R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 180

BOOK BLITZ: Alee by Nicole Loufas #GIVEAWAY

Alee
Nicole Loufas
Publication date: November 19th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Young Adult

With just weeks left before her high school graduation, Alee dumps with her sunshine stealing boyfriend in epic fashion – by sleeping with his best friend.Since bad things happen in three, becoming the school slut is just the beginning.A mass shooting steals the life of Alee’s Olympic-bound best friend and a homeless drug addict turns out to be the father who abandoned Alee as a child.With a backpack full of daddy-issues and a bucket list of broken dreams, Alee searches for light at the end of a very dark tunnel.Will the man who broke her, be the one who saves her life?

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:Funeral food is like every other party food. Pinwheel sandwiches, mini-meatballs in a brown sauce, wilted salad, and an assortment of cheese and crackers. Laine plucks a cucumber from the tray. He dips it in ranch then shoves it in his mouth with an inappropriately timed sexy smile.“Bryn hates baby carrots. She said there was something unnatural about them.”“Toss them.” Laine points to the trash receptacle. “She’s right, they look like fat little baby fingers.” He inspects a dried out digit shaped carrot.I pick up the tray and carry it to the trash. “This is for Bryn.” The carrots make a raucous as they spill into the bin. A few people glance my way, not for long. Too much eye contact and they’ll have to acknowledge me, speak me, console me.Laine tosses his carrot in from a few feet away. “Bryn for the win.” He holds pose a few seconds the way Steph Curry does when he hits a three.We return to the buffet where Frances is speaking to Bryn’s English teacher. She was an honor student so we never had classes together.“Bryn was smart,” I tell Laine because he’s the only one here who will listen. “She had a 4.0 for, like, ever.”I remember watching her study, wondering where all that information went. She was like a sponge, absorbing everything around her. Bryn immersed herself in life. She was always moving, always busy with practice of some kind, volunteering, studying, me. I was a project too. She tried like hell to get me involved, get me out of my shell. My spirit animal is a crab; shells are my thing.Laine and I move to the stage on the other side of the room. A bunch of unattended kids run back and forth squealing like baby pigs. Laine knows a couple of them. They jump on him as soon as he sits down and beg for piggyback rides. He obliges. Laine is a nice guy. I like Laine. That’s probably why I fucked him.“Are any of these yours?” It’s a joke, but you never know. “That one kind of has your eyes.” I point to the little girl clinging to his back. He gently lets her down and she runs off.“I volunteer at an after-school program at the rec. At first, it was just something to add to my college applications, but I liked it so I stayed.”“You really are a good guy, aren’t you?”“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”“I owe you an apology, for that day. For sucking you into my shit show. You didn’t deserve that.”His shoulder leans into mine. “No apology necessary. Honestly, I could tell you and Benny weren’t gonna make it.” Laine is Benny’s best friend, he knows all about Benny’s side chicks. Maybe that’s why he did it. I wonder if Bryn knew it too.

Author Bio:
Nicole was born and raised in California. She claims to be a San Francisco native, however she's lived in both Northern and Southern California. She credits her creativity to the fact that she attended 12 schools between kindergarten and her senior year in high school. Her nomadic childhood allowed her to reinvent herself often. Some might say she was a liar. While others see the stories she told as a coping mechanism. Twelve schools, in six cities, in twelve years - give her a break. Today she channels her storytelling ability into writing novels. Long story short - kids that lie become writers.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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BOOK BLITZ: Season of '72 by Karen Tomsovic #GIVEAWAY

Season of ’72
Karen Tomsovic
Publication date: October 14th 2019
Genres: Adult Retro Romance

A standalone romantic saga full of angsty emotion that spans the years. If you remember the 1970s or just wish you’d been there, you won’t want to miss this story!
Everyone wants of a piece of Robin Stewart. As he blazes a path across the pop culture landscape of the 1970s, from television sex symbol to rock superstar, he’s the ultimate picture of cool and the romantic fantasy of women everywhere, carrying the hopes and burdens of his show business family on his sexy shoulders. But nobody knows how much alcohol it’s taking to keep up that image, or how terrifying groupies can be. All Robin wants is to claim his own identity. To be loved for himself.Quietly at his side, Robin’s co-star Christine Keithley is his groupie kryptonite, shielding him from rabid fans. She’s the one person who’s always honest and direct with him. But a dark secret from her past keeps her from giving her heart and soul to him. When Robin walks away from stardom, it means leaving Christine in the past as well.Years later, they are reunited when an old foe comes to claim all Robin holds dear. Is life giving them another chance? The television season of ’72 is part of their past. After a lifetime apart, do they have the courage to rediscover their love?

