R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 205

BOOK BLITZ: Fractured Sleep {Anthology} #GIVEAWAY

Fractured Sleep
(Fairy Tale Ink, #4)
Publication date: June 28th 2019
Genres: Adult, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

Fairy Tale Ink is proud to present these four retold stories of the classic, Sleeping Beauty. A story for every reader from best-selling and award-winning authors!Aurora’s Fight, by Angela Brimhall Five years ago, Aurora was forced to live at Thornhurst Manor, the city insane asylum. Every night she dreads sunset when sleep becomes a wicked game of survival. When Aurora is kidnapped and imprisoned in The Briar, a vision reveals the desperate man in the next cell is her only hope in stopping the plague of her nightmares. Will she find a way to rescue this mysterious man before The Dragon’s death countdown reaches zero?The Lonely Princess, by Jo Schneider: Everything changed in the 500 years Aurora slept. Now teenagers go to the Academy, where humans and fey live side-by-side and everyone pretends to get along. In her attempts to find her place in this new world, she meets Saru—a mysterious boy who delights in irritating her. Their attraction is instant, but his forgotten past might be their undoing.Dragon’s Curse, by Adrienne Monson: When her nana is in a near-fatal car accident, Dawn is forced to reconcile her beliefs about magic. Her long-buried powers could save Nana’s life, but at a high price. Accepting magic means that the man Dawn dreamt about her whole life is real and that she’s the only one who can save him from a cursed sleep. To do that, she’ll have to face the terrifying dragon who put him there.Restless, by Quinn Coleridge: Rory Kingston doesn’t want much. Just a good night’s sleep and a normal life free of magic. Yet Rory’s own royal pedigree keeps getting in the way of achieving these goals, not to mention her preoccupation with a new neighbor. Where the darkly handsome history professor goes, danger and mayhem follow. Has Phillip come to drag Rory back to the magical kingdom she left behind years ago or are his motives even more nefarious?

Goodreads / Amazon—SNEAK PEEKS:
At the Edge of Dreams
by Angela Brimhall(Steampunk)Aurora pressed her back against the clock tower wall, clutching the stolen scroll to her chest. The whine of clicking machinery from the surrounding buildings tapped like a metronome in her head, beating out the rhythmic heartbeat of The Briar. She squeezed her eyes shut listening for the signal she’d been detected. But nothing came. Aurora’s chest fluttered when she peeked around the corner to Main Street.Steam hissed from arterial pipes and veiny downspouts protruding from faceless citadels. Aurora searched through shadows for yellow-orange eyes. Mist clouded the alleyways wedged between the buildings, cloaking any Huntsman hiding from view, but she couldn’t see any patrolling the street.Aurora didn’t hesitate. She bounded away from behind the wall and ran, not looking back. Alarms blared as she passed the city limits and met the lip of Spindlewood Forest.They know.Her thighs burned. Puffs of strained breath came in uncontrolled spurts, but the dissonant sound drove Aurora harder. She crashed through the threshold of trees and fought her way up the steep hill into the woodland’s heart.Aurora pulled herself over the summit and crawled to the nearest bush, wheezing through pursed lips, clutching the stitch in her side. A twig snapped. The sound rode on a whisper of dank smoky air from the grove of trees two feet away.Something was close.The hair on Aurora’s neck rose, and she narrowed her eyes, peeking around the shrub. She gripped her piecemeal knife in one shaking hand, the scroll in the other, waiting for the metal minion to show himself.Where are you?Several cracks echoed in different directions around her. Blood rushed from Aurora’s face into her stomach. She whipped around, her head darting every which way, ears perked. Aurora crouched, knife out, ready to jab anything that came close.I’m surrounded. A skeletal metal face peered at Aurora from behind a large tree trunk five feet in front of her. It’s lifeless eyes twisted and whirred, yellow pupils fixating on her location. Aurora froze. The Huntsman stepped out from behind the tree and brandished a long bronze pistol.
Dragon’s Curse
by Adrienne Monson(Paranormal Romance)I was going to explode. A restless energy had been building inside me for months now. There were times when it felt like my skin was the only thing keeping me from flying apart. There was no good reason for it. Frustration continued to grow and everything I’d done to ignore it and tamp it down seemed to only feed the impotent ire simmering beneath the surface.When my coworker, Ben, had asked me out for the third time tonight, I’d lost it. I mean, yelled and came pretty close to slapping him. While he may have been annoying, he hadn’t deserved my freak out.My phone played Sound of Silence to let me know it was ringing. All I wanted was to take a shower and wash the smell of coffee and baked goods off, but when I saw it was Nana, I answered. “Hey.” I put the speaker on so I could grab some water while I spoke. I tossed my keys on the counter and placed my phone next to them.“What’s wrong?” Her confident voice flitted through my tiny apartment as if she were in the room.My shoulders tensed and my defenses kicked in. “Why does something have to be wrong?”“It’s in your tone. I can tell. What are you so mad about?”That was the question I’d been asking myself for weeks. I glared at the phone as I drank. The cold water felt nice on my throat, but it was not enough to calm me.“Dawn?” Nana called, her voice louder. “Don’t you give me that look.”Rolling my eyes, I huffed. “You can’t see my face. You have no idea what look I may or may not be giving you.”“I know you. You’re glaring a hot laser at the phone right now.”It was all too easy to imagine her grey eyes meeting mine in challenge, never backing down. I’d bet anything she was folding her arms across her chest and that her lips were pulled into a stubborn line. “It’s a boy, isn’t it?” she asked.Grinding my teeth, I picked the phone up from the counter and headed to the bathroom. “I don’t date, Nana. Why would you think it’s a boy?”“What happened?” Her tone had softened and the concern I heard broke through the barrier I’d had up all evening.My shoulders slumped and I put the phone down again to pull my long, blonde hair out of its ponytail. Nana didn’t say anything. She always knew when to wait. “Ben asked me out again,” I finally admitted.“Why do you say that like it’s a horrible thing?”I was positive that her brows were drawn together and that her thin lips were pulled down into a frown that showcased little wrinkles. It’s how she always looked when we approached this topic.An image of a man with brown hair and brown skin entered my mind. He wasn’t real – just a man from my dreams that no one knew about. I couldn’t tell Nana he was the reason.

