R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 17
September 29, 2022
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Magic and Mayhem by Annie Anderson #GIVEAWAY
Magic and Mayhem
Annie Anderson
(The Wrong Witch, #2)
Publication date: September 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
All it took was one bite.
A week ago, I was the perpetual screw up of the Bannister coven and a probationary agent for the Arcane Bureau of Investigation. Somehow, I’ve managed to get myself mated to an Acosta Alpha, pissed off my family, and gotten on the radar of a dark Fae.
As much as I’d like to bury my head in the sand, I have a badge to secure—and with a new case on my proverbial desk—a job to do. Because I’m not the first witch that the Fae has tried to steal, but I will definitely be the last.
Just as soon as I get this curse under control…
—
EXCERPT:
A knock came at the bathroom door. “Wren, honey? You all right?”
I whipped that door open so fast an avalanche of steam billowed out of the bathroom to smack Fiona in the face. I hadn’t seen her since Serreno hauled me to Nico’s cabin for questioning. She appeared far better than the last time I’d seen her, all healed up by the med clinic and in fresh clothes.
Wrapping her in a hug, I was glad I’d managed to get dressed before her knock. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“And let you take that fool test by yourself? Please.”
Shoving her away, I gripped her shoulders with a little too much gusto. “What? No. Please don’t tell me Serreno is making you test out, too.”
Fiona frowned before giving me a winning smile. “If I want the charges against Girard to stick and a real investigation to be had into this place, then the both of us need to be agents, Wren. It just makes sense for us to do it now. Plus, it’ll be a snap.” She waved a hand as if it was so simple as she plopped onto the edge of the couch. “Hannah told me you blew them out of the water during your practical.”
But Fiona was forgetting a particularly important facet of that event—not that she was around for it, but whatever. Namely, the null ward I wore around my neck like my own personal good luck charm. It kept me from fucking up—kept everyone safe.
And to save us, I’d tossed it away. To save her.
How was Nico going to get me a new one? He didn’t have time to trek down to Savannah and back. How was I going to pass this damn thing? Luck and blind optimism? I hadn’t been lucky a day in my life.
“What about when Nico saved you?” Fiona replied to the thoughts I must have said aloud. “That seems pretty lucky to me. Of all the people to pull you from the burning wreckage of Azalea Apothecary, you got the super-hot shifter dreamboat with the giant dick and an unrelenting urge to keep you safe. If that ain’t luck, I don’t know what is.”
“Whoa, who told you he had a giant dick?” Yes, that was what I latched onto, and yes, that sentence actually came out of my mouth.
Fi speared me with a sharp glare. “No one had to tell me that boy is packing a damn cannon in those pants. He just walks like he’s got a monster in there. Like I told you before, I’ve got eyes, don’t I?”
She wasn’t wrong.
Author Bio:
Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting.
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September 28, 2022
B@@K REVEAL: Give Me Forever by Heidi McLaughlin
Give Me Forever
Heidi McLaughlin
(Beaumont: Next Generation, #5)
Publication date: October 11th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin delivers an emotional second chance romance about life, love, and what it means to truly be happy!
Elle James has it all: a loving fiancé in Ben, a promising career as a music manager, and a supportive family. She couldn’t be happier with her life. That is until the unthinkable happens and she must accept the consequences of her actions and figure out how to come clean to her family or continue living the lie.
Ben Miller had it all: a loving fiancée, a budding career, and the support of people who loved him like family. That was until he wanted more, and his fiancée was unable to meet him halfway. He makes a decision, one that affects everyone. When his life takes an unexpected turn and he’s diagnosed with a life changing illness, he finds himself fighting for more than just love.
With their happily ever after slipping through their fingers, will Elle and Ben be able to survive, or will life’s curveball be too much for them to handle?
—
Read first chapter here!
Author Bio:
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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BOOK BLITZ: Wild at Heart by Stacy Gold #GIVEAWAY
Wild at Heart
Stacy Gold
(Wild Love, #1)
Publication date: May 2nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
They each hit the trail solo in search of themselves…
Overworked entrepreneur Jules Martinez is sick and tired of men leaving her for their exes. Determined to wipe the giant, scarlet Rfor rebound off her forehead, she kicks off a yearlong vow of celibacy with five, blissful weeks backpacking her favorite trails through Washington State. Solo.
Out-of-work financial analyst Evan Davenport hasn’t been happy since camping in Scouts as a kid—before his wealthy parents and now ex-fiancé made all his major life decisions. Hoping to find joy and purpose, he buys all the latest ultralight backpacking gear, flies to Washington, and sets off alone on a weeklong speed hike through the wilderness.
Mother Nature has other plans, though, and keeps shoving Evan and Jules in each other’s paths. Usually naked. When sparks fly, can they find what they’re looking for in life together instead of apart?
—
On sale for $1.99 for a limited time only!