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:1972
Robin Stewart had never seen the inside of Christine Keithley’s trailer before. Throughout most of the first season of Golden Gates Mysteries, his costar had barricaded herself inside, drinking gallons of orange juice and pleading a headache. If someone had asked Robin for his diagnosis, he would have said that Christine Keithley was the headache.A small electric fan ran to dispel the midday heat. The whir provided a backdrop of sound, like a chorus, a running commentary on the undercurrent of awkwardness.He was pretty sure he’d lost his pursuers somewhere around the three-tiered fountain in the old town square. But to be safe, he would stay with Christine until he was needed on camera or until the commotion died down. At the rate things were going in his life, that probably wouldn’t be until he turned thirty, another eight years—if he made it that long.Christine looked him over. She had big blue eyes, the watery kind of blue, like an aquamarine. They were so vast and expressive, they seemed capable of holding a sea of pain, not to mention sympathy.“Girls again?” she asked.“These weren’t girls.” They definitely weren’t girls in the sense of twelve-year-olds. Teeny-boppers were Jay’s department. Robin’s little brother had a fan club full of them.“Oh?”“These were women.” From the looks of their flower-power boutique dresses and teased, sprayed hairdos, they were Beverly Hills types, wives or mistresses of important executives. And they most likely found the prospect of chasing after Robin Stewart more exciting than a sale at Bonwit Teller. They sought out the same thing every other member of the fairer sex did who camped on the streets outside his house or lurked beyond the barricades of Monument Studios: Robin Stewart’s—ahem—corduroys.“Naked again?” Christine asked.It wasn’t like Robin had anything against women, naked or otherwise, though of course he preferred the former.He shook his head. “Not this time.” Robin gave a slight shudder. He’d finally gotten that little intrusion from last week out of his head, and Christine had to go and bring it up.He’d had a lot of explaining to do that day to Judy, the girl he’d been seeing and had high hopes for. He had just so happened to be giving Judy a tour of the set, along with that week’s guest star, a Tricia Nixon lookalike fresh from Ohio. When Robin had opened his dressing room door and found two strange – and unclothed—women there, he heard a loud scream—he was pretty sure it had come from him.Robin was jolted out of the memory by Christine holding out her pack of cigarettes. “Here.”He glanced at the pack with its painted design of a woman in a field of flowers. “Eves? You smoke Eves?” They were one of those brands “for women,” full of long, graceful one-hundreds that had pretty flower-painted filter tips. As if he didn’t feel silly enough, now he would have to smoke those.Even so, Robin lit up, took a long, refreshing drag, and exhaled. “That was close.”It wasn’t that Robin had no interest in sowing wild oats. It was just that he wanted to have some say in the matter. And he preferred to be the one doing the pursuing.As much as he didn’t want to be out there, mobbed by strangers, he also didn’t want to be in a trailer with Christine, who clearly was repulsed by him. No, all he wanted was to play the field with his choice of typical, usual fast girls, like Judy.“Can you imagine if they found me?” he asked.“Yes,” Christine said, pressing two fingers to her lips, which he assumed, was a gesture meant to hold back laughter at his expense. “They might have tousled you to death.”Robin winced. Very funny. “For your information, I happen to have sensitive skin.”Magnetism or no, he hated being manhandled, or in his case, woman-handled. He was sensitive to the touch, ticklish even, especially to the touch of strangers.He wriggled in his corduroys at the thought.“Let me guess.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “The heartbreak of psoriasis?” She put one of the Eves to her mouth and lit up. Her lower lip—full, plump, and practically bee-stung—jutted out in a pout. The effect was quite sensuous. He’d never noticed it before.Christine tilted her head back and blew. A long plume of smoke shot upward toward the ceiling. The movement gave her an air of self-assurance and maybe projected some French-style ennui and a certain sophisticated pissed-offishness. But if she was aiming for sexy, she had a long way to go.

Author Bio:
Karen Tomsovic writes contemporary love stories that aim for the funny bone as well as the heart. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she likes to look out the window from her kitchen table and find new ways to describe clouds. Her two pet parrots, Teddy and Daisy, interrupt her as often as possible.Like her owner, Daisy loves to devour books. However, she does so in a more literal sense. Teddy makes a great muse. He thinks Karen should include a bird in every book. Karen says she'll try.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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BOOK BLITZ: Pinky Promises by Deana Birch #GIVEAWAY

Pinky Promises
Deana Birch
Publication date: November 18th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

When her long-distance teaching buddy goes on maternity leave, New York City native Leyla Harraq, temporarily transplants to a sleepy beach town on the West Coast to manage her friend’s Hot Yoga studio. But the yogini’s brash spunk leads to an immediate social gaffe when she insults her new landlord, carpenter Adam Fields, and must backpedal to save face.Watching her hottie landlord wallow in solitary confinement after a brutal break-up will never do. Motivated by her own need for physical contact, Leyla happily offers herself as the perfect rebound. She’ll be gone in a couple of months, no one has to know, and she can wipe his ex right out of his mind… and body. After all, if anyone knows how to turn up the heat, it’s her.But when the studio owner realizes she can’t return to teaching full-time and asks Leyla to stay, the fish-out-of-water must make a choice. Can she abandon her commitment-free lifestyle for small town drama and a chance at love with a hunky hammer wielding man?