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BOOK BLITZ: Ashes of Pride by Tracy Cooper-Posey #GIVEAWAY

Ashes of Pride
Tracy Cooper-Posey
(Scandalous Scions , #10)
Publication date: June 27th 2019
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

Married in haste, to the wrong man…Blanche wed Lieutenant Colonel Seymour in search of a hero to replace the French military father she never knew, only to find herself stranded in Northumberland, in a penniless marriage, with no recourse.Blanche’s cousin, Neil Williams, now a decorated Major, returns from the colonies to rejoin the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. Her husband, as Neil’s superior officer, makes Neil’s life intolerable, as well as her own. Blanche learns that the truly courageous are defined by their actions and that Seymour is not one of them, for what he does to Neil defies imagination…This book is the tenth book in the Scandalous Scions series, bringing together the members of three great families, to love and play under the gaze of the Victorian era’s moralistic, straight-laced society.

This story is part of the Scandalous Scions series:0.5 Rose of Ebony1.0 Soul of Sin2.0 Valor of Love3.0 Marriage of Lies4.0 Mask of Nobility5.0 Law of Attraction6.0 Veil of Honor7.0 Season of Denial8.0 Rules of Engagement9.0 Degree of Solitude10.0 Ashes of Pride
…and more to come!A Sexy Historical Romance