—
EXCERPT:
Chapter 1
JULES
“I’m so jealous, Jules.” Bryn perched on the end of one of the beds in our hotel room at Cascade Locks, watching me pack gear. The thin, gray light of pre-dawn filtered through a crack in gold curtains that’d seen better days.
I tucked a bag of snacks and my rain jacket into the top of my backpack, cinched the drawcord, and buckled the lid with a solid click. “Of what, twelve guys dumping me for their exes in a row? I’m sure we could arrange that for you too. If you ever really start dating again.”
“Ha. Funny.” She toed my calf. “You’re taking five weeks off to go backpacking solo. Who cares why?”
Tingles of excitement zoomed around in my chest and I flashed her a grin. “Yeah. Dealing with zero assholes and zero clients for more than a month does sound pretty heavenly, doesn’t it?”
She grinned back. “Like I said, totally jealous. At least of your trip.” Her expression went serious. “I still can’t believe the next guy you date is gonna be unlucky number thirteen, though.”
“Yeah. I’ve thought about that. Probably too much. Definitely enough to jinx the next one for sure. So, I’m swearing off men for at least a year to restart the count.” I hesitated, the excitement buzz fading. “A year is enough time to consider it a clean dating slate, right?”
“Wait. You mean you’re swearing off dating, or swearing off sex too?”
The last eight years had been nothing but suckage on the relationship front. It’d probably take more than a year to fix my shit. But nothing would change if I didn’t change something. “Yes. Both. All of it.”
Bryn eyes widened. “You’re serious.”
“Dead.” Bending, I tugged the rough nylon laces of my left boot. The well-worn leather snugged around my foot. “I’m never gonna figure out anything buried in too much work plus too many bad dates.”
“When did you decide this?”
“Last night.” I shouldered my pack and adjusted the straps until the familiar weight settled on the tops of my hipbones. “What I’ve been doing isn’t working. It’s time to take a big step back and focus on myself for longer than just a few weeks.”
“I guess that’s one way to break the pattern.” Bryn opened the door, and we stepped outside into early morning stillness. “And yes, a year is definitely long enough to clean your dating slate.”
Fog tendrils drifted from the Columbia River across the half-empty parking lot. The air hung thick with moisture and cedar and the sweet mustiness of damp soil. The best smell in the world after too many days breathing city fumes.
“I sure as hell hope so. If not, at least maybe I can figure out what to do about my business. I can’t keep working this much.”
We strolled across the lot side-by-side, the chill air nipping my skin through my nylon hiking pants and shirt, waking me up. The sky glowed marigold behind the inky silhouettes of the mountains.
“You’ll come up with a plan. You always do.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” We crossed the empty highway, walked a few hundred yards, and turned off. Gravel crunched under our soles. “And thanks for driving me down here from Seattle. And picking me up at the other end.”
“Of course. That’s what best friends are for.” She wrapped a hand around my arm and leaned in, hugging one of my few body parts not covered by my backpack. “Though I still wish I was going with you. I could use a break from assholes and clients, too.”
The first golden rays of sunlight slanted through the tree branches, lighting the dirt road ahead. “We’ll have to plan a girlfriends’ trip once I get back.”
“I’m holding you to that.” Her warm hand tightened on my biceps. “Maybe we can convince Aly to come with us for once.”
I snorted. “We’ll get Aly on a backpacking trip when pigs fly. But I’m all for trying.”
A handful of parked cars and a dark brown trailhead kiosk appeared, marking the southern end of the Pacific Crest Trail through Washington. And my starting point. And the start of five weeks of solitary bliss in one of my favorite places in the whole world.
Bryn pulled out her phone. “Hey. Let me grab a shot of you in front of the sign, to commemorate the moment.”
“Okay.” I took a few steps back.
“Say, single life.”
I popped a hip and smiled for the camera. “Single life.”
“Perfect.” She slipped her phone into her pocket. “I love you, girlfriend. Stay safe out there and call me whenever you hit civilization.”
“I will.” My throat tightened. “I love you, too.”
Author Bio:
Award-winning adventure romance author Stacy Gold would rather be in the middle of nowhere than almost anywhere else. To that end, she’s run more than 50 rivers in three countries, been heli-dropped into remote ski huts multiple times (and made it into even more under her own steam), worked for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service as a backcountry ranger, river ranger, and naturalist, and spent fourteen years as a commercial river guide and kayak instructor. Her last “real job” was serving as Communications Director for a state-wide mountain biking non-profit.
When she’s not busy kayaking, skiing, mountain biking, or hiking, with her husband and happy dogs, Ms. Gold writes about independent, badass women finding love and adventure in the great outdoors. Her latest release, Wild at Heart, came out May 2nd, 2022.