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:She bent over. Again. And I stared. Again. And possibly drooled. What the hell was wrong with me? I’d been dating my girlfriend for ten years and never once thought of another girl in a totally inappropriate and downright lusty way.Plus, I was her damn landlord. There had to be some kind of weird power thing making my dirty mind even worse. When the hell had I turned into Creepy McGoogly-Eyes? I shook my head like a confused dog and headed through my glass door into the open kitchen.“Chicken okay for you?” I asked over my shoulder. That was the other thing. Why had I asked her to dinner? Maybe it was because I couldn’t figure her out. New York sass one minute and stupefaction the next. Yeah, that was it. Not her bendy little butt, coal-black hair or insanely charming accent.“Chicken is perfect. Thank you so much for your hospitality; I really didn’t expect it.” Leyla’s soft smile revealed a small dimple in her chin. She tapped the counter a couple of times and surveyed the room before meeting me at the fridge. “What can I do to help?”Damn, she was short. She didn’t even have to hunch down to look in at the shelves. And I didn’t fail to notice her offer. Whenever Holly came over, which was most nights when she wasn’t traveling for work, she would find excuse after excuse not to chip in. Either she’d just gotten her nails done or was too tired or would just blink and say, “I do love it when you spoil me, babe. You don’t mind if I chill, work was a bitch.” It had just seemed like something I’d accepted in our relationship. I’d often wondered how much she would do if we ever had kids. And if I was honest, it was one of the things holding me back from buying a ring.“Give me something to chop.” Leyla held open her hands. “Or I can just rummage around and make a salad out of whatever I find.”I pulled out the marinated chicken breast from the bottom drawer and met her olive eyes on the way back to standing. “Go for it. There’s a head of lettuce and vegetables in the second drawer. You want a beer?”“You trying to get me drunk?” A small, sarcastic snarl wrinkled her face.I yanked my head back, and she cringed.“Fuck. I’m sorry. Oh, Christ, now I said fuck. And Christ. I’m so sorry.” Rapid blinks were followed by one long one and a sharp exhale from her nose. “I think I have a little bit of fish-out-of-water syndrome. I’m sorry if I offended you with my language or implied…”She really was quite the little pickle. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is that a yes or a no?”“Maybe it will help me stop committing social faux pas. A beer would be great, thanks.” Leyla pulled out two red peppers and an onion and set them on the counter. I stepped out of the doorway, opened the cooler, grabbed a longneck, and wiped the ice water it dripped onto a nearby dish towel.A quick hiss escaped the bottle as I twisted the cap and brought it back to the kitchen. I slid the beer across the counter, where Leyla was already busy chopping vegetables.“Just for the record, I don’t consider the swearing a problem. The gawker comment, yes,” I deadpanned.Her face fell as she reached for the beer. The bottle hovered below her lips and her eyes went wide. “I—”“Relax. I’m fucking with you.” And dear God, it was more fun than I’d had in a long time. She was easier to wind up than a toy from the dollar store.She set the beer down and crossed her arms. Her eyes narrowed, but a glimmer of something, maybe mischief, betrayed what she probably wanted to read as anger.“You were kinda staring at my ass.”Her ass was kinda staring back as far as I was concerned, sending all kinds of voodoo messages that had somehow convinced me to check it out every chance I got. But no way was I confessing to that.“Sorry. But no. I told you. I was just trying to figure out how you’d made yourself into a human pretzel.” Human pretzel in ridiculously revealing shorts.Her slightly pouty lips plumped out and Leyla rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Mr. My Girlfriend is in Vegas.” She turned back to the vegetables, took a swig of the beer, and went back to work.

Author Bio:
Born and raised in the Midwest, Contemporary Romance and Erotica writer, Deana Birch, now lives with her family in Europe. She can be found teaching yoga, ruining her children’s French homework, cleaning up dog vomit, writing her next book, or reading someone else’s.Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Amazon

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BOOK BLITZ: Tempting Heat by Sara Whitney #GIVEAWAY

Tempting Heat
Sara Whitney
(Tempt Me #1)
Publication date: November 12th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