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Google Play—EXCERPT:Neil shifted on his chair, sitting back, drawing attention with his movement. Blanche’s gaze swung to him. Her lips parted. Her eyes widened. Joy spread across her face.Neil felt a jolt at the pure pleasure in her eyes. Why could she possibly be so glad to see him? Of the five, Neil knew Blanche the least. Her company had always irritated him, for she ran hot and cold in fits and starts, which made her uncomfortable and unpredictable. She was not like Alice, who could be counted upon to be sunny and happy, no matter what.Yet Blanche was tugging at her husband’s sleeve now with firm insistence. She murmured in his ear.“Williams, you know Mrs. Seymour?” Edmund Hunter asked.“Blanche is my cousin.” Neil realized he was smiling, too. He didn’t bother with the convoluted explanations about adoptees and honorary cousins. He got to his feet as Seymour brought his wife over to the table, his gaze on Blanche.He realized he was just as pleased to see her as she seemed feel about seeing him.“I had forgotten about that extended family of yours,” Captain Long said, on the other side of the table. “Everyone in William’s family is related to just about everyone who counts,” he added to Lieutenant Roberts, the last man at the table.“Just about? Make that everyone,” Tom Penny said. “Didn’t you hear? Innesford married the Gainford heiress earlier this year.”Neil ignored their gossip and watched Blanche, enjoying the sight of a beautiful woman moving. She had the grace and elegance of true European women, who seemed to be born with the knowledge.“Neil! Oh, Neil!” she breathed, stepping ahead of her husband, her gloved hands coming up. She reached up on her toes and kissed the air by Neil’s cheeks, while Seymour’s eyes bulged. “I heard you were heading back home, but I didn’t think you would arrive for weeks, yet!”Neil caught at her elbows, steadying her. “Hello, Blanche. It is wonderful to see you. You are the first in the family I have seen since I got back.”As he spoke, everyone scrambled to their feet to salute the senior officer.Neil followed suit, while Blanche smiled up at him.Seymour acknowledged the salute, letting everyone relax.Blanche turned back to Neil. “You are the first in the family I have seen since before Christmas…oh, Neil!” Her smile trembled and her eyes glittered.Neil’s chest tightened. Blanche looked as though she was about to cry. The Blanche he knew, the little he did know of her…that woman did not cry. She laughed. She raged. She pouted and stomped her foot. She did not cry. She was too busy sailing through life and sampling all it had to offer to bewail her fate.Blanche made a soft sound and put her arms around Neil’s neck and hugged him.For a moment, shock froze his thoughts. He smelled her scent—something spicy that had nothing to do with flowers. Her hair brushed his chin. Heat registered through the slippery satin. Slenderness, too. And a soft roundness he had not enjoyed in far, far too long…“Oh, dear!” Penny murmured, sounding shocked. Major Hunter smiled indulgently and didn’t bother looking away.Seymour’s expression grew dark and thunderous.Neil caught at Blanche’s arms, trying to draw her away from him, good sense returning with a crash.She stepped back swiftly and put her hand to her mouth. “Oh, please forgive me,” she said to the table. “It has been so long since I saw Neil…I mean, Major Williams.” She gave a small grimace of apology and rested her fingers on Seymour’s arm. “Husband, may I introduce to you my cousin, Major Neil Williams, of Innesford.”“Cornwall?” Major Hunter said softly. “That Williams?”“The very one,” Captain Long replied.Neil saluted. “Lieutenant Colonel.”“At ease,” Seymour said. “I’ve heard a little about you, Williams.”Neil let his posture relax. “Sir.” Now the man was closer, he could see he was very young. Possibly younger than Neil. His pale hair was baby-soft. So was his chin.Seymour’s eyes narrowed. “You’re out of uniform, Williams.”Neil glanced down at his out-of-date red coat. “I haven’t had time to—”Seymour glanced at Edmund Hunter. “Major, as Provost Marshall, it is your duty to attend to such slovenliness. Dock the man two shillings a day until he represents the Regiment properly.”Hunter straightened to attention. “Yes, sir.”Blanche’s eyes grew larger, as she looked from Neil to her husband.Two shillings! Neil gritted his teeth. It was an exorbitant sum, especially as the regimental commander was aware of the uniform breech and was willing to tolerate it. Only, Neil could not argue with a senior officer and he was out of uniform.Seymour glanced around the table of officers, possibly taking note of who dared dine with the slovenly Major. He curled his hand around Blanche’s arm and pulled her away. “Gentlemen,” he said.

Author Bio:
Tracy Cooper-Posey is a #1 Best Selling Author. She writes romantic suspense, historical, paranormal and science fiction romance. She has published over 100 novels since 1999, been nominated for five CAPAs including Favourite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award.She turned to indie publishing in 2011. Her indie titles have been nominated four times for Book Of The Year. Tracy won the award in 2012, and an SFR Galaxy Award in 2016 for “Most Intriguing Philosophical/Social Science Questions in Galaxybuilding”. She has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at MacEwan University. She is addicted to Irish Breakfast tea and chocolate, sometimes taken together. In her spare time she enjoys history, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction and ignoring her treadmill. An Australian Canadian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a former professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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BOOK BLITZ: Vampire Detective Midnight by JC Andrijeski #GIVEAWAY