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September 27, 2022
B@@K REVEAL: In the Shadow of a Hoax by Maci Aurora #PreORDER
In the Shadow of a Hoax
Maci Aurora
(Fareview Fairytales, #2)
Publication date: January 24th 2023
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
In the Kingdom of Kaloma, a woman is forced to rely on a man to “keep her” and is forbidden from maintaining anything of her own. It’s the law.
In the remote village of Sevens, at the northernmost point of the kingdom, there lives a family with four daughters and a son, toiling day in and day out together, hopeful a treaty with the boarding kingdom of Jast might change things.
When one daughter—at risk of being imprisoned for fighting back—hides away in the Whitling Woods. She stumbles upon a dying man and despite the risk to herself, chooses to save him. Only who he is has the power to change everything…
Tarley Fareview, idealistic and stubborn, does what she can to support herself in spite of an unjust Kaloma law. When she fights back after being attacked, she flees into the woods disguised as a boy. While in hiding, she discovers a dying man and must decide if she risks her life to save him. Unable to walk away, Tarley chooses to intervene and works to save the stranger, only little does she know that by doing so she’ll also risk the heart she promised herself she’d never give to anyone.
When the Crown Prince of Jast, Lachlan Nikolas—forced by the king to attend treaty negotiations with the kingdom of Kaloma in disguise—is attacked, his horse bolts, and they both careen over a cliff, falling to their deaths in a raging river below. Only, miracle of miracles, Lachlan doesn’t perish, and instead is given a second chance at life, but at a price. When he wakes, he’s not only been stripped of his clothes but also his identity. Saved by a strange woman—in a terrible disguise because she looks nothing like a boy—Lachlan must learn very quickly how to survive in a world where he isn’t a prince anymore and with zero skills other than his entitlement and his charm. Unsure who to trust, Lachlan must reinvent himself, learn how to survive, open his heart to discover the truth about worthiness, and discover what it means to sacrifice one’s self for true love.
Author Bio:
Romance author.
Lover of stories.
Maci Aurora has been writing stories since she was a child. When she was eleven, she fell in love with reading Sunfire Historical Romances about girls who made a difference in their lives and still fell in love. In high school, a friend introduced her to Lavyrle Spencer and Judith McNaught, and from there, her writing journey was cemented in telling stories about love. Having already published many novels (all of which are threaded with romance as upper YA and New Adult titles) under the pen name, CL Walters, Maci Aurora wanted to write stories that offered the same attention to story and characters but with additional steam.
Maci writes in Hawaiʻi where she lives with her husband, their children, and their fur-babies.
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BOOK BLITZ: Fate Awakened by Jocelyn Montana #GIVEAWAY
Fate Awakened
Jocelyn Montana
Publication date: July 24th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
A fierce werewolf consumed by his past. A human used as bait. A connection neither expects.
A MONSTER TO EVERYONE BUT HER …
Hans lives only for vengeance. No more Pack. No friends. Only the dark void inside him tormenting him about his past. Yet when he meets a dark-haired beauty, desire tears through him and changes everything. But werewolves never take mates, and to claim her would doom him and ensure the rising evil wins.
AN ORDINARY HUMAN TO EVERYONE BUT HIM …
One moment Briony’s eating in the tavern, and the next a necromancer has her tied up in a cave as bait for a werewolf. Stuck in the middle of a centuries old battle, she needs to escape. Now. Except when the werewolf arrives and she gets her chance, she doesn’t run. No—she helps him and decides to join him to face a formidable enemy who will do anything to kill her. And with each day that passes, every gentle touch, every silky purr, the werewolf claws his way further into her heart.
BOUND TOGETHER AGAINST AN ANCIENT EVIL …
They have one month to work together to take down a sorceress. One month to decide to remain together forever. Everyone in Briony’s life has left her, and she doesn’t believe in love anymore. Secrets in Hans’s past prevent him from making Briony his. They may save the world, but will they save each other?
—
EXCERPT:
The same energy when they’d locked eyes in the cave built between them. Like a bow being drawn for an arrow. In a rush, they came together in the middle of the room. His massive arms circled her, pulling her close, so close she was forced to tilt her head back to meet his glowing eyes.
He dropped his head to nuzzle her neck. “This time, the scent of your desire for me is real.”
“Yes.” She trailed her nails down his back, and he shivered.
The maelstrom swirling in her chest was the magnetic pull of him. Of their bond. It was hard to distinguish where she ended and he began.
Uncertainty threaded through her lust. “None of this makes sense,” she whispered. “But I want you more now than I did back in the cave.”
His seductive, silky growl rippled over her skin, and she gasped and pressed closer, rubbing against the soft fur of his stomach.
“The moons are low in the sky, little one.” One long lick along her neck. “The vae are busy, and the forest is safe and private. Strip. Run through the woods so I can chase you. I’ll catch you and make you mine.”
Heat pooled between her legs, and her fingers flexed. He licked again. “Okay.”
