thought you needed to know.”She was quiet a moment, and I had a sinking suspicion she was discussing me. What exactly had she told Grizzly while I was gone? And then I heard it. The one name that made it very clear what she was doing.“Dragon. She said it was Dragon.”Motherfucker!I could hear my dad roaring on the other end of the line before Shella hung up. Her eyes were wide when she stared at me.“What did you do?” I demanded.“I had to tell him! He needs to know that someone hurt you,” she said, her eyes filling with tears.Sweet baby Jesus. “Shella, I told you I wasn’t hurt. No one forced me. Dragon tried really hard to walk away, but I wouldn’t let him.”She hadn’t believed me when I’d told her, but I’d thought I made her understand. It seemed I’d been wrong, and now Grizzly knew one of his patched members had knocked up his daughter. This wasn’t going to end well. There was only one thing I could think to do. Leave. If I wasn’t here, then he couldn’t take his fury out on Dragon. Out of sight, out of mind, right?I raced upstairs and started tossing things into a bag. I didn’t know where I’d go, or what I’d do, but I needed to get out of here before he came home, and I knew I had precious little time. If he was somewhere inside the compound, he could be here any second. Shella was babbling something at me from the hall, but I shoved past her and went back to my car, tossing my bag into the backseat. After I retrieved my purse and keys from the house, I got in and started the engine, checking the gas gauge. Half a tank. That would get me far enough for the moment.I slammed my foot on the gas, reversing out of the driveway, then shot forward toward the gates. I didn’t see my dad as I neared the front entrance, and didn’t even try to slow down. The poor Prospect rushed to open the gates before I barreled through them, hitting the road that would lead me out of town and to the highway. My heart was racing and my palms were damp.What the fuck did you just do?There wasn’t time to second-guess myself. I’d run, and now I needed to see it through.

Author Bio:
Harley is the international bestselling author of the Dixie Reapers and Devil's Boneyard series.When Harley is writing, her motto is the hotter the better. Off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can't deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you've come to the right place.Harley Wylde is the "wilder" side of award-winning science fiction/paranormal romance author Jessica Coulter Smith. For fans of Gay Erotic Fantasy Romance, Harley/Jessica also writes as Dulce Dennison.Check out Harley's other books, and read some random facts about the author, at harleywylde.com.Follow Harley on Amazon to be notified of new releases, or sign up for her newsletter.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

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BOOK BLITZ: Tony by J.A. Huss #GIVEAWAY

Tony
J.A. Huss
(Bossy Brothers, #6)
Publication date: May 12th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Belinda Baker and I were not made for each other.We are not soul mates, or lovers, or even frenemies.She is the one who needed to get away.What we had together wasn’t blind love, it was sick rage.We were a match made in hell, it was hate at first sight, and when she walked away from me and never looked back—it was a relief.It was bliss.So why did I travel two thousand miles so I could be near her?Why do I love the way she fights me?Why do I crave her anger and fury?Why can’t I stop thinking about this girl I never want to see again?Why. Am I. Here?And what do I have to do to make her disappear for good?

Bossy Brothers: Tony is can be read as a standalone book or as book six in the Bossy Brothers series. It features two girls falling for the wrong men and two men falling for the right girls. A family of tatted up brothers and a town filled with secrets and danger. A story of earned chances and first dates. Of coming to terms with the past and finding a way into the future.

