R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 223

BOOK REVEAL: Moonshine and Magnolias by Abigail Sharpe

Moonshine and Magnolias
Abigail Sharpe
(Just Add Peaches, #1)
Publication date: June 20th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Hotel executive Wendy Marsh puts her career on hold when she inherits half of her family’s inn. Her to-do list? It’s simple: teach her spoiled cousin how to manage Fountenoy Hall, then hightail it back to her structured, careful life in Atlanta. Romance has never been part of Wendy’s plan – so what is it about the sexy history professor researching the inn that she finds so tempting?Rob Upshaw would be enjoying his time at the Inn at Fountenoy Hall if he wasn’t secretly hunting for a family treasure lost during Prohibition. Only a few minor inconveniences stand in his way. His uncle’s old journals are cryptic, he has only a vague description of the loot, and the beautiful, uptight innkeeper with a subtle sense of humor might hold the key to his quest. Even though Rob’s career is built on facts, he accepts he might have to lie to Wendy. But falling for her? That’s out of the question.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:
Abigail is a Boston-bred Yankee now eating grits and saying "y'all" in North Central Florida. She dreamed more of being a stage actress or joining the CIA than being an author. While she still enjoys participating in community theater productions and singing karaoke, the secret-agent career was replaced by hours at her computer, writing stories of love and laughter and happily ever after.Abigail lives with her husband, two kids, and one crazy princess puppy. You can keep up with her on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/AbigailSharpeBooks or find her on Goodreads.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

BOOK BLITZ: Beneath the Broken Moon by Sarah Makela #GIVEAWAY

Beneath the Broken Moon: Season One
Sarah Mäkelä
Publication date: March 18th 2019
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Carmela she struggles to choose between the alpha werewolf she’s destined for and the vampire she’s enchanted by, but the wrong decision could lead to deadly consequences…Werewolf relationships are all about influence and offspring, especially as the species is becoming extinct. Carmela Santiago resents that type of life. She dreams of falling in love and being happy, not following the dismal example her parents have set.When sensual vampire Derek Ashmore rescues her from dangerous hunters, she tumbles head over heels for him. Not a wise decision since werewolves and vampires are mortal enemies