It’s cold outside, but it’s getting hot inside…An unforgiving blizzardTom Castle ended up in the wrong apartment on the wrong day. Now a ferocious snowstorm has him trapped with his onetime crush and longtime regret, which is pretty much in line with his lifelong bad luck.An unwelcome houseguestFinn Carey has no choice. Although it’s tempting to let Tom take his chances on the streets of Chicago, she doesn’t want anyone to die in a snowbank– not even the man who hurt her so badly years ago.An unexpected second chanceAt first, Tom and Finn do their best to ignore each other in the close quarters. Then the power goes out, and things between them heat up as the secrets start to flow. Which will thaw first: the storm raging outside or the ice protecting their hearts?Tempting Heat is the first book in Tempt Me, Sara Whitney’s sassy, steamy new contemporary romance series. It’s a standalone novella with no cliffhangers, so slip on your fuzzy socks and get reading!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play—EXCERPT:Tom was hungover as hell, and the screaming woman wasn’t helping. He squinted in the bright light of the kitchen, so harsh compared to the dark cave he’d just left, and addressed the blur in front of him.“God, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”As his eyes adjusted, he realized the blur was short, skinny, and brandishing a knife in his direction. He took two quick steps back and held his hands out in front of him in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. “Okay, listen, this is a misunderstanding.” His head throbbed, but he kept and kept his voice calm and even. “I just woke up, but give me a second, and I’ll get out of—”“Tom Castle?”If anything, the blur sounded even more hostile. But this time the hostility sounded… familiar. He risked a shuffle step forward and forced his bloodshot eyes to focus on the woman in front of him.“Huck?” he asked in amazement.Huckleberry Finn. His lips shaped the nickname without conscious thought, but the reminder of their old shared joke from American lit class did nothing to relax her guard. Instead, she spun to grab a second knife with her free hand.“What the hell, Tom? Why are you in my apartment in the middle of a blizzard?”He eyed the knives with alarm. Holy shit, Finn Carey was finally going to finish the job she’d wanted to do for eight years. They’d be finding pieces of him all over Chicago when the thaw hit.

Author Bio:
Sara Whitney writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance novels packed with wit, charm, and crackling dialogue. A 2019 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® award finalist, Sara worked as a newspaper reporter and film critic before she earned her Ph.D. and landed in academia. She's a great baker, a so-so karaoke singer, and an expert TV opinion-haver. Sara and her divorce-attorney husband (yep, she sees the irony of their dueling professions) live in Illinois in a house full of books, cats, and pinball machines. Keep up with Sara by subscribing to her mailing list at

http://www.sarawhitney.com/subscribe

You can also catch the latest on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, and GoodReads: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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BOOK BLITZ: Beneath London's Fog by Iona Caldwell #GIVEAWAY

Beneath London’s Fog
Iona Caldwell
Published by: FyreSyde Publishing
Publication date: October 30th 2019
Genres: Occult Fiction, Ghost Story, British Literature