She walked to the double doors and released the laces on her bodice. Her dress pooled at her feet, leaving her naked before his gaze.
Hans’s eyes glowed brighter. Hungry. Wanting. He purred, and she wanted to run to him, not away, but she opened the doors and entered the forest.
The moons bobbed low above the trees. The shadows should be impenetrable, making it difficult to see in the thickest part of this unfamiliar forest, but instead of darkness, everything was in shades of gray, as if the moons shone brightly to illuminate the path in front of her. Her feet cushioned by soft moss, she slipped between the tree trunks.
Each footfall pounded on the forest floor, and her toes dug in to propel her forward. Her hair flew free behind her, sweeping her back, and she trailed her hand along a tree, the bark scratching her palm, to leave her scent. With a spurt of speed, she dug in and raced forward.
He was coming.
Something primal unfurled and spurred her faster. An ancient race of male and female. He’d prove he was worthy, and she’d let him claim her.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears from both desire and exertion. A boulder of limestone blocked her path. She paused for a moment, but it was long enough for an arm to snake around her waist. Hot breath fanned her neck as Hans pinned her against the rock, his thigh wedging between hers to spread her open for him. He bit the nape of her neck, and she groaned.
No. She’d barely made him earn it. When she pretended to go slack and compliant, he loosened his grip and shifted backward a step. Briony twisted free. Sucking in air, she scrambled around the rock and sprinted away.
He released a rich, pleased growl, and she was sure he pursued, but she wasn’t slowing to check. Grinning, she dodged around trees, anticipating what he’d do when he caught her, making her entire body tingle.
Author Bio:
Jocelyn Montana is a fantasy and paranormal romance author focusing on her two series featuring the world of Ulterra. She lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts with her boyfriend of ten years and her chiweenie Marcus, also known as The Dog Who Will Do Anything for Ham. She loves werewolves, and demons, and all sorts of fun supernatural beings. She’d like to thank Disney and their movies: Beauty and the Beast, and Robinhood (animated version) for showing her that handsome heroes don’t always look like men.
Check out her website at www.jocelynmontana.com
Sign up for her newsletter for exclusive secret epilogues, and free novellas unavailable anywhere else.
Hang out with her on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.jocel...
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September 26, 2022
B@@K REVEAL: Bring on the Bubbly by Jayne Wilder
Bring on the Bubbly
Jayne Wilder
Publication date: October 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
A sizzling romance with snort-laughs and a satisfying happily ever after, you’ll want BRING ON THE BUBBLY as your next wedding season romcom.
Aly Reed has the hottest ticket in town—nine hand-lettered ones, in fact! This wedding season, she finally has a date—her perfect boyfriend. It’s a lovely distraction from the soulless day job that’s leading her farther from her dreams of becoming a graphic designer. All the happy, betrothal vibes torpedo down the toilet when Aly catches her boyfriend cheating—at wedding number one!
Enter Lex, the swoony caterer whose chocolate fountain collides with Aly. Dumped and splattered in chocolate, it’s a meet-not-so-cute she’d love to forget. Except she can’t, because Lex caters wedding number two, where Aly’s seated next to her ex—and his new girlfriend. While hiding from them, she and Lex share a surprisingly sexy moment and strike a deal. Lex will spare Aly the torture of a solo wedding season and in return, she’ll do the branding for his new food truck.
But between champagne toasts and moonlit dances, their arrangement goes from simmer to flambé. Aly realizes she wants more than seconds of her hot chef. Can this romance last beyond wedding season? One thing’s for sure—it’s time to bring on the bubbly!
A quirky, endearing heroine, a chef with great hands, and the sexiest rowboat around.
This is Aly and Lex’s stand-alone from the How to Survive Wedding Season series.
Author Bio:
The view of Jayne's 20's looks pretty good from this distance: joyous weddings, tawdry romances, the search for purpose, and cheap wine. Living it once was quite enough, thank you. While the wine is (nearly) the same, fictionalizing this time in life for her characters is freaking fantastic!
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Bargain with a Beast by Grace Goodwin #GIVEAWAY
Bargain with a Beast
Grace Goodwin
Publication date: September 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction
Adrian Davis thought getting on a real-life, ‘beam me up, Scotty’, transport pad was adventure enough. Visiting her mother—and the Atlan beast her mom had chosen as a mate—on another planet? Setting foot in an Atlan prison? Completely crazy.
Like totally, bat-shit, what-the-hell-was-she-doing-with-her-life crazy.
She was supposed to spend a few days wandering around with her twin sister, seeing the sights, expanding her horizons. The trip was supposed to be a much needed break from the hectic schedule she was keeping in school. She was only nineteen. She had plans. Finish college. Medical school. Husband. House. Two-point-five perfect kids and a golden retriever named Buddy.
All that changed with one roar of pain. She heard him. A beast. He was out of control, locked behind an impenetrable wall, alone. Suffering the agony of mating fever.
