R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 20

BOOK BLITZ: Just Like Family by Barbara Casey #GIVEAWAY

Just Like Family
Barbara Casey
Publication date: July 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance

All in one day, thirty-five-year-old Hallie Marsh learns that the man she loves, works for, and is living with has found someone else-and that she no longer has a job, a place to live, or a car since she crashed it into a hedge. Her feelings of rage and desire for revenge are soon replaced by a fascination with her new neighbors-four peculiar, elderly people who decide to buy an old run-down estate, fix it up, and live in it “just like family.”

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Hallie’s heart raced as she walked briskly past the other offices to the executive suite at the end of the corridor. Since Jeff had sent word asking to see her, it must mean that he was finally finished with that project he had been working on day and night for the past several weeks and that he needed her as much as she needed him. She knew his divorce had just been finalized, although he hadn’t told her yet. She had called the courthouse downtown and found out on her own. He was probably just waiting for the right time to tell her. Over a romantic dinner at one of their favorite places. Or maybe he would take her somewhere for the weekend. He enjoyed surprising her. And there was the awards banquet tonight. He hadn’t mentioned that to her either, but naturally he would want her to go with him. In real estate circles, it was the event of the year. Even though it was supposed to be a secret, everyone knew that Jeff was getting the Salesman of the Year Award again. So much to celebrate and what better way than to make love in his office now.

“Mr. Darnell is expecting you, Ms. Marsh.”

Hallie smiled at the secretary, hoping that her demeanor was that of a public relations director going into a meeting with the president of the company and not of a woman who was going to make love to her boss in his office at four o’clock in the afternoon. “Thanks, Mary,” she said shifting her notebook in an exaggerated movement from one hand to the other, feeling slightly self-conscious. She suppressed the urge to giggle, something she frequently did whenever she felt self-conscious, and walked past the secretary’s desk. On the other side of the ornate double doors was Jeff’s office, a large multi-functional room that had both a southern and eastern exposure.

Jeff was standing with his back to her, looking out one of two mullioned, floor-to-ceiling windows, the one facing the intracoastal waterway. Hallie quietly closed the door and locked it. The desire she felt for him was tremendous and had somehow managed to gravitate to an area the size of a baseball between her naval and vulva. Without saying anything she unbuttoned her navy blue coatdress, silently applauding the fact that she had decided to wear it today since it was so easy to take off. Then she walked up behind him, slipped her arms around his waist, and pressed her body into his back. “You can’t imagine how much I have missed you,” she whispered when he turned around. She eagerly sought his lips as she loosened his tie and began unfastening the buttons on his shirt, completely forgetting the self-consciousness she had experienced moments earlier. He did that to her. Things she wouldn’t normally do under any other circumstances, she felt no inhibitions in doing with Jeff.

“Hallie, I need to tell you something.” Jeff held her trembling hands in his but she continued with the buttons, stopping only when she reached the buckle on his belt. She pulled his shirt loose from his trousers and opened it, exposing his bare chest. Then she tenderly kissed his neck, working her way down his chest and stomach with her mouth and tongue.

“Hallie, please. Stop. We have to talk.”

Hallie looked up into Jeff’s face, breathless and flushed with desire. Curiously at that moment she remembered seeing somewhere in a magazine two similar photographs side by side, the caption under one of them reading, “What’s wrong with this picture?”

Author Bio:

Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency, established in 1995, representing authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014 Barbara became a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in true crime and other cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her three cats who adopted her.

 

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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Force of Nature of Skye Warren & Amelia Wilde #GIVEAWAY

Force of Nature
Skye Warren & Amelia Wilde
Publication date: September 6th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Carter Morelli survived a violent childhood and dangerous missions. After he emergency lands the small aircraft, he faces something even worse: having someone depend on him. Geologis June Porter wants to study rocks. She didn’t plan to be stranded on a deserted island.

They aren’t alone on the island. A man hides among the broad leaves. He’s almost feral, this man. But he provides them shelter and food.

There are secrets in his hidden cabin. Desire, too.

Carter doesn’t want to care about the bookish, beautiful June.But he doesn’t like this strange man’s interest in her, either.Simmering chemistry wars with the need for survival.

Will they be found before they give into temptation?

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Author Bios:

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

Author links:
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Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside.

Amelia is a USA Today best selling author from northern Michigan. Be her friend!

Author links:
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BOOK BLITZ: Pack of Secrets by Amara Mae #GIVEAWAY

Pack of Secrets
Amara Mae
Publication date: September 6th 2022
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

As the daughter of the Seattle alpha, Grace is expected to carve out her place in a shifter pack still reeling from the horrors of war. Only Grace has two major problems with fulfilling her father’s expectations: she’s an omega—meant to support, not lead—and she was born with her inner wolf caged, unable to shift. Determined to become the asset her pack needs, she’s spent her life training to steal a magical artifact rumored to have the power necessary to release her wolf.