Goodreads / Amazon
—EXCERPT:BELINDA
“Jesus fucking Christ, Belinda!”“What?”“Are you blind? Or deaf? Or dumb? Or what?”I just stare at him.Vann takes a step forward, forcing me to take a step back too. And my step is actually a step up. He points his finger at me. I swat it away.“I’m gonna say this once, OK? Just once.”“Say whatever the fuck you want. I don’t care what you do.”He climbs one step. And so do I. “I like you,” he says, climbing another step. So I climb another step. “I like your filthy mouth, Belinda Baker. I like your stupid cowboy boots. I like your pink hair.” He keeps climbing the steps, so I have to keep climbing the steps. “I like the way you road-trip.”“What?” I’m so confused.He’s still climbing the steps and now my back is against my front door. “I like the way you wear that glitter shit on your eyelids in the summer. And the way you wear fingerless gloves in the winter even though you complain, every single day, that your fucking hands are cold. I like the way your hair smells when you show up for work and it’s still wet. I like the way you spin on your stupid stool in front of the shop cash register and glare at the giggly sorority girls like you can’t wait for them to wake up sober tomorrow and realize they just paid a hundred bucks for a My Little Mermaid tramp stamp. I like the way you bite your lip when you’re tattooing and the way you always have a smear of ink on the side of your face by the time you’re done.”I reach up to touch my face.“Yes, you have ink there, right now. And I love that. Because you don’t even care enough to check the mirror after you’re done with a client to notice that you always have ink smeared on your fucking face after you tattoo someone. I like the way you kick at stones when you walk down the street like you’re some troubled teen with pregnancy issues.”“What?” I laugh.“I like the way you bitch, and moan, and complain that no one takes you seriously. In fact, I love that no one takes you seriously, because then they’d figure out just how awesome you are, and I’m afraid you’ll actually find someone else before I can convince you that I am good for you. I want to date you, Belinda Baker. And you know what really pissed me off tonight?”He pauses.I become uneasy. “Am I supposed to guess?”“I’m not mad that you fucked Tony in the alley. OK? That’s not it. I’m angry that you gave him the chance that I deserve.”My stomach… falls. I don’t know of any other way to describe the feeling I get when I internalize those last few words of his. Except… falling. Like the world has just been yanked out from under me. Like I’m adrift in a sea of mistakes.Because he’s absolutely right.“Vann—”“No,” he says, still seething. “No.” He holds up one finger. “I’m not done. You don’t get to talk yet. I’ve been holding this in all fucking night while you laughed and joked with my goddamned brother and his stupid yoked-out army friend. Who, by the way, was leering at you the entire time.”“He was not!”“He so was!”“He was lying face down, Vann!”“I just want to say this.” He pauses again and his chest is rising and falling very quickly, like he’s really upset. And his lips are falling into a deep frown. And his face is becoming flushed with heat. “I have earned my chance, Belinda. I didn’t become your friend because I wanted to get in your pants. I didn’t get you the apprentice job because I thought we’d be good together. I didn’t drive you and Tara two thousand miles to Key West because I thought maybe you’d finally see me for what I am. I did all those things because I like you. With no expectations whatsoever. I did all those things because I enjoy you. And when we’re together, life is fun. Even when we’re running from guys called Diablo, and smuggling people on boats, and especially when we’re just hanging out doing nothing. Saying nothing. That’s my favorite time with you. Because we’re at that place now. That place where we’re comfortable. And I keep waiting for you to see how good we are. And you just”—he shakes his head—“refuse! You just refuse to even consider me. But this asshole Tony Dumas shows up out of nowhere and you give him all the considerations. You say you don’t like him—”“I don’t!”“You say that, but then why, Belinda? Why do you give him all the chances he hasn’t earned?”

Author Bio:
JA Huss is the New York Times Bestselling author of 321 and has been on the USA Today Bestseller's list 21 times in the past five years. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings.Her new sexy sci-fi romance and paranormal romance pen name is KC Cross and she writes novels and teleplays collaboratively with actor and screenwriter, Johnathan McClain.Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Five of her book were optioned for a TV series by MGM television in 2018. And her book, Total Exposure, was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019.She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.Bookbub / Website / Amazon / Audible / Kobo / Nook / Facebook / FB Fan Group / Twitter / Instagram / JA Huss Secret Stuff Alert

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BOOK BLITZ: Outfoxed by R.J. Blain #GIVEAWAY