Ready to die. Forsaken.
Adrian can’t let him go. She will have to fight a centuries old system, warlords on another world, and the beast himself to get what she wants.
To save him.
To keep him for herself.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
Turning my head, I found my mate and her sister both staring at me, hands on their hips. Stances, identical. Adrian’s expression? Determined.
The other female had more sense. She had the decency to be nervous, biting her lower lip. “I don’t know about this, sis.”
“They won’t even realize where I am until tomorrow.”
“I know. But you know how much I hate lying to them. What if they check on us when they get home?”
Adrian chuckled. “They won’t. Mom can’t keep her hands off him. They’ll be too busy bumping uglies to worry about where I am.”
Bumping uglies? Ugly what? And why would they bump?
“I’ll worry.”
“That’s why you’re going to be back here in exactly four hours and let me out.”
Stephanie looked at me, inspected me from head to toe. I remained silent. “What about him?”
“I’ll figure it out. After.”
After?
Stephanie’s head dropped backward so that her face looked up at the ceiling. She groaned. “God. And you were making fun of mom for being a horny wench. This is insane. You know that, right?”
“I know. I don’t care. I’m calling in my twin card.”
“Oh, I know. You told me. Why the hell do you think I’m down here again? And low blow by the way. I used my twin card for that stupid calculus test.”
Twin card?
“Not my fault I saved mine for something juicy.” Adrian gathered her sister to her, their heads identical in height as well as form. In fact, the twins were remarkably similar except for my mate’s beautiful hair. “Look. I’m going in there. I know what I know. I can’t explain it, okay? You have to trust me.”
The brown-haired twin’s voice was muffled in her sister’s neck. “Okay. But if you die, I’m going to be really, really mad at you. Like, forever mad.”
I’m going in there?
Adrian’s words finally registered, and I moved forward to tower over them as much as I could with the energy barrier still between us.
“You will not enter this cell, my lady.” I was furious that she would take such a chance. Still, I could not force a threatening tone from my throat, not while I spoke to her.
And my lady? What evil spirit possessed me to speak those two words?
Fuck. What was happening to me? I should shout. Rage. Scream. Act like an out-of-control beast ready to rend and tear and kill. I could do none of those things. My beast, it seemed, had as tight a leash on me as I did on him. He would not allow me to frighten her. Would not allow me to disrespect her. Upset her. Injure her in body, mind or spirit.
Gods be damned. What the fuck was I going to do now? I could never offer her my mating cuffs. I could not. I would be executed in a matter of hours.
I could offer her nothing.
With a low rumble, my beast disagreed, shoving erotic images into my already fracturing mind.
Adrian released her sister and turned to face me. This close she was even smaller than she had at first appeared. Yet her eyes blazed with defiance. “Stephanie?”
“You sure? Really, really, really sure?” Her sister moved toward the control panel.
“Do not,” I ordered.
“Twin card. Playing it. Now.” Adrian ignored me.
Stephanie sighed. The energy barrier dropped.
Adrian took three steps forward. Her scent washed over me. My beast growled. My cock throbbed in pain. My vision blurred. I ordered my limbs to move, to remove this female from my cell. The beast took control of every cell, every muscle of my body. The transformation moved through me. My muscles screamed as they exploded, grew larger. My bones elongated. My beast shoved me aside as if I were no more than a wisp of fog in his peripheral vision.
The energy barrier reappeared, locking her inside the cell.
With me.
With my beast.
Author Bio:
Grace Goodwin is a USA Today and international bestselling author of Sci-Fi and Paranormal romance with nearly one million books sold. Grace's titles are available worldwide in multiple languages in ebook, print, and audio formats. Two best friends, one left-brained, the other right-brained, make up the award-winning writing duo that is Grace Goodwin. Both are mothers, escape room enthusiasts, avid readers, and intrepid defenders of their preferred beverages. (There may or may not be an ongoing tea vs. coffee war occurring during their daily communications.) Grace loves to hear from readers.
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September 25, 2022
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Hostile Takeover by Cara Dee #GIVEAWAY
Hostile Takeover
Cara Dee
(The Game, #8)
Publication date: September 23rd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
The Game Series • Book 8 • Standalone • Group Play • Submissive Daddy • Humiliation Buckle in for a liquid hot romance where a young man with a plan takes on his aunt’s ex-husband through a wild week of kinky fun and dreams of a happily ever after.
I was on the right path, at long last. The divorce proceedings were going well, we managed to keep things somewhat civil for the sake of our daughter, and I could finally be the man I’d suppressed for decades.
I was gay. And evidently very much into BDSM.
So this was the perfect time to explore, have fun, meet new people, make friends who were actually friends and not the husbands of my wife’s uppity circle of gossip peddlers. I was happy. I was off to a great start, distancing myself from the family I’d once married into.