Unfortunately, things never go as planned.

The theft triggers an enraged guardian, one that her inner wolf can’t seem to resist, and Grace realizes she’s in way over her head. She’ll need the help of a small but capable team to journey to a foreign land and track down a mythical tree.

Easy peasy for an outcast burglar with a fractured psyche, right?

To complicate matters further, her father is acting weird, her best friend just made out with her, and she’s pretty sure a dragon is on their tail.

Across the world from the only home she’s ever known, Grace must face the questions she never dared to ask. Deadly secrets begin to unfold, and Grace will have to decide: Is unleashing her wolf worth risking everything?

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EXCERPT:

I sniffed the air. Something smelled savage and… cold, like a wild beast trapped in ice. Definitely not another gargoyle; this was different. Unease crept up my spine as I drew my daggers and slowed my steps, slipping soundlessly through the night. Rounding a massive tree trunk, I sensed danger and froze. Something sliced the air in front of me, right where I would have been if I hadn’t halted. Moonlight glinted off metal. A sword! My heart leaped into my throat as I pivoted, narrowly avoiding a second slash. The attacker was lightning fast. Dropping into a crouch, I parried a third strike. Steel bounced off my daggers, the clash ringing through the silent forest as vibrations rattled my teeth and bones.

Damn! Fast and strong.

Surprised my blades didn’t crack under the force, I ducked and spun away. Like me, my weapons were built for speed and avoidance, and neither my blades nor my body would survive a vigorous pummeling. My best bet was to bail. Looking side to side, I tried to decide which way to bolt.

“Leox!” exclaimed a deep, masculine voice.

Power punched through the ether. The burnt ozone stench of magic tickled my nose as bright light overpowered the darkness. Temporarily blind, I lifted one arm to shield my sensitive eyes so they could adjust. When I could see again, I lowered my arm and watched in fascination as light circled in on itself, growing to about a foot in diameter.

What the…

Since my aunt was a witch, I’d seen some nifty magical creations in my time, but nothing like the blazing blue orb hovering before me. In awe, I prepared to dodge if it came hurtling at my face, but thankfully, the orb didn’t move. It did, however, provide enough light to give me a good look at my attacker. He wore only a pair of black sweats, giving me an eyeful of rich walnut skin. I felt my eyes widen at the sight of him, but I couldn’t help but gawk. He was huge! He had to be more than six feet tall with broad shoulders, narrow hips, and an athletic physique of mouth-watering, jaw-dropping perfection.

I’d never seen anything like him. Every exposed God-blessed forearm, bicep, pectoral, and abdominal curve screamed for my attention. I didn’t know where to look first. My gaze snagged on a dusting of ebony curls that led from his navel downward, disappearing under the waistband of his sweats. The scandalously low waistband. How had they even stayed up during our scuffle? It seemed like one wrong move, and every inch of him would be on display. My mind hiccupped on the possibility.

My wolf panted at the sight. Yes, panted. She’d never done that before. I ignored the bitch and continued my perusal of the perfect male specimen before me.

“You?” asked a deep, rumbling voice. “You are the beast? How can this be?”

Heat flooded my cheeks as I dragged my gawking gaze upward from his happy trail. Now, I realized he was wearing something besides the sweatpants. A leather strap stretched diagonally from his left shoulder to the right side of his waist before circling around his back. Had to be a baldric for the massive sword still clutched in his right hand. The blade that had tried to kill me. Then again, I wasn’t exactly there to plant flowers or lobby for world peace. I was a thief, and people tended to get pissed when I took their shit.

“Me?” I asked, trying to make sense of his words as my gaze finally snapped to his face. All the oxygen vanished from my lungs. “Beast?”

He arched one dark eyebrow at me in question. I’d clearly mystified him with my one-syllable sentences.

Fabulous first impression. You’re killin’ it, Chipmunk.

Author Bio:

Amara Mae is a new adult urban fantasy author who has written additional genres under other pen names for more than ten years. Fantasy has always been her first book love, and she's researched and generally geeked out for years to build the Fractured Earth world which will be home to her Celestial Artifacts and several other series. She resides in the rainy Pacific Northwest, where she enjoys real and imagined adventures alongside her husband and their five boys and two dogs.