Outfoxed
R.J. Blain
(The Fox Witch, #1)
Publication date: November 3rd 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Death is a way of life outside of the safety of Inner Tulsa, and Jade means to keep flipping Mother Nature off until old age claims her. With one eye always on the sky, the last thing she needs is a pack of bounty hunters out for her living head. With no idea of why anyone would want her, her wits might keep her free, assuming she can resist the charming lures of Sandro, one of the men out to claim her as his own.Left with the choice of being the evening snack of a tornado or taking shelter with the bounty hunter, she does what she does best: she lives on the edge.Striking a bargain with the handsome bounty hunter buys her another day of life, but it also dumps her into the heart of a sinister plot, one meant to enslave the residents of the storm-tossed city—and the others brave and foolish enough to call the Alley home.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Google Play—EXCERPT:Friday, May 1, 2043.Tulsa, Oklahoma.The Alley.I’d been in the Alley long enough to understand only one thing mattered when faced with yet another twister: survival. The swarm of them headed for Tulsa roared, warning all of their impending arrival. The incessant crash of thunder accompanied the lightning, which struck with such frequency the dark clouds glowed white. I decided to stopped counting after five funnels; one, five, ten—it didn’t matter how many of them snaked down from the sky. If one of them got a hold of me, I’d just be another corpse strewn over the Alley. A day didn’t go by when I didn’t cross a new skeleton in the outskirts.Death was a way of life outside of the safety of Inner Tulsa.Another twister joined the party, bringing a cascade of hail with it.Great. Just great. What was one more? Hadn’t Mother Nature figured out she didn’t need to fling everything she had at Tulsa? A single tornado would’ve done the job just fine.A few minutes too late to do me any good, the lightning-lit clouds turned a putrid shade of green, a promise that Mother Nature wasn’t screwing around this time. Green meant go, and if I’d had any sense in my head at all, I wouldn’t have left shelter at sunrise; I would’ve stayed in hiding until right before work. Everything would’ve been different if I’d just slept in rather than explore the ruins of Tulsa’s outskirts for salvage.If I hadn’t been looking for salvage, I wouldn’t have been spotted by the tall, dark, and handsome hot on my heels and determined to ruin my day if he caught up with me.The swarm would cause me enough problems, but if the bounty hunter caught me, I’d be in worse shape.Some choices in life were tough, and I hated myself for even contemplating taking my chances with the bounty hunter. Losing my freedom for profit could be reversed. Nothing could reverse death.I flattened my ears, and I lashed my tail back and forth, the rain whipping off it. While I was part fox, I’d adopted more feline tendencies than canine ones. And I, according the tail and ears I couldn’t banish with any amount of magic, I was definitely a cat trapped in a partly canine body.I could shift into a full fox, a secret I held close to my chest. The instant anyone learned the truth, I’d go from a common annoyance to a desirable. Nobody cared about powerless hybrids.Everybody wanted full shapeshifters in their bloodlines, and I had trouble enough as it was.Since six twisters wasn’t enough, the churning clouds spawned two more, and with unerring accuracy, they surged towards the city in a wall of churning wind, rain, and hail.Tornado season had come, and it looked like it was going to open with a bang.I skidded around a corner of a former house, a victim of a twister a few months back when the sky had opted to give us a break for a change. Shacks had sprouted like persistent little weeds, but I expected none of them would survive the storm. I worried for their inhabitants, but if they had half a brain, they’d take shelter in a cellar.If they didn’t, they’d add to the bodies littering the dying suburban streets.While I had the advantage of knowledge, the bounty hunter had me beat everywhere else, and he snagged the back of my shirt, yanked hard enough to cut off my breath, and slammed me into the broken brick of the trashed house. “Are you insane?” he screamed over the wind. “You’re not supposed to run towards tornadoes, you little idiot!”I blinked, checked where I’d been running, and sure enough, Mother Nature had truly had enough of my shit, opting to dump another handful of twisters directly into my path. When the twisters converged, probably where we were standing, it’d puree the neighborhood and leave matchsticks in their wake.Stuck between a rock, a hard place, and a bounty hunter, I had few options if I wanted to keep my head long enough to figure out if death beat being picked up by a bounty hunter. Fortunately, the sensible had left the area anticipating the weather to sour, leaving their storm cellars open for my use—our use, as I wouldn’t leave him behind despite wishing I could ditch him without losing my freedom.Sometimes, I really questioned why I tried to meet society’s standards of being a good person. Being a good person was a pain in the ass.As Mother Nature was a bitch on a mission of destruction, the twisters barreled our way. I cursed myself, cursed the hunk of a bounty hunter making a mess of my morning, and cursed my choice of moving to the Alley in the first place. “There’s a cellar nearby.” I pointed down the street in the general direction of my favorite bolt hole, which I’d have to abandon once I shared it with the man out to profit from my head—living head, at least.The bounty hunters wanting my living head in their possession was looking to be the bright part of my morning.

Author Bio:
RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until satisfied.Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Goodreads

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