Then my ex-wife’s favorite nephew came to town on a business trip and wanted to have dinner with me. Obviously, I should have declined. The young man had always put me on edge with his charisma and assertiveness. But surely, I could survive one dinner with Jackson Dune.
The day after was another matter. When we ended up going to the gym together and he showed his true colors. His true, filthy, dominant, addictive, inappropriate colors.
“Do you like to watch, Uncle Franklin?”
–
The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, one thing is certain. This is not a perfect world—and maybe that’s why the happily ever after feels so good.
—
EXCERPT:
“Flip the camera—let me see in the mirror,” Tate said.
I eyed the corner of the screen and pressed the right button, flipping the camera. The display suddenly showed a full picture of what I was wearing.
“You make Hugo Boss look next-level hot.” His voice was warm with approval, which eased a pinch of my nerves. “You’ve got this, Franklin. You have nothing to be nervous about. It’s your nephew, not the devil.”
I swallowed uncomfortably and adjusted my tie. “They may very well be the same individual.”
He chuckled and threw himself onto the couch—next to Kingsley, I noticed. They were dressed for an evening at home. Apparently they’d been hungover earlier today.
Kingsley leaned closer and smiled faintly. “Hey, pet. Lookin’ sharp.”
Heat bled onto my cheeks. “Thank you, Handler.”
They absolutely loved that I was forty-seven years old and still blushed like a schoolboy. They certainly took advantage of the trait often enough. Kingsley said he got off on the contrasts of a man who looked like he owned the world but submitted like a cock-hungry whore.
I was that cock-hungry whore.
I wasn’t sure I agreed with his assessment of how I looked, but I understood the draw of contrasts. Kingsley and Tate were full of those too. Kingsley, the Master who could make me fall to my knees with a single look, who always wore jeans and tees and hoodies, who didn’t feel the need to assert himself to others; he just was. Then Tate, his Master’s property. The love of Kingsley’s life. My daughter’s teacher, who’d fooled me for months by wearing preppy cashmere sweaters, gingham button-downs, chinos, and glasses. Never a hair out of place. But when all that came off, he was a tattooed masochist and switch.
Tate had introduced me to BDSM not that long ago. They’d granted me the privilege of joining them for occasional playtime. And Tate was…pure filth. A sadistic little Dominant who called me Daddy before rubbing my face in my own come.
Kingsley cleared his throat as I flipped the screen again. “So explain something to me. You see this kid once or twice a year, but now you’re suddenly nervous?”
To be fair, I was always uncomfortable when seeing Jack.
And Tate had no issue telling his Master just that.
“To this degree?” Kingsley pressed.
“Well, no,” I admitted. After flicking off the lights in the bedroom, I aimed for the living room, where I had liquid courage on a cart next to the couch. “Things have changed. I’m supposed to be Uncle Franklin, the boring, straitlaced, predictable man who’s married to his aunt.”
While Tate smirked, Kingsley scraped his teeth across his bottom lip and took on a pensive expression.
“Screw who you’re supposed to be to him,” he murmured. “Who’s he supposed to be to you?”
I frowned. “You lost me. He’s my nephew, of course.”
Believe me. He’s my nephew.
Kingsley cocked a brow.
Tate was highly entertained, and he crawled up on Kingsley’s lap and rested his elbow on Kingsley’s shoulder. “I mean, you kinda indicated something else last week when you told me about his visit.”
I scowled at him, then poured myself a whiskey. I had twenty minutes before my car service was due.
“I did nothing of the sort,” I insisted. “I merely pointed out that since the last time I saw him, I’ve stopped being in denial about who I am—about what I am—and I’m worried I’ll see him in a different light.”
“As I said…” Tate drawled. “So are you bringing condoms?”
“For heaven’s sake!” I stared at him in disbelief. He was not helpful.
Kingsley’s eyes flashed with amusement. “I take it he ticks all the Dom boxes, then?”
God, I shouldn’t have accepted Tate’s call in the first place. They were making things worse. Much, much worse. Because they were saying out loud what I dreaded the most. I didn’t want Jack and BDSM in the same sentence.
But…yes. That was my fear.
I took a generous sip of my drink and relished the burn as it slid down my throat.
“Is he gay?” Tate wondered.
I winced and inclined my head.
Jack had always been out, so to speak. When he’d reached the age most boys declared their love for girls, he’d said he’d liked boys “way more.” By fourteen, he’d had at least two boyfriends.
“I think I’ve envied him on some level,” I admitted. “I never knew why, but now…”
I could put two and two together.
Homosexuality hadn’t existed in my world, not until I started college. My parents had come from nothing in Nowhere, Kentucky. Then my father had managed to get through school while working two jobs, and he’d made a life for us. They’d moved to DC right before I was born. He’d started his own practice. Mother had been a housewife. Not particularly religious, but traditional, nonetheless. Not to mention very strict and demanding. They’d wanted their idea of a bright future for me. Scholarships, private school, a fine degree. Wife, children, a nice house.