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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Remy by Lane Hart & D.B. West #GIVEAWAY

Remy
Lane Hart & D.B. West
(Savage Kings MC – Virginia, #1)
Publication date: September 6th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

After two confidential informants are murdered by a drug lord the DEA has spent months trying to bust, agent Avery Carmichael is ordered to go undercover.

She’s going to need some help infiltrating the outlaw world, which is where the hottest, most infuriating man she’s ever met comes in.

Remy Fulton is the president of the newest Savage Kings MC chapter in Rockland, Virginia. When his younger brother RJ gets into legal trouble, he reluctantly agrees to help the prissy snob with her undercover operation to keep RJ out of prison.

Pretending to be the biker’s latest conquest may prove much more difficult than Avery anticipated. From the moment they meet, Remy argues with her over every little thing. He’s especially furious with her when he finds out she’ll be staying with him for weeks, sharing his home and his entire life.

Their friends and family can’t find out their relationship is fake because blowing their cover could inevitably put Avery’s life in danger.

It’s no secret that the two don’t initially trust or respect each other. But once they’re forced to improvise a few times under pressure, they become more comfortable playing the part of an infatuated couple.

The agent and biker ultimately get so good at being together that even they forget that they’re only supposed to be pretending as they attempt to set up the deal to take down a homicidal drug dealer.

Avery can’t seem to recall why she despised Remy in the first place since he’s proven to be a kind, caring man who would literally do anything to protect his family.

And while Remy didn’t want to spend a second with Avery at the beginning of the undercover operation, he suddenly doesn’t know how he’s ever going to let her go.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Avery

As I hurry around the corner, I choke on a thick wall of smoke. It’s all thanks to the Marlboro Man standing just out of sight around the turn. I have to walk past him to get to the federal building unless I want to jump out into the busy road. Seriously, all he’s missing is the cowboy hat. Coughing while waving my arm in front of my face, I try to make my way out of the cloud while mumbling to myself. “Great. Just great. Now I’m gonna smell like cigarette smoke the rest of the day!”

“Nah, there’s no way my cigarette smoke will overpower that rich-girl perfume you bathed in this morning,” his growly voice responds.

I turn around to face the smoker just as he tosses the stick down, grinding it into the cement with his big mud-splattered boot.

“You are going to pick that up, right?” I ask. Once the wind blows some of the smoke cloud away, I notice that the tall, scruffy man has holes in his jeans and a leather vest over his wrinkled tee. His only redeeming feature is a somewhat handsome face and pretty, true-blue eyes mostly hidden under long, grungy, dirty-blond hair.

The man lifts a single daring eyebrow. “What if I don’t?”

“You’ll be sorry if you don’t.” I peel my blazer back to show him the agency-issued gun in my shoulder holster and the badge clipped to my hip.

Now he gives me a smug grin. “I would love to see you try to arrest me, rich girl.”

I can’t help but glance down at my black pantsuit, red pumps, and matching red leather briefcase. “Wh-how do you know if I’m rich or not?”

“That Benz of yours is worth, what, about eighty or ninety grand?”

He saw me pull into the parking garage? How did I miss him?

“What I drive or how much I spend on a car is none of your business.”

“But my cigarette butt is your business?”

“Yes.”

His scruffy, clenched jaw ticks while his boot continues to cover the butt. Our silent standoff ends when someone behind us yells, “Remy, let’s go!”

“Fuck,” the smoker grits out.

“Is that your daddy calling you or your attorney?” I ask him.

“Neither,” he grumbles before he finally bends down to pick up the butt and toss it in the trash bin. When he starts to pass me on the sidewalk, his intimidating size coming closer causes me to take two big steps back to let him pass without us touching. I hear his chuckle as he walks away. Sighing heavily, I follow him up the steps of the federal building, where two men dressed in the exact same attire are waiting at the top.

Oh my god. They didn’t accidentally wear the same clothes. No, this was intentional because they’re part of a motorcycle gang.

“You’re the bikers I’ll be going undercover with?” I ask the three men.

The smoker laughs full out so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t end with him coughing up a lung. “You’re going undercover? They’re out of their fucking minds.”

Author Bios:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lane Hart has more than forty steamy stories currently available on Amazon. Sign up for her newsletter to receive updates on new releases and free promotions by copying and pasting this link into your web browser:

http://bit.ly/LHDBWNewsletter

Lane lives in North Carolina with her husband, author D.B. West, their two daughters, a few lazy cats and a pair of rambunctious Pomeranians. She has a Masters in Criminal Justice and spent ten years working as a paralegal for a criminal defense attorney before walking away to become a full-time writer.