Vampire Detective Midnight
JC Andrijeski
(Vampire Detective Midnight, #1)
Publication date: June 27th 2019
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Vampire with a past and homicide detective, Naoko “Nick” Tanaka just got transferred to the NYPD, where he works as a “Midnight,” or vampire in the employ of the human police. Like all state-registered vamps, he gets his food delivered to his door, lives in government housing, and basically can’t sneeze without the U.S. government knowing about it.Still, he’s determined to play by the rules. More than anything, he just wants to be left alone, to finish out his immortality in peace… but he’s barely there two weeks when things already start to go sideways.It starts with a weird case involving inexplicable paintings that predict murders before they happen.Between his mystery painter, a bunch of dead hybrid-humans, a conspiracy involving the richest families in New York, and a school principal who has an unsettling effect on him, Nick finds he can’t get personally uninvolved with any of it.Instead, he gets sucked in even deeper, until he’s pretty sure he’ll end up forcibly reprogrammed by his human masters — assuming they don’t just rip his heart out of his chest and be done with it.VAMPIRE DETECTIVE MIDNIGHT is book #1 of a gritty, romantic new series set in a futuristic, dystopian New York, involving vampires, humans and psychics trying to rebuild their world after a devastating race war that nearly obliterated all of them.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:He needed to feed.It was putting him in a foul mood.That, and all this fucking blood…Nick frowned, staring around at the alley floor.It hit him again.There was something wrong with this blood.It smelled too fucking good.It smelled way too fucking good.That couldn’t all be Nick’s hunger.“Anyway, that’s what I can tell you so far,” he said, making his voice deliberately casual. “Without knowing who the victims are, or what brought them to this alley, it’s pretty hard to speculate on motive, but…”Nick hesitated then, realizing something.Frowning, he stepped closer to the pools of blood.Nose wrinkling, he crouched down so he could smell it from closer, even though the scent was overpowering, even from a lot further away. Taking a few full whiffs, he felt his fangs begin to extend in earnest.That time, he couldn’t pull it back.A flush of heat hit his gut and chest, burning in his throat. It was intense enough, he almost got hard, but he’d gotten pretty good at squelching that reaction, too.He stood up at once.Really, he lurched back.It happened so fast, that smell and his reaction to it, Nick forgot to modulate his body’s natural reflexes to accommodate the people around him. He was up and moving in a heartbeat, darting back in pure instinct, without slowing his movements at all.He moved fast enough to make the humans around him freeze.Instantly, they turned into prey.Ignoring them, and ignoring their deer-in-headlights reactions to how he’d just moved, Nick backed away from the pool of blood with a scowl.He backed away from the human detectives and tech team, too.“They’re hybrids,” he said, emotion reaching his voice.He turned around, staring at the humans sharing the alley with him.The stared back at him, faces blank, eyes holding flickers of fear.Frustrated, wanting to smash through that frozen prey look, Nick let his voice turn into a harder growl.“Jesus fucking Christ,” Nick said. “Did you hear me? They’re all fucking hybrids.”When they still didn’t speak, he averted his gaze with a scowl. His eyes returned to the alley. Staring around at all of that blood, it sank in what it really represented.Once it had, he couldn’t help but feel sick.

Author Bio:

JC Andrijeski is a USA TODAY and WALL STREET JOURNAL bestselling author who writes paranormal mysteries and apocalyptic fiction, often with a sexy, romantic and metaphysical bent. JC has a background in journalism, history and politics, and loves martial arts, yoga, meditation, hiking, swimming, horseback riding, painting… and of course reading and writing. She grew up in the Bay Area of California, but travels extensively and has lived abroad in Europe, Australia and Asia, and from coast to coast in the continental United States. She currently lives and writes full-time in Bangkok, Thailand.Current series include: Vampire Detective Midnight, the Bridge & Sword series, the Quentin Black Mystery series, The Morph series, and the Alien Apocalypse series. She’s also written a number of standalone novels, novellas and short stories, as well as nonfiction articles and essays.
To learn more about JC and her writing, please visit jcandrijeski.com.Website / Facebook / Facebook Group / Twitter / Newsletter / Amazon / Instagram / Bookbub

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BOOK BLITZ: A Darker Shade of Evil {Anthology} #GIVEAWAY