Jonathan is the immortal master of Raven Hollow Manor – a decrepit mansion riddled with superstition, murder and restless ghosts. Beneath it lies a restless malice.Its previous owner driven mad, violently kills his guests with a rusted ax, creating the perfect venue for Jonathan to seclude himself in a prison of his own device.When the streets of London begin to run red with blood; the bodies exhibiting disturbing signs and baffling wounds, the identity of the killer remains elusive to police.The bodies are just the beginning of Jonathan’s troubles. A mysterious letter accusing Jonathan of committing the murders appear, raising suspicion in the police. Hidden beneath the mangled bodies, Jonathan soon realizes he is being forced to face demons he thought died in a forlorn past he attempted to escape.One thing Jonathan knows for certain: He must deal with the demons of his past if he is to survive his future. Not only him but those he has come to love as well.For fans of Jim Butcher, Stephen King, Darcy Coates and Nick Cutter.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo—EXCERPT:The Streets Ran With BloodI want it known before this tale begins – I am not a hero but a villain. I want no sympathy from whomever reads this recalling of my story; no mourning for the tragedy that befell my life. I am not an innocent man but a sinner forced to face the ravaging demons and ghosts of his own creation.My story began as many do – a lie, a fire and murder. One of my kind murdered the woman I loved in the coldest of blood in one of history’s darkest times at the behest of a possessive noble.After a run in with him in Nottingham, I soon found myself fleeing for my life from hunters, framed for a murder I had not committed.Forgive me, I am getting ahead of myself.Let me begin where this part of my story took place.A bloody civil war ravaged London followed shortly by the Great Fire in 1666. A glorious time for me and those like me to take advantage of the chaos and remain hidden in the shadows.I managed to pursue the one responsible for nearly getting me killed two centuries prior to the plague which befell London before the fire.Within the shadows of the flickering flames of St. Peter’s Cathedral, I struck him down and departed the city, thus avoiding my demise.I had yet to escape him, however, when his vengeful spirit devoured the souls of the innocent in a mad bloodlust.Though greatly injured, I managed to drive his spirit to my new home Raven Hollow Manor in London, imprisoning him in stone coffin in the crypt beneath it.Peace resumed in my life and nobles of all kinds enjoyed lavishly hosted parties within the halls of my estate.Unfortunately, the short lived splendor at the hands of the hauntings filled the ears of the locals and my beloved home decayed into a tangled web of blood-filled rumors and superstition.My once glorious halls became infested with dust, its crystal chandeliers covered with cobwebs, their spiders fat on the insects buzzing around the decay and mold-covered wallpaper.Yet, there I remained as it proved a decent place to not only contain my greatest sin but served also as a castle of solitude.The tides of time swept by in a cacophony of modernization and the movement from superstition to things only mortal science could explain.I still needed to venture into the city, not only to feed but also to purchase other items needed for everyday living.It wasn’t until the winter of 1910 that my silence would be disrupted in the form of a girl named Holly, a young street urchin accused of theft. I took her with me after using a bit of “persuasion” on the local officers to let her go.They did not need to know where I would take her and she soon grew into a wonderful messenger on my behalf. She became a rather attractive young woman with bouncy blonde curls who kept me company with stories of what went on in the city.I am sure, at one time, she became infatuated with me. It did not surprise me. To mortals, my kind held a certain allure they found difficult to ignore. I ended her infatuation quickly following a stern talking to and dousing with cold water.One day, while in my labyrinthine garden, Holly came to me in tears.When the people of London learned where Holly lived, the townsfolk dubbed her a practitioner of black magic.One day, I found Holly sitting on one of the marble benches in the garden, sobbing. I picked a flower and put it in my daughter’s hair, sitting next to her beneath the statue of a praying angel.“You need not worry about them, dearest. Mortals are always quick to place labels on what they do not understand.”Holly sniffled and sobbed, wiping her nose and offering me a smile. “But why do they avoid this place, Jonathan?”“Mortals fear what they cannot comprehend. Pay them no mind. You are a wonderful young woman,” I purred, brushing a blonde curl from her face.The words appeared to have placated her as she smiled and joined me in a moonlight stroll through the garden.***Around midnight, after dinner with Holly, I dismissed her to bed. Once she departed, I sought out sustenance in the city.A dense fog rolled in due to the cool winter weather and the recent days of rain.Combined with the darkness of the streets and alleyways, I managed to meet a young working woman on the corner and wooed her into joining me for a walk to the park. As with other women, I made sure she understood I respected her body with gentle caresses and loving words murmured into her ears.Once I placed her deep under my spell, I kissed the tender flesh of the woman’s throat and exposed shoulder, thanking her for her gift.My fangs pierced her flesh, earning a moan of pleasure as her body surrendered its precious life force without any significant damage. Her body pressed against mine, her moans increasing with pleasure at my kiss.I preferred this method to those of many of my other brethren who tore their victims apart during a feeding, choosing power to subdue instead of sexual allure.When signs of weakness began manifesting I released my hold, picking her up after licking the small puncture wounds, my saliva healing them, leaving no marks or scars.To assure she received care, I took her to the nearest hospital and deposited her on the steps without anyone noticing.As always, I used hypnotic suggestion to erase her memory and leave her with a pleasant dream.During the wee hours of the morning, I tended to enjoy the calls of the birds and the chirping of the crickets to help relieve the burden on my mind.Not a soul roamed the streets near the bridge where I liked to sit and write poetry or read a book.In the midst of the silence, a horrifying shriek caught my attention, almost startling me.My pupils narrowed to those one might see in a viper or a cat. I let my body dissipate into the form of a black mist, hovering over the city in search of the source of the scream.I found it in the shape of the body of a mangled man.The whites of his eyes consumed most of the portion of the glossy orbs in his skull, mouth gaped open mid-scream.I knelt before him, my own brows furrowed in frustration at the recognition of the familiar puncture wounds on the man’s throat. This cannot be. No other has hunted here in centuries. The disturbing find made something clear.Many of my kind preferred not to hunt in one place occupied by another of higher status, or in another’s territory for that matter. We changed due to the growing number of human hunters who would kill any of us they came across.Despite the city’s size, my reputation often kept others out of my hunting grounds, for which I remained grateful.This new kill had been malicious.If I allowed such behavior to continue, it could draw the attention of the hunters or the local police to my home.Whomever the responsible party, I needed to locate them and have a word with them or kill them if necessary.My eyes closed, a heavy sigh drawing up from within my lungs. I placed my fingers over the man’s eyes, using a gentle touch to close them. “Forgive whichever of us did this to you. You did not deserve to die in such a horrific manner.”Searching through the pockets of his trench coat, I located his identification card and vowed to send some money and roses to his family.Sounds of sirens and the calls of the corner watchmen announced the arrival of the authorities. I left them the man’s wallet so they could inform his family of their loss.I lurked in the shadows listening to the inspectors scrutinizing the scene.“Bloody mystery, it is. This is the second mangled body we found this week. One has to wonder if we might be witnessing the birth of another blighter of a serial killer.” One of the inspectors scratched his head beneath the dome shaped hat.I recognized him as Bertrand Abrams, a well-known officer and one of the only men who aided Holly during her visits to town.From his looks, one would expect him to hail from Scotland. A bushy mustache and stringy hair with the consistency of sheep’s wool held the color of fire. Dimples set into high cheekbones and a double chin made me smile. A portly belly betrayed his affinity for too many scones and perhaps Scotch.He had been wrong. This death held no mystery. I merely needed to find the one responsible before it resulted in too much of a personal dilemma.Following the release of the corpse to the medical examiner, I took the form of black mist and drifted back to Raven Hollow.The beginnings of my night would be haunted by dreams of a past filled with love, vengeance and pain.It would be filled with shining auburn locks and eyes the color of the fresh leaves of spring.