In October 2015, the paranormal romance anthology Wicked After Dark, including her standalone, Let Him Reign, hit #13 on the New York Times bestseller list. Since then she's been climbing the Amazon charts with hot new releases. So whether you're looking for MMA superstars, hot cops, arrogant football players, sweet millionaires, or romantic weddings, there's a little bit of something for everyone.

Lane loves to hear from her readers on Facebook, Twitter, on her website, or by email!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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USA Today bestselling author D.B. West was born and raised in the southern United States. While studying at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he met his wife and fellow author, Lane Hart. They now reside together with their two young daughters and their pets, a pair of Pomeranians.

After losing his father to a lingering illness, West began writing Awakening as a way to channel his emotions, and honor the memory of a true friend. In addition to writing, he enjoys video games, motorcycles, and traveling.

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BOOK BLITZ: Room 237 by Angie Martin #GIVEAWAY

Room 237
Angie Martin
Publication date: November 12th 2021
Genres: Comedy, Erotica, Romance

Is love truly blind?

One year after leaving her cheating boyfriend, Laney Holden can’t catch a break with men. After a year of blind dates that go nowhere, she grows jaded against the male race, even with the choice men at work. When her best friend comes up with a new plan for her love life, Laney follows along, hoping to find something different.

What waits for her behind the door of room 237 in The Club is nothing like she ever expected. She meets with Alex, a mysterious man who captivates her the first time she hears his voice. He’s quite possibly everything she ever wanted in a man, except he demands she’s always blindfolded, and it’s only casual sex.

With every steamy, blind encounter that follows, Laney’s confidence grows, and she explores her world in ways she never dreamed possible. But she also becomes a little too attached, and every night brings her closer to the moment when the blindfold must come off. Will seeing Alex for the first time alter their intense chemistry? Or will it fulfill Laney’s deepest desires?

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

A noise beside my desk grabs my attention. I turn my head to see Dylan Weston dropping mail into my inbox. I look up and smile at him. He half-smiles back in that shy way that I’ve come to both adore and beat my head against a wall over.

When Dylan walked into our building almost two years ago, I believe I heard the distinct sound of every vagina gulping at the same time, immediately followed by a thousand gossiping whispers. He’s a great-looking guy, to be sure, but all the squirming and scheming soon came to a halt when we discovered the truth about Dylan. He’s an introvert, quite possibly the biggest one ever created. He can barely get a single word out without drowning in a pool of “ums” and “uhs.” Even then, his voice quiets to the point that dropping pins sound like nuclear bombs in comparison.

Dylan is incredibly nice and polite, though, and I’ve heard he’s a very hard worker as the assistant manager in the mailroom. It’s not a prestigious position, not like a doctor, but I admire anyone who takes their job seriously, no matter what that job might be. He’s also not too uppity of a manager to deliver mail to our desks from time to time, like he is today, and that scores extra points with me. Still, I can’t seem to manage to get even part of a sentence out of him.

Even though I was dating Keegan for the first year of Dylan’s employment, I still found Dylan attractive. I probably would have dumped the cheating bastard in a heartbeat if Dylan had come around, even though I really can’t explain how that could happen or why I would think that since he never talks to me or anyone. But the man is worth every ounce of drool that has fallen out of my mouth thinking about all the fun I could have with him.

Dylan Weston is one of four men on my official list of office to-dos, my Fab Four, but since all we ever share is the occasional half-smile, he crossed himself off my list without my consent. Probably in blue ink, too. Of course, I keep torturing myself by adding him back on there.

I watch him walk away from my desk now, and my eyes follow the heavenly roundness in the back of his jeans. I love the person that invented casual Fridays. They should win the Nobel Peace Prize. The view of Dylan’s own casual wear lingers in my mind long after he’s turned the corner to deliver mail to some other lucky girl. Even on the days I hate my life, I wish I worked in the mailroom. At least I could stare at something pretty all day long.

Author Bio:

I live in beautiful rural Tennessee. I grew up in Wichita, Kansas and have lived all over the United States.

I have released several novels in the suspense/thriller, paranormal/supernatural thriller, and horror genres. I also have poetry and short story collections and have contributed short stories to multiple anthologies. Conduit has earned Bestseller on Amazon in the US and UK. Conduit, The Boys Club, and Chrysalis have all won highly respected awards, while Conduit, The Boys Club, and False Security have also had blogger and reader-voted awards bestowed upon them.

As a reader first, writer second, I love to discover new authors. My entire life has revolved around imaginary worlds contained within the covers of a book. My aunt introduced me to Stephen King and a little book called Christine in eighth grade, and my life was never the same. As a geek-extraordinaire, I love comics and graphic novels, and also review those, along with the occasional movie and book, as a guest contributor for Fanbase Press.