A Darker Shade of Evil
Publication date: September 24th 2019
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Including stories from USA Today and Bestselling AuthorsKhardine Gray, USA Today Bestselling Author– Alone In The Dark
Dariel Raye – USA Today Bestselling Author – The Devil Upstairs
Lori Titus USA Today Bestselling Author – Talons
Muffy Wilson – USA Today Bestselling Author – Succubus Unleashed
Keta Diablo – Bestselling Author – I Spy A Demon
Marilyn Harlow– Bestselling Author – Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend
Gracen Miller – Bestselling Author – Hex
Michelle Scott – Bestselling Author – The Demon’s Prisoner
Katherine Smits – Bestselling Author – Siren Descending

* * *About A Darker Shade of Evil
Deadly demons, diabolical devils and other creatures of the night will hold you spellbound in this one-of-a-kind anthology. In a world of dark delights, they trifle in forbidden passion, suspense, and kick-ass battles. It’s all right here for you in this captivating urban fantasy and paranormal romance anthology!Brought to you by USA Today and International Bestselling Authors, these stories of sexy alpha heroes and heroines will keep you turning the pages. Devils, demons and their lethal hunters will draw you into their conquests, twisted deceptions, scorching heat, and yes, even love.
* Heat Rating: Spicy to Erotic Romance* No Cliffhangers* Happily-Ever-After or Happy-For-Now

Add to Goodreads / Pre-orderPreOrder ***N*O*W***Featuring USA Today, Int’l, Award-Winning Bestselling Authors
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B@@K REVEAL: Star Child by Petra Landon

Star Child
Petra Landon
(The Zenkoti Fables, #1)
Publication date: August 8th 2019
Genres: Adult, Adventure, Fantasy

On a mining outpost, a young woman dreams of the stars. When fate thrusts her in the company of a motley crew of bounty hunters seeking to avenge an injustice, Novi cannot believe her luck. But nothing is as it seems and what she learns will turn her world upside down.Led by the only man to bring the mightiest army in the Inner Worlds to its knees, the crew is engaged in a wily cat and mouse game with the powerful Guild Coalition. Under the tutelage of her enigmatic shipmates and the charismatic Captain, Novi dodges space outlaws and greedy corporations, mingles with Synths and settlers, travels the wondrous Star Portal Labyrinth and discovers a mysterious legacy bequeathed by the Gods. But each exhilarating adventure raises terrifying questions about her. When a devastating epiphany shatters her world, Novi is forced to question everything she believes.

Author’s Note : This space western style adventure is set on far away exotic worlds. Adventure, intrigue and action abound in this tale of a feisty young heroine embarking on the quest of a lifetime.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:
An avid reader all her life, only recently has Petra allowed her own imagination to run riot. She loves to travel and reads everything she can get her hands on. Her idea of a good read is one where the story and characters linger, long after the book has been set aside. She strives to write fantasy with vivid characters and elements of adventure, mystery and romance juxtaposed together, since those are the tales she has enjoyed the most over the years. To share the stories swirling in her imagination is a labor of love and a lifelong dream come true for Petra.Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Amazon / Mailing List / Pinterest

BOOK BLITZ: Love at Lakewood Med by T.J. Amberson #GIVEAWAY

Love at Lakewood Med
T.J. Amberson
Publication date: June 9th 2019
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Savannah Drake would be thrilled about starting her final year of medical school if it weren’t for one thing: she has to spend a month working in the emergency room with cold, aloof Dr. Wesley Kent as her mentor. When her first day in the ER proves to be a humiliating disaster, Savannah is ready to swear off emergency medicine forever. Gradually, though, she finds that the unpredictable, emotional experience of caring for patients in the emergency room is affecting her far differently than she expected – and Dr. Kent turns out to be anything but the arrogant attending physician that she assumed him to be. But just when Savannah finally admits to herself that she is falling for Dr. Kent, she learns that things at the hospital are not all what they seem. Faced with a seemingly impossible choice, Savannah must decide between her future career and everything that she has come to care so much about.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:“Do you know what you just did?” Doctor Kent puts his eyes on mine.I stare back at him, my body going cold. I screwed up somehow. That baby might die because of me. I may—“You ran that resuscitation as well as, or better than, any resident in this hospital would have.” Doctor Kent’s gaze drifts toward Room Fourteen. “Most physicians—even experienced ones—would have understandably panicked around a sick newborn. You didn’t.”I follow his gaze to the now-vacant room, and remain quiet, letting his words soak in. Once I gather my thoughts, I debate for a second or two before I get up the courage to admit to him:“This sounds stupid, but I was so focused during that whole encounter that I almost didn’t realize what I was doing while it was happening. It was like I had an invisible shield around me, blocking out distraction and not letting my emotions affect me. Only after the baby was gone did I start feeling it all.”Doctor Kent doesn’t reply. I blush and reluctantly turn to him again, feeling ridiculous. But Doctor Kent isn’t about to laugh at me. Instead, he has his eyes fixed even more intensely on mine.“Welcome to emergency medicine,” he says.I catch my breath as something powerful stirs within me. There’s a moment of unspoken communication between Doctor Kent and me, and then I glance around Fast Track once more. I think that I understand it all a little better now.