I’d had my first intimate dream about another man when I was in high school, but it’d been about a teacher I hadn’t liked, so I’d chalked it up to a horrendous nightmare. I’d been so incredibly angry and embarrassed by my physical reactions.
Not long after, I’d asked Samantha out on a date.
“I’ve done so many things wrong,” I said.
That softened something in Tate’s eyes. “It gave you Lily.”
That was true. I certainly had no regrets, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t feel bitter and ashamed at times.
“It’s time to look forward, pet,” Kingsley murmured. “You’re building something new.”
I nodded once and took another sip of my drink. He was right. I was finally on the right path.
Author Bio:
I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.
There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.
Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.
I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Pride and Pina Coladas by Melanie Summers #GIVEAWAY
Pride and Piña Coladas
Melanie Summers
(Paradise Bay, #5)
Publication date: September 22nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
From best-selling author Melanie Summers comes a enemies-to-lovers tale that’ll have you laughing, swooning, and blending up a pitcher of fruity girl drinks…
I’m Nora Cooper—single woman about to turn thirty, wildly unsuccessful plant fanatic, and event planner at Paradise Bay Resort. My shot at ‘the big time’ has finally arrived—the resort is hosting the World Bartender Championships and I’ve been asked to head up the hospitality team.
There’s only one big problem. And his name is Theo Rojas. You’ve heard of his family—they own Rojas Rum (and about 200 other premium liquors, some of which may be on your shelf right now). As the major sponsor of the event, Theo has decided to be onsite, micromanaging every second of the competition.
He’s stuck up, rude, and arrogant (and a bunch of other adjectives I had better not use). He also seems to have added ‘make Nora’s life absolute hell’ to the top of his to-do list.
Too bad for Mr. Grumpy Chinos because he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. I’ve taken on far worse foes than him. And if he thinks he’s going to get the best of me, he’s in for a wake-up call.
So when we find ourselves stranded on a private island overnight, I’m determined to put him in his place once and for all.
Only somehow, instead of continuing our constant sparring, we wind up kissing. And I did NOT expect him to kiss like that.
And now I have totally forgotten all the nasty things I was planning to say to him. Something about him being arrogant, right?
Gah! Someone please send help because I absolutely CANNOT fall for this guy…
—
EXCERPT:
She’s completely flustered, and I have to say I’m enjoying this more than I should. But hey, she’s accused me of some pretty rotten things, so I’d say it’s only fair.
“Nothing… I don’t know. But now that we’re stranded here, I’m off the clock, so for the next however many hours we’re stuck here together, I’m not an events coordinator, and you’re not a guest who…needs things. We’re just two people who happen to be stranded in the same villa. So, don’t think you can tell me to get out of my wet clothes, because I’ll decide if and when I’m going to take my clothes off!”
“Someone clearly thinks highly of herself if she’s suggesting I want to get her naked,” I say before pursing my lips.
Nora gasps. “She does not!”
I shrug. “If you say so, but it really did seem like it when you said that whole thing about not ‘giving it to me,’ when the only reason I suggested getting out of our wet clothes is because you’re shivering and I came across a couple of plush bathrobes in the closet when I went to find the towels.”
“Oh,” she says, dropping her shoulders a little.
“There’s also a washing machine and a dryer, so I’m planning to launder my things, but if you want to stay—” I point to her—“as you are, suit yourself. I am going to have a hot shower.”
Her teeth start to chatter, but she still has that stubborn look on her face. “I can see how that would be a reasonable idea.”
“Is that your way of apologizing?”
“I don’t owe you an apology,” she snaps.
“Don’t you? Where I come from, when we make false accusations, we apologize and then commit to not doing it again,” I tell her. And before I can stop myself, I add, “But perhaps that’s only common courtesy among the top one percent of the world.”
Her cheeks turn bright red and she sputters, “You know what? I am going to have a shower. A nice, long one, but not because you told me to. Because I want to.”
“Have fun, Captain Justice,” I murmur when she turns to leave the room.
That did it. She does a U-turn. “Captain Justice?” she hisses.
“I’d say that suits someone who thinks she’s the paragon of all things just in this world, listening to only one side of a story and casting judgment on who’s right and who’s the devil.” Okay, so now I’m just being a jerk, but at this point, I don’t care. “Or should I call you Captain Jumps to Conclusions, based on you accusing me of trying to get you into bed just now?”
“Captain Jumps to Conclusions? Do you even hear yourself? That’s quite possibly the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said in the history of speaking!”
“Captain Accusations, then?” I ask calmly.
“You are the most rude, most arrogant, entitled man I’ve ever met!” she shouts, moving towards me until she’s so close she has to tilt her head back to look up at me. “You should be called Captain Thinks His Shit Doesn’t Stink!”