Author Bio:

Iona Caldwell is the lover of all things arcane, folklore, nature and magic.She is the author of the British Occult Fiction, Beneath London’s Fog set to be published by FyreSyde Publishing October 2019. Her second title, Hell’s Warden is forecasted to release in February of 2020. When she’s not busy weaving worlds of the arcane and dark, she’s spending time out in nature. An avid lover of books, Iona claims her biggest inspirations are H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Edgar Allen Poe.
She believes storytellers should tell the stories they want to tell. As such, most of her titles are stand-alone novellas she hopes will leave her readers immersed in magical worlds.She is also an extremely active book blogger who will review primarily horror, suspense, supernatural thriller, mystery, and occult/gothic fiction.Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram

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BOOK BLITZ: Just Alex by Angela Flowers #GIVEAWAY

Just Alex
Angela Flowers
Publication date: November 15th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Xander Stone is one of the hottest popstars in the world. His songs are on every radio station. His face graces the cover of every top magazine, especially the tabloids.Everyone adores him.Except me.I hate him.Xander Stone took away the one person I care about more than anything. My best friend.Oh, and the real kicker? Xander Stone is my best friend. At least he was at one time. Back when he was just Alex.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:A silhouetted figure stepped on stage. The lights snapped on and there he was. For a split second, I saw my Alex, then his lips curved into his trademark Xander smile, the music started, and he began to sing. My eyes followed him as memories of the boy he used to be saturated my mind, drowning me in a sea of grief all over again.“He’s brilliant, isn’t he?” Lena asked.Unable to drag my eyes from the stage, I nodded. He really was. I should be happy for him, and I wanted to be, but I couldn’t stop the sadness from overshadowing it all.I missed my friend.Don’t get me wrong, I was proud of his success. I’d always known he was meant to be more — famous even. Hell, I’d been his number one supporter, yet I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel some resentment. I missed my friend and hated that Xander Stone had taken him away from me.All around me people cheered, danced, and screamed Xander’s name, driving home the painful truth. Our lives were dramatically different now. He was a famous singer living on the road, visiting a different city or country each night, and I was a simple college student sharing an apartment with my roommate. He went to elaborate parties where people sipped expensive champagne from crystal flutes, while I attended the occasional campus party where people drank cheap beer and vodka from plastic cups.Choking back a sob, I excused myself before blindly making my way out onto the main concourse, where I leaned back against the cement wall. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I spotted a merchandise kiosk and found myself taunted by Xander Stone’s face on tee shirts, hats, and hoodies.“Sade?”I turned to Drew, who was now standing beside me.“Hey,” I croaked.“You okay?” he asked as his sea-green eyes searched my face.“Not really.”“Want to talk about it?”“Not really.”“Then how about a drink?” He took my hand and led me to the nearest vendor.I took the soda he held out to me and took a long sip, letting the cool liquid soothe my aching throat.“So,” he said casually, “what do you think of our boy? He’s come a long way, hasn’t he?”Forcing a smile, I said, “He was born for this but we always knew that.”“It’s still surreal isn’t it?” He glanced at me as we stopped in front of the black curtain separating us from the rest of the arena. “Lena will get a kick out of partying with the guys after the show, you know. Talk about a dream birthday celebration.”Nodding, I shuffled my feet as the need to move became too much.He was right; Lena would have a blast. Plus, I knew he was excited about spending time with Alex even though the two of them still talked on a regular basis.When I’d first found out that I was the only one Alex seemed to have forgotten about I’d been hurt, but I’d gotten over it when it became clear that a ‘regular basis’ meant something completely different to guys. Apparently, a short text every couple of months was enough for them to keep their friendship intact.“Hey, it’s going to be fine,” Drew said. “You can do this. Even though he’s famous now, he’ll always be just Alex to us.”That was where he was wrong. Alex was never going to be ‘just Alex’ again.

Author Bio:
Angela Flowers is an Indie Author who lives in Virginia with her husband, two sons, and three dogs. Her love for writing began when she was a child. If she wasn't curled up with a book somewhere, she was crafting her own stories with pen and paper. She followed her passion through college, where she earned a BA in Creative Writing.When she isn't writing or homeschooling her two boys, she enjoys reading, listening to music, watching TV and spending time with her family.Angela's first book, Silver Linings, was published in February 2015. The second installment, Catch Perfect was also released in 2015, followed by Masquerade in 2016 and Fool's Paradise in 2019.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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BOOK BLITZ: Unravel You by Diana A. Hicks #GIVEAWAY

Unravel You
Diana A. Hicks
(Cole Brothers, #1)
Publication date: November 18th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

UNRAVEL YOU is the enthralling sequel to LOVE OVER LATTES and can be read as a standalone. It is also book one in the Cole Brothers series, a new family saga, binge reading experience: 5 brothers, 5 full-length novels in 5 months.College graduate Valentina never expected to fall for the hot as hell and intimidating Derek Cole when she accepted his offer to rent his property.From cottage to mansion, Valentina is certain she doesn’t deserve the fairytale unfolding. But Derek gets what he wants… and he wants her.He’s “the one” for her, but before she says I do, she has to survive a month long trip to his family’s estate in Atlanta. Gaining approval from four brothers and an over-protective mother might just be her hardest test yet.For billionaire Derek Cole, this homecoming is a chance to mend the damage he caused when he walked away from the family business.Just when they think they have a handle on their happily ever after… their past and future collide.Note: This is a steamy romance with explicit sensual scenes, happily ever after, no cheating, and no cliffhanger. Can be read as a standalone.