Author Bio:
TJ Amberson hails from the Pacific Northwest. With a love of writing in several genres, TJ strives to provide well-written, age-appropriate, & original novels for tweens, teens, and new adults.Website / Goodreads / Facebook

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BOOK BLITZ: Submitting to the Lawyer by BJ Wane #GIVEAWAY

Submitting to the Lawyer
BJ Wane
Publication date: June 19th 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance

Will they both let their reluctance to admit they want more from the other cost them everything?Nan Meyers returns to her beloved hometown of Willow Springs a broken woman, ten months after leaving for what was supposed to be a short vacation with her brother. For years she’d enjoyed an active lifestyle at the local club owned by her friends, but the trauma she endured while away has stripped her of those pleasures, leaving her determined to get her life back.Dan Shylock greets the news of his friend and favorite submissive’s return with relief. After Nan cut off all communication with him and her other friends several weeks after going on vacation, her silence had both worried and angered him. Seeing the changes in her upon her return stirs up his suspicions, and when she reveals hints of suffering from an abusive trauma, his protective instincts and determination to help her kick into high gear.As Dan slowly coaxes Nan back into embracing the pain induced pleasures she once loved, their growing feelings for each other come to the surface. But before either can come to terms with how they feel, the truth about the strange mishaps Nan has been experiencing almost costs her her life. Will Dan get there in time to save her?This is book four in the Cowboy Doms series but can be enjoyed as a standalone.Publisher’s Note: This steamy, contemporary Western romance contains elements of ménage, mystery, suspense, and power exchange.

Goodreads / Amazon / Blushing Books
—EXCERPT:“Looks like I’m not the only one unhappy with your long, unexplained absence.” Unable to resist, Dan pinched her chin and turned her face toward him, holding her there even though her eyes darkened with annoyance and she tried to jerk free. “In case you’ve forgotten, you can come to me with anything, tell me anything. I don’t judge, you know that, or you should.” He released her and changed the subject as her expression turned rigid. “I have a new foal, born seven months ago. Pretty little filly. You’ll have to come out and see her sometime.”Nan’s face lost her rigid irritation and her eyes lit with interest, a familiar look he was relieved to see. She loved horses, and he knew she’d always wanted one of her own, but not until she could buy enough acres to stable it herself. That was part of her independent streak that right now was causing her to remain mute on her reasons for staying away.“I’d love to.” Her rigid shoulders relaxed with the eagerness in her eyes. “Thanks. Maybe next week, after I get the shop going again. Are you still working with military parolees?”“Sure, just let me know, and yes, I hired two new guys several months ago.” The troubled vets used the time, space and work he offered to transition back into civilian life and acclimate themselves to their freedom from both drugs and prison before returning to their loved ones or heading out on their own. Of the previous eight men he’d sponsored, only one had lapsed bad enough he’d ended up back on drugs.Gertie returned with their orders and Dan shoved aside his curiosity and concern to savor spending time with Nan again. The instant rush of excitement upon seeing her again felt damned good, his relief when Connor called to tell him she was back palpable. Even though he itched to get to the bottom of her trouble, he refrained from pushing too hard. He’d run up against the brick wall of her stubborn independence before and didn’t relish starting their reunion on a negative note.They spoke of everything except about the months she was away and the reason for her extended visit. By the time they finished their lunch, they had rekindled their easy friendship, enjoying it almost as much as before she’d left. His impatience to discover what happened that caused those shadows under her eyes was his only regret as he stood to leave. With luck, once she submitted to him again at the club, he would be successful in getting those answers.He tossed down a generous tip and reached out to give her hair an affectionate tug, something he’d done countless times before, only to have her jerk away, as if fearing that small prick on her scalp instead of relishing it. Her face whitened and then flushed, the uncharacteristic response heightening his suspicion something dire was going on with her.Nan slid off the stool, backing away, her retreat a painful kick to his gut. “Sorry. I…”Dan laid a firm finger over her lips. “Don’t say anything unless it’s the truth.” Dropping his hand, he wasn’t surprised at the mulish set of her mouth or her silence. Sighing in disappointment, he said, “I hope you’ll join us at the club tonight. We’ve missed you.”Shaking her head, she replied, “I don’t have time, but should tomorrow night.”He nodded and turned to leave. “See you tomorrow then.”She waited until he’d taken two steps away before saying, “I’ve missed you, too, and everyone else.”He swiveled his head to look at her as he settled his hat back on and nodded. “Good to know.”