I scoff, leaning closer to her. “It’s not so easy, is it? Coming up with sarcastic super-hero names when you’re angry.”
“No, it’s not!” she yells.
“Exactly! So don’t make fun of my attempt,” I yell back, too angry to laugh at the level of insanity we’ve reached.
I stare down at her face, only inches from mine. She’s still shivering, and even though I’m furious, I want to wrap my arms around her and warm her up. Or kiss her hard on the mouth. Or both.
Author Bio:
Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.
Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.
In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).
Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.
She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.
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September 24, 2022
MEW RELEASE BLITZ: Bratva Treasure by Savine Barclay #GIVEAWAY
Bratva Treasure
Sabine Barclay
(The Ivankov Brotherhood, #3)
Published by: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: September 20th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance
She has no idea what she agreed to…
My printsessa thinks she’s taken a regular job for a regular lawyer.
She doesn’t know the devils that lurk below the surface now that she’s in my world. The bratva world.
Innocent, sweet, and trusting.
All the things I am not. All the things I never knew I wanted.
But I do now. And she’s mine.
Let someone try to take her. I’ll burn the world down around them to keep her. She’s my soulmate.
She doesn’t know her limits yet. I’ll take her there, then bring her back with my touch and my love.
Bratva Treasure is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains extra-steamy scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. This is book three in The Ivankov Brotherhood, a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.
—
EXCERPT:
I can’t stay away. I have no reason to go to Maks’s place every day. But I keep finding excuses. I’m so intrigued, and I keep making it worse by feeding my curiosity. Part of me is genuinely interested in getting to know Stasia, but the other part of me is suspicious as hell. I trust next to no one who isn’t family or bratva. My sisters-in-law are the rare exceptions, and I wasn’t sure at first. I was impressed and respected Laura from the get-go. She wrapped us around her little finger to the tune of forty billion when she out negotiated us for a merger with a company she represented.
Christina was an inspector for the city planner, and she showed up at one of our building sites for a rather untraditional and unforgettable meeting. Poor Bogdan. I will never forget the look on his face when he recognized her. He clearly wasn’t over how they parted the first time they met a few days earlier. But she was incredibly helpful and sorted out more than one mess for us. She’s so good that we made her the head of our construction branch.
But Stasia. I don’t know yet what to make of her. I want to fvck her into next week. That much I know. She’s beyond pretty. She’s not stop-you-in-your-tracks beautiful until she smiles. Actually, I take that back. I think she’s beautiful and hot as fvck, but I know a lot of men wouldn’t see her that way. That’s more than fine by me. She’s almost too thin, but more in a leggy supermodel kind of way. Eastern Europe produces some of the most gorgeous women in the world. Her half-Russian side is strong.
But I still find it hard to trust her. She’s in my brother and sister-in-law’s house every day and around my niece and nephew. I know she passed a background check, but anyone new makes me uneasy.
“How do you like the job so far?”
I know that’s an unfair question, but I ask it anyway. I want to see her eyes, her gut reaction, not hear her profess she loves it.
“It’s great. I love working for Laura.”
Sincerity. Either she’s telling the truth, or she’s a sociopath with no compunction about lying. I think it’s the former.
“Better than what you did before?”
Half the time we speak Russian, and I don’t even notice. We have been today. It’s enough to lull me into thinking that she might be fully Russian and would understand our life. But she’ll stumble over a word or have to think about one for a moment. It all comes crashing back down that she isn’t. She’s only half. But all of her was raised in America. Then my suspicions start all over again. What happens if she finds out? What were Maks and Laura thinking bringing a stranger into their home?
Not just because we’re bratva, but because the twins are here. She doesn’t seem like the type, but I’ve seen “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.” I remember that Soul Asylum song I used to hear sometimes on the Classic Rock station. “Runaway Train.” That was one with the music video with the woman who grabs the baby out of the stroller. I watched it once, and it’s stuck with me ever since.
I have an overactive imagination. That’s what my dad would tell me when I was really little. It was usually when I made Bogdan pretend to be my dog. My parents wouldn’t get one. Our apartment in Moscow was barely big enough for the six of us. I would make Bogdan crawl around with me. I was five, and he was four. What was the point of having a little brother back then if I couldn’t get him to do things for me?
“Big plans for the weekend?”
“No. I’m just going to help my friend Beth move and then hang out at my place. My friend Gracie and her fiancé are going out of town.”
“I don’t miss the days of helping people move. I spent a summer working for one of those college guys moving companies. Good money, but never again.”
I pretend to shiver.
“Monday nights are actually our night to go out. There’s a place near campus that has great happy hour specials.”
Tucking that little nugget away.
Author Bio:
Sabine Barclay, a nom de plume also writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Sabine enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as she could. Now she lives near the beach. She's an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Sabine was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating engrossing contemporary romances that will make your toes curl and your granny blush.
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