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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Elf King's Sacrifice by Elisa Rae #GIVEAWAY

The Elf King’s Sacrifice
Elisa Rae
(Elves of Eldarlan, #3)
Publication date: September 6th 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Romance

The King of Eldarlan hates parties. Superficial conversations and social niceties never come easy for him. When cursed to host human princesses at a party every night, he considers it mild torture until an unusual princess appears one night. Wrapped in a worn robe with bare feet and tousled hair, she intrigues him immediately

Kate had been a princess only a matter of hours before being pulled from her bed by a magical spell. It drops her in an enchanted garden populated by silent elves and princesses of various ages. Attempting to avoid the unsolicited advice of her new peers, she retreats to the dark hedge maze where she encounters her host.

The Elf King’s Sacrifice is a light, fantasy romance novella with a romance between a powerful elf king and an unusual human princess. It features friends to lovers amid curses and chronic illness. Also included is a marriage of necessity, an adorable puppy, and a relaxed alpha hero.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Wide-eyed, she searched the shadows where I stood, offering me the perfect opportunity to examine her without her knowledge. Barefoot and bundled in a worn velvet robe the color of emerald moss, her form was obscured by the plenteous fabric. She was a tiny thing, even for a human. Was she even full-grown? Mentally measuring her against the adult princesses infesting my palace grounds, I knew for certain she wasn’t nearly as tall. Had I gained yet another child princess to care for?

“My apologies. I was told I could explore. Was that incorrect?” Her dark eyes watched the hedge a little to my left. A slight frown pulled at her generous mouth. She peered into the wispy shadows that I had gathered around me when she had first intruded on my haven. Not a hint of fear flickered among the interest in her inquisitive gaze.

“That depends,” I answered.

Her eyebrows, slender wings of darkness against her pale skin, rose. “On what?”

“Who you are.”

She considered this for a moment, tilting her head slightly to the side. Her eyes glinted beneath dark lashes. I couldn’t discern their true color, but they were alight with intelligence and a flicker of amusement. “There is something exceptionally odd about introducing oneself to a hedge. Might I see your face?”

I let my shadow form to slip slightly, allowing her to see the outline of my figure against the backdrop of leaves.

She gasped softly and took a half-step backward. “You are taller than I thought.”

“You are short for a human,” I observed. “Are you full-grown?”

Instead of acting offended and running off, the reaction I had come to expect from my other guests whenever I had spoken to them, she laughed softly. “At thirty years, I am unlikely to grow anymore. I am not familiar with your kind, sir, whatever you are, but humans usually attain their full height before they reach twenty years.”

Author Bio:

A reader of fairytales and folklore, Elisa Rae loves a happy ending. Noblebright characters, dastardly villains, and chemistry between characters delight her. When she isn’t writing, she loves to watch superhero movies and literary dramas.

If you like romantic adventures of various kinds, join her at: authorelisarae.com!

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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Sweetest Game by Cookie O'Gorman #GIVEAWAY

The Sweetest Game
Cookie O’Gorman
Publication date: September 8th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports

Hopelessly in love with my best friend’s brother.

That’s what it will say on my tombstone. Here lies Junior “June” Dorsey. Tomboy. Car lover. Bookworm. She suffered from a severe case of unrequited love syndrome.

It’s not like I haven’t tried liking other guys. I have. It’s just none of them measure up to him.

Baylor O’Brien. Beautiful. Cocky. Talented (on the field and in the bedroom—or so I’ve heard).

And completely oblivious to my love for him.

When Bay asks for my help, I can’t say no. He needs my PR expertise to revamp his reputation and up his chances of being scouted after one scout—the one he really wants—dismisses him as nothing more than a party-loving playboy.

When he asks me to be his fake girlfriend, I accept his proposal.

But how am I supposed to act like I’m in love without revealing the truth? And why is Baylor so good at pretending?

One thing I know that’s true:

All’s fair in love and baseball.

Wish me luck,

June

This new adult sports romance features two friends destined to become lovers, one sizzling fake romance, and a sexy set of brothers guaranteed to make you swoon.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

After the other girls walked away, I’d opened my mouth to speak, to tell her she was brilliant, a miracle worker, the best buffer ever, but when Sunshine turned around the scowl on her face stopped me. She took my hand and started walking. She didn’t stop until we were in the kitchen where she opened the door to the pantry, pulled me inside, closed the door and crossed her arms.

“Sunshine, I can explain,” I said, but she held up a hand.

“True or false,” she said, “you’ve been with those girls before.”

“False,” I said. “One hundred percent false. They tried in the past, but I’ve never taken them to bed.”

“But you’ve taken others.”