Praise for LOVE OVER LATTES:“Hicks’ first installment of her Desert Monsoon series is confident and assured with strong storytelling, nuanced characters, and a dynamic blend of romance and suspense…A sexy and irresistible tale for fans of contemporary romance.” – Kirkus Reviews

Don’t miss out on this suspenseful and seductive series.
Unravel You, Book 1 (Derek and Valentina) – 11/18/2019Provoke You, Book 2 (Matt and Ela) – 12/16/2019Escape You, Book 3 (Tyler and Mia) – 1/13/2020Unleash You, Book 4 (Wesley and Anabelle) – 2/10/2020Defy You, Book 5 (Zack and Rebecca) – 3/9/2020

Goodreads / Amazon—Only 99¢ for a limited time!—EXCERPT:“You had a plan when you walked into my office five minutes ago. What was it?” He gripped the edge of the armrest with both hands, crossing his legs at his ankles. The tiny flame in my chest grew bigger and spread down to my core.“I had no plan.” I admitted because the extent of my thoughts when he texted was to come in here and have sex. All I could think of was touching him and feeling his weight on me again. But now I was a little pissed. He could’ve been more explicit. Like, hey, I’m just here to work, bring me the report. No sex. Get your mind out of the gutter. He could also wipe that knowing smile off his face. “What makes you think I had a plan?” I crossed my arms over my chest to cover my hardened nipples.He rubbed the side of his face. “The thigh-high stockings. You know how they drive me wild. Even if I can’t see them, I know that’s the only kind you own.”If that was true, why was he still five feet away from me? Why had he not ripped my clothes off already and had his way with me on the couch?“I have a meeting to go to.” I bolted to the door. Before I could open it, his large hand pressed against it, effectively blocking me from leaving.“I don’t think so.” His voice was deep and so full of meaning. He walked me back to the living area until my butt hit the back of the sofa. “You had a plan. Show me.” He gripped my waist and shifted so he was the one caged in.I could go, or I could stay and get what I came here for. I slipped my hands inside his suit jacket and pushed it off his shoulders. His dark gaze stayed on me as I removed his dress shirt. A low moan like a hiss escaped his lips when I ran my hands down his muscled chest. His pecs were harder than I remembered. It seemed Derek’s hard body was directly proportional to the amount of stress he had at work. The more they pinned on him, the more time he spent in his boxing ring. These past three weeks must have been hell for him.“Now you.” His voice sounded strained.Self-control was Derek’s superpower. I gave up all pretenses and removed my blazer and silky top quickly. My skin felt hot from needing him so much. His lips parted when I finally let my skirt pool at my feet.He cradled my face and kissed me hard. “Fuck. Valentina. You came to work wearing that underneath?” His mouth was warm, and he tasted of cinnamon gum. I melted into him, fumbling with his belt.“The door.” I panted in between kisses.“I locked it.” He gripped my ass and wrapped my legs around his waist as he strode around the sofa and sat with me straddling him. “Valentina. How do you do it? How do you make me forget about everything?” He freed me from my bra and sucked on my aching nipples, switching back and forth until I couldn’t wait anymore.“I need you now,” I whispered in his ear.I didn’t care that my voice was laced with desperate desire. He cupped my butt cheeks and lifted me enough to give him room to lie flat on the cushions with his head on the decorative pillow. My thighs rubbed his sides as I rested on top of him, topless and without a clue what to do next.My confusion must have registered on my face because he placed both hands behind his head and grinned at me. His biceps bulged on either side of him.“Your show.”“What?”He bucked under me to get comfortable, as if he were getting ready to watch a movie or something. The grin that twitched his lip was both infuriating and such a turn-on.“You want me inside you. Do it.”

Author Bio:
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance with a touch of suspense. Book two in her Desert Monsoon series, LOVE OVER LOGIC, won the 2019 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Romance – Suspense genreWhen Diana is not writing, she enjoys kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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BOOK BLITZ: Skin and Bone by Keary Taylor #GIVEAWAY

Skin and Bone
Keary Taylor
Publication date: November 12th 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