Author Bio:
I live in the Midwest with my husband and our dog, a lovable Great Pyrenees/Standard Poodle. I love dogs, enjoy spending time with my daughter, babysitting dogs and kids, reading and working puzzles. We have traveled extensively throughout the states, Canada and just once overseas, but I now prefer being a homebody. I worked for a while writing articles for a local magazine but soon found my interest in writing for myself peaking. My first book was strictly spanking erotica, but I slowly evolved to writing erotic spanking romance with a touch of suspense. My favorite genre to read is suspense.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub / Instagram

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BOOK BLITZ: Take Me Away by Rachel Kirwin #GIVEAWAY

Take Me Away
Rachel Kirwin
(Everly Place, #1)
Publication date: June 24th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Iris Everly is trying to figure out her place in the world. A world that has caused her heartache, loneliness, and uncertainty of her future. When her sisters and the Keller boys return from college she is forced to face some of the pain from her past but it also allows her to open her heart to new possibilities and maybe even love.Did you ever have a childhood friend?Your only friend…One that drove you crazy but you craved more?Clay Keller isn’t a little boy anymore And I’m certainly not a little girl. I need him, and I think he needs me, too! Iris and Clay grew up as childhood friends in the small town of Leavenworth. When Mr. Keller became Mayor and moved his family to the other side of town, Iris and Clay grew up and grew apart. When Iris’s sisters and the Keller boys return from college Clay and Iris reconnect but life always has a way of tearing them apart.

Goodreads / Amazon—MEET IRIS & CLAYIris & ClayIris is a small town girl with a passion for writing and her biggest goal is to live under the radar with no attention on herself. With an outer beauty that is natural and basic, as some would say, she doesn’t dress to impress. Iris’s life has been lived inside her books, reading classic novels and writing her own life story. Iris has suffered great loss in her life which has left her with no plans for the future except being there for her Dad.Clay Keller is a small town heart throb who had a long term relationship with ex-cheerleader, Lexi McAdams. When Clay left for college and his girlfriend cheated on him he reevaluates his trust in women and what he is really looking for in a relationship. It turns out that everything he has ever wanted in a girl is everything that he had, he just didn’t know it.Until now…Iris and Clay reconnect when he comes home from college for the summer and it isn’t long until she’s swept away into a world of just the two of them. Not everyone is a fan of their newfound romance and some make it clear. Iris begins to come out of her bubble and begins to dream of a future outside of her hometown but before she decides where the wind will take her she must think about all that she leaves behind.

Author Bio:
Rachel Kirwin has three beautiful children with her husband of 10 years. She enjoys relaxing at the beach, spending time with her family, and writing. As a young child, Rachel was always conjuring up stories and filling them with colorful characters, sharing them with anyone and everyone who would listen. Since then, she's progressed quite a bit to formulating longer and more complex stories with the hope of sharing them with much larger audiences.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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BOOK BLITZ: Unexpected Commander by Layla Stone #GIVEAWAY

Unexpected Commander
Layla Stone
(Unexpected, #3)
Publication date: June 24th 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Science Fiction

She’s shy and timid. He’s unsocial and arrogant.Yon’s past hardened him to the point that he speaks the raw truth without thinking about the consequences. He’s always been that way, but if he’s not careful he’s going lose more than the sweetest female he’s ever known, he’s going to lose a potential mate.Yelena’s past conditioned her to be obedient and silent. She’s always been a loner, but when she meets Yon in the cages of Brica, she’s drawn to him and his strength. If only he’d notice she’s not as weak as he thinks she is.Yelena has a chance to help find the Numan who turned her skin luminescent. During the mission something goes wrong and she has to rely on Yon once more… or is it Yon who has to rely on her?