I shrugged helplessly. “You know the answer to that.”

“True or false, you wanted to go with them just now.”

“False.”

“True or false”—she cocked her head to the side—”you told people I was off limits.”

I stared into her eyes then said, “True.”

She put one hand on her hip, used the other to poke me in the chest. “What were you thinking, Bay?”

“I just wanted to keep you safe.”

Her laughter was cold. “As if I’d need you to do that.”

I was starting to get a little pissed now. “You do need me. You have no idea what guys can be like. Most of my teammates are decent, but none of them is good enough for you.”

“I think I could’ve determined that on my own.”

“You don’t even know when a guy wants you. Take Seaver.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What about him?”

“He was hitting on you at the garage.” She scoffed, but I kept going. “Seriously, Sunshine. Guys are jerks.”

“You mean like you?”

“Yes,” I said, taking a step closer. “I am a jerk. But I’m a jerk who cares for you. Deeply.”

She shook her head. “You told them I was off limits.”

“Yeah.”

“And what made you think you had the right to do that?”

“I had every right,” I said.

“Oh really, why?”

“Because you were mine.”

I took a step closer, watching her eyes flare.

“You are mine,” I said.

The reality of my words didn’t hit me until a few moments later. I didn’t know how to take it back, wasn’t sure I wanted to.

“Bay,” she said, and I looked down into her eyes, “are you ever going to kiss me again?”

I swallowed. Suddenly, I realized I wanted that more than anything. “I guess as your love coach I probably should.”

She nodded.

“It’ll give you some practice for that asshole you have a crush on.”

“He’s not an asshole,” she said. “Though he can be a jerk sometimes.”

“I hate him,” I said vehemently.

My words hit her lips. We were that close now.

She swallowed. “How will I know if someone wants me?”

Her words distracted me from the all-consuming hatred I felt toward her crush, and I forced a grin.

“He’ll probably try to get real close,” I said. “Like this.”

Her breath came faster as I pressed my body to hers.

“He’ll also compliment you, say things to make you laugh, just to see you smile.” My hand went to her face, fingers resting on her lips. “You’ve got a great one of those, Sunshine.”

“What else?” she asked.

“He’ll look at you like you’re the only girl in the world.”

I met her eyes.

“If he’s smart, he’ll realize he’ll never measure up.”

She took a shuddering breath when my hand moved into her hair.

“But that won’t stop him from trying.”

I didn’t even know what I was saying anymore. I just knew I had to taste those lips.

“If he really wants you, then you’ll be able to feel it. In every look, touch, kiss, that he gives you. It’ll be there.”

“Oh,” she breathed.

“That’s how you’ll know.”

“I think I’m ready for you to kiss me now.”

“As you wish, Sunshine,” I said.

My lips came down on hers, and heat burst to life between us. The spark I’d felt before was nothing to now. This was fire. Pure fire. I had Sunshine in my arms, and she was burning me up. And I loved every second of it.

Author Bio:

Cookie O'Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas.

Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad, WALLFLOWER, CUPCAKE, and FAUXMANCE are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romances, The Best Mistake, The Perfect Play, and The Sweetest Game.

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BOOK BLITZ: Out of the Ashes by Samantha Grosser #GIVEAWAY

Out of the Ashes
Samantha Grosser
Publication date: August 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Historical

Amid the ruins of the Second World War, an illegal and tentative relationship begins.
England 1944. As Allied forces battle their way through Europe, German prisoners of war are sent to camps all over England. In a sleepy Somerset village, Clare is still grieving for her husband when the first prisoners arrive.

As the men start working on the farm, it isn’t long before she finds herself face to face with the enemy who made her a widow. Hating them all, she avoids them as best as she can. But when one of them saves a young child’s life, she is forced to reconsider. As an unexpected and illicit connection develops between them, her loyalties are stretched to the limit.

Their secret doesn’t last. Shunned by family and friends for illegal fraternisation with the enemy, Clare risks losing all she has. Then long-held secrets are brought to light and she must make an impossible choice.

In a world that has changed beyond recognition, can they find a way to build a future together, or will their happiness be destroyed by the burdens of the past?

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EXCERPT:

She sat at the table, numb. She should have sweet tea, she thought, remembering it was supposed to be good for shock, but she was unable to bring herself to make the effort and the stove remained blank and unlit. She waited, expecting the numbness to pass and the pain of the grief to take over, but there was nothing. Her body felt as though it belonged to someone else, and her thoughts drifted, hazy and unformed. What was wrong with her? She had heard of other women collapsing with such news, weeping and hysterical. Why did she feel so empty?