I’d do anything for him, even become the woman he loves…
HERI tried my best for years, but all he ever wanted was for her to come back. So bit-by-bit, I evolved, transforming into someone he could love. But he didn’t take the bait until I went all the way.
I became her.Now everything is perfect. We’re happy. So in love. And he doesn’t suspect a thing.
SAWYERSomeone claiming my name sent me a video. It looks to be me, returning to my hometown, reconnecting with my high school boyfriend, Ezra. Those are my clothes, that’s my laugh, and that’s my face.
She took my freedom next. And then she made me watch as she took over my entire life, fooling everyone like a perfect chameleon. It’s clear what she wants, and Ezra is all too quick to take me back.Only one person seems to notice something is off. Ezra’s brother, Davis—the last person I called. There’s a certain darkness in Davis’ eyes, and he’s not the type to let up until he gets his answers.Somehow, I’ll make her pay. This imposter is going to regret the day she ever took the name Sawyer James.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play—EXCERPT:Chapter 1Eight surgeries, twelve hair dye experiments, 1,834 hours of video observation, two years of yoga practice to try to make up that extra inch of height, and the public loss of gluten.That’s what I’ve gone through for love. That’s everything I’ve given up–all the money I’ve spent, all the hours I’ve invested–to finally be with the man I’ve loved for more than a decade.They say nothing worth having comes easy.Everything comes with a price.I’ve paid my dues. I’ve been more patient than anyone could ever comprehend.And now it’s finally my time.I step from the closet into the bathroom. I check my makeup. What the surgeries couldn’t accomplish is made up for with some well-practiced cosmetic techniques. The contour is just right. The eyebrow lift did exactly what was needed. My jaw is still sore, even though all of the swelling and bruising has finally gone away.But as I apply a coat of lipstick—Apple Sunrise, her default color—I smile at myself.Even my teeth required altering. Thirty-five thousand dollars, and they look just right; are just the right shade of white.It’s perfect.I’m perfect.I am my own creation and I have to admire my hard work.It’s brilliant.I press my lips together, blowing my own reflection a kiss, and step out of the bathroom. I cut through the nearly empty bedroom and aim for the dining room. My laptop sits on it, a cheap piece of technology, because after today, it’s going in the crusher of the cement company down the road.Can’t leave any evidence behind.Which is tragic, because really, this amounts to the same amount of work as a doctoral degree.It’s okay though. I’ll take the loss, so long as it gets me the prize, the reward for all my hard work.I open the web browser and sign into my email.iamsawyerjames@gmail.comJust seeing the signature at the top of the page feels good. My insides flutter in excitement. Goosebumps wash over my skin.Sawyer James at IMT Homes, I type in the address. I attach just one file and leave the body of the email empty. In the subject line, I type It was never really about you.But that’s a lie. She may not be my main target, my main motivation, but there are fourteen years’ worth of resentment that brought us to this point.My gaze re-focuses on the screen, and once more, I see my reflection.Perfect, soft blonde hair. Blue eyes that border on green, thanks to contacts that are purely for color, not prescription.A pretty face with hope in her eyes.Here we are. One last out before it all goes down.One last opportunity to change my mind.I see myself smile in the screen.Not a chance. I’ve worked too hard for this.I press SEND and smile.

Author Bio:
Keary Taylor is the USA TODAY bestselling author of over twenty novels. She grew up along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now splits her time between a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest and Utah, with her husband and their two children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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B@@K REVEAL: Two Thousand Lines by Michelle Jester

Two Thousand Lines
Michelle Jester
Publication date: November 21st 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult

Olivia Brooks has been able to keep her life in Sugar Mill, Louisiana held perfectly together, far away from the small town where she grew up. Even though her past still haunts her, she has found a perfect process of surviving, until a string of events brings Luke Plaisance to Sugar Mill and turns her organized life upside down.While Olivia fights to hold on to the life she’s created, unraveling it may be exactly what it takes for her to truly survive. She must accept her past in order to live, or let it threaten the only future she’s ever wanted. Because some secrets can’t stay buried… and shouldn’t.An inspiring and heartbreaking tale of abandonment, survival, and purpose. A harrowing journey of self-discovery and perseverance.

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Author Bio:

Michelle Jester lives in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana with her husband, high school sweetheart and retired Master Sergeant. Together they have a son and daughter. She is a hopeless romantic and has been writing poems and stories for as long as she can remember.One of her prize possessions is a bracelet with only a yellow, Rubber Duckie charm on it; which she wears every day to remind her to enjoy the fun and happy things of life!
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B@@K REVEAL: Devious Resolutions (M/M anthology) #PreORDER

Devious Resolutions
Ashleigh Giannoccaro, Jennifer Bene, Zoe Blake, Abigail Davies, Ker Dukey, K. Webster, Emery LeeAnn, LP Lovell, Yolanda Olson, Dani René
Publication date: January 1st 2020
Genres: Dark M/M Romance

GLAM yourself up and get ready for Dinner at Midnight as twelve of your favorite dark authors take you on a wild ride for New Year’s. When a Good Boy shows his Aberrant Desires for Delicious Deviance, and being a Chew Toy can fulfill a wild fantasy.

Step into the role of being a Muse that comes from decadent Champagne Dreams. Get enticed into being Bait as you enjoy the show of the Hung. And when all is said and done, prepare to end your night with a tempting Bang, Bang.Add to Goodreads / Pre-order