Goodreads / Amazon—Q&A with Layla Stone
Are there any secrets from the book, you can share with your readers?I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, but I will suggest to pay attention to Ansel in this one.

Can you share a snippet that isn’t in the blurb or excerpt?“Are you always like this?”Yon placed her on the bed, took a pillow, and handed it to her. “Keep the foot elevated. And, no, I’m not always like this.”She held up her hand, hoping he wouldn’t leave her yet. She wanted to understand him better. “And when you say, ‘not always like this,’ do you mean you don’t knock people unconscious a lot?”His head tilted slightly. “No, I meant I don’t usually come down to the planets I hate just to find a specific female and bring her back safely.”It took a half-second longer than it should have for her to process that. “You came for me?”“You shouldn’t have been down here in the first place.”Yelena didn’t know what to say to that.“Good thing you didn’t like Lotus Adaamas, because it was the last time you’re going to see it.” Yon was still holding out the pillow. His tone didn’t sound angry, more matter-of-fact.She took the pillow and said, “Is it because of my skin? Or because of something else?”“All of that and more.”“What else could there be?”“I will write you a list.”

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?I’ve meet males like the hero before and I’ve always wanted to see him with a happily ever after, but more often than not, he can’t soften enough to be in a relationship.

What do you hope your readers take away from this book?I hope they are interested in the next book, to be honest.

Can you give us some insight into what makes the hero tick?He’s got a chip on his shoulder a thousand miles high, brought on by upbringing.

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?It was hard to soften the hero enough to make him a character my readers would enjoy instead of hate. I re-wrote this book three times just to get the romance right.

What was the highlight of writing this book?My favorite part of writing is sending 2-3 chapters to my beta reader and getting her thoughts via marco-polo app.

Author Bio:
Layla Stone is a Sci-Fi Romance author who is passionate about writing and reading romances. Her books are a blend of science fiction, romance and action adventure. A business coordinator by training and a bookworm at heart, Layla makes her home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, two children, and a trio of fur babies. You can find more information about her characters and their races at www.authorLaylaStone.comTo learn more about Layla, her life and writing process, copy and paste this link into your browser and join her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/daY1qjWebsite / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter

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B@@K REVEAL: Castles in the Sand by Allie McCormack #PreORDER

Castles in the Sand
Allie McCormack
(Sons of the Desert, #2)
Publication date: August 6th 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance

A proud fighter pilot for the Taqara National Guard and fiercely loyal to the land of his birth, Bennett Al Mansour’s heart belongs to the desert, to his bedouin roots. But his dreams are shattered with the explosion of a landmine. Angry and embittered, he is sent to his brother’s home in California for a rehab that he has no interest in. As he rebuilds his life and works with Tanya to get back on his feet, Bennett discovers a new passion. But will he have to choose between his love for his country and his love for the woman of his dreams?Hired by the wealthy and powerful Al Mansour family, Tanya Groves’ budding career as a physical therapist hinges on being able to get Bennett back on his feet and walking again. An orphan, she’s learned to make her own way in the world and has dreams of travel and fame as a top-notch physical therapist… dreams that leave no room for a home and family, despite her growing love for the intense, brooding Bennett.

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Author Bio:
A former career medical transcriptionist and disabled Veteran, Allie McCormack is now writing from home full-time. Allie has traveled quite a bit and lived many places all over the U.S., and also a year in Cairo, Egypt as an exchange student, and a year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under contract to a hospital there, plus a short stint with NATO while she was in the Army. As a single mom, she raised a wonderful daughter who's recently married and there are plans afoot for grandchildren. Allie now lives in the beautiful Sorona Desert in southern Arizona with her two rescue cats and writes full-time.Allie says: "A writer is who and what I am... a romance writer. I write what I know, and what I know is romance. Dozens of story lines and literally hundreds of characters live and breathe within the not-so-narrow confines of my imagination, and it is my joy and privilege to bring them to life, to share them with others by writing their stories."Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Patreon