She laid the telegram on the table and straightened it out against the tablecloth, letting her eyes wander over the brief impersonal notice again, Walter’s death contained within it. How could so few words hold such momentous news? A letter would follow, it said. But really, what more was there to say? She would never hear her husband’s voice again, nor hold him in her arms. Their son no longer had a father.

She let out a breath, unaware she had been holding it, and feeling began at last to creep through her veins, a hollow in her guts. She placed her hand on top of the telegram, covering the words. She had always known, she thought. Right from the beginning when he told her he was going she had known, and she had spent all her tears and anger then in bitter fights and cruel words she had regretted ever since. Now she would never have a chance to make up for saying them.

The memory of the last time she saw him flickered through her thoughts – the sadness in his eyes as he turned to walk away from her along the platform with the kitbag on his shoulder, a stranger in his uniform. She had watched him mount the carriage steps, squeezed his hand a final time, until with a hiss of steam and a whistle he was gone. She had known even then they would not meet again.

A dog’s bark outside in the yard roused her from her thoughts and she lifted her head towards the noise. The clock on the mantelpiece struck the half-hour. Soon Eric would be home and she would have to tell him that his father was dead. She shuddered at the thought of it and sighed, tracing the words on the telegram with her fingertips as though she might feel Walter’s presence within them – his warmth, his kindness, his laughter. The hollow inside her began to fill with pain, and her vision blurred with sudden tears. She pressed her hand against the sheet of paper under her palm. She would have to tell Walter’s mother too, she remembered then, and his sister and her husband, everyone else in the village. She would have to say it aloud.

Walter is dead.

She wrapped her thoughts around the words and tried to roll them on her tongue, but her mouth refused to form the sounds. Her breath began to catch in her chest and as she wiped at her face where the tears had started to fall, she cast a glance towards the door. She wasn’t sure if she could face it. It was the thought that she must say the words to others that finally broke her defences. Lowering her face into her hands, she began to weep at last.

Author Bio:

Samantha Grosser is a very British author who doesn’t function without tea. Having spent many years teaching English in Asia and Australia, she has now made her home on the sunny beaches of Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband, teenaged son, and a very small dog called Livvy.

She is the author of Another Time and Place, The Officer’s Affair, The King James Men, and the historical fantasy series Web of Witches. When she isn’t writing or reading, (which isn’t often) you can find her either doing yoga, going for long walks, or watching old movies.

You can find out more at samgrosserbooks.com

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BOOK BLITZ: Monica by Delaney Diamond #GIVEAWAY

Monica
Delaney Diamond
(Family Ties, #2)
Publication date: August 26th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A second chance at love for a wealthy socialite and her bad boy ex.

After having her heart broken nine years ago, Monica Connor has no interest in marriage. She’s busy living her best life and building a following as a social media influencer. When a wealthy businessman contracts her to promote the opening of his new lounge, she’s excited for her most lucrative deal yet. Then she learns she has to work with someone else on the project—Andre Campos, her first love—the owner’s future son-in-law.

Andre is engaged to marry the daughter of the man who gave him a chance when no one else would, but seeing Monica causes old feelings to resurface and calls his plans into question. Being with Monica means losing everything he’s worked hard over the years to attain. But he can’t stop thinking about her, and pretty soon they surrender to the fiery passion that neither can deny.

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—

EXCERPT:

His breathing temporarily halted. He recognized her right away, despite cutting off all her hair and leaving a short buzz cut. He’d know those pretty chestnut eyes and high cheekbones anywhere. Large hoops almost touching her shoulders adorned her ears, but smaller earrings also climbed up the shell of her right ear.

She stood at one end of the long wood table, chatting with Stanley, the company’s attorney, and another woman, whom he assumed was her attorney. Her face glowed with health and vitality, hands animated as she talked. Red lipstick brightened her full lips and popped against her russet-brown skin.

She wasn’t born into money but wore it well. Tall with slender curves poured into a red and white pants suit, he wasn’t surprised she became an influencer. Monica Connor was the epitome of an “it” girl. Popular, with an engaging personality, she’d been a trendsetter back in college. He used to call her Sunshine because she had a glow about her and brightened his day with her appearance.

His gaze dipped to the skin revealed by the plunging neckline of the red jacket she wore as a shirt.

No bra.

His mouth went dry, and he licked his lips to counteract the parched, desert-like sensation when he assessed the halfway open top.

Her gaze shifted, and their eyes met across the glass table. The smile on her face faltered before disappearing altogether, and he experienced the strangest sensation—as if the walls were closing in. She stared at him, and lips he’d known well—once upon a time—parted in shock.

“Andre.” She whispered his name, and his scalp tingled under the sound of her voice. She flashed a brief grin, hands going to her hips. “Wow, it’s been forever. It’s good to see you.”

Liar. The way-too-high octave of her voice signaled fake excitement.

He didn’t smile back, unable to truly engage in the scene because never in fifty million years had he expected Monica Connor to be standing in the building where he worked.

He swallowed the tightness in his throat. “Good to see you too.”

Author Bio:

Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sensual and passionate romance novels. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, join her mailing list. And enjoy free stories on her website at delaneydiamond.com.

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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Messy Truth About Love by C.L. Walters #GIVEAWAY

The Messy Truth About Love
C.L. Walters
Publication date: September 6th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

HANNAH

A fresh start is exactly what Hannah Fleming needs after getting dumped by her cheating ex-boyfriend. While getting rejected was awful, nine weeks removed she’s recognizing the benefits, seeing that relationship for what it was: unhealthy. Then, Hannah bumps into her high school crush, Seth Peters, and is offered a second chance to see if what was in the past can once again be magical in the present. But when her past threatens her second chance, she must determine how hard she’s willing to fight for her future.

SETH

A fresh start is exactly what Seth Peters needs. New place. New people. New opportunities. Except, he runs straight into one of the greatest unresolved moments of his past, Hannah Fleming. Suddenly life is offering a second chance with her, but can he hold onto all he’s learned over the last few years to make a future with Hannah work? Or will he backslide into old ways of being to hide the truth of his darker past?

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—

EXCERPT:

I rush through the first set of doors at Hammill, my eyes unfocused, replaying where I went wrong in the conversation with Sebastian, and bump into someone hurrying out. The books in my arms flop out, falling to the ground in a syncopated succession of thuds. “Oh. I’m so sorry,” I say and bend down to pick up the books, which I don’t want to get wet.

Shoot. Shoot. I’m so late. Matilda is going to string me up by my nails.

“So sorry,” a deep voice says at the same time. “My fault. I wasn’t–” A familiar voice, stalled now on his last word.

I look up into a face I recognize. Warm amber eyes. A dimpled smile. My heart remembers jumping around in my chest with that familiar rhythm before my eyes and mind put that recognition together.

“Hannah?”

“Seth?” A smile spreads across my face and every nagging thought evaporates. “What are you doing here?” My smile won’t stop and communicates with the rest of my body that it needs to get involved in the joy. My heart hammers against my ribs. My face heats.

The last time I saw him–My heart trips over the memory and won’t let me visit it out of self-preservation.He looks like high school Seth, but different. Older. His nose is still slightly crooked. His mouth, with perfectly proportional lips, still cuts adorable dimples into his cheeks when he smiles, which he does, causing his amber eyes to sparkle. His brown hair is darker now, effortlessly styled so that wavy locks stray across his forehead. He’s still taller than me. His face is wider, and it makes me wonder about the rest of him hiding underneath the jacket.

My heart adds a hot hum of awareness in my chest.

He’s a friend—I tell myself—one I haven’t seen in a long time.

He bends down to help me with the books. “Wow. I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. And it’s you!” We’re crouched down together in the entryway of Hammill between the sets of doors.

Someone opens the outer door, and a burst of cold finds its way under the hem of my coat and drifts up my back. I shiver.

“What are you doing here?” I don’t know why I glance around, but I do, as if he’s materialized from

thin air and will disappear again when the spell wears off. “How are you? It’s been, what?”

He grabs the last book.

We stand.

He holds the book out to me, and his eyes grasp ahold of mine. “Since that summer after senior year.” July. The beach. I remember.

He remembers?

I tilt my head, surprised.

I know the last time I saw him. The memory played on repeat in my mind, my dreams, my inner-overthinking-monologue far too long after it happened. I try to play it cool. “Yeah! I think it was on the 4th of July get-together at the beach. After graduation.” I can’t stop smiling, and my cheeks are starting to ache.

I wonder what he remembers about that night. We texted some after. Then he moved away, and the chats became fewer and farther between until they stopped altogether.

Someone opens the door from the library on their way out.

I step to the side and grasp the sleeve of Seth’s coat to draw him to the side with me. The girl walking past glances at Seth and does a double take. Not surprising. He’s always captured the girls’ attention. I refocus on his smile. No dimples.

Author Bio:

As a kid, C.L. Walters, world revolved around two things: stories and make believe. She's built a real life around those two things: a teacher of stories and a writer of make believe.

With four books now published, she's looking forward to her fifth release October 13, 2020, a YA Contemporary Romance called The Stories Stars Tell.

Sign up for her newsletter for news, goodies, and fun (www.clwalters.net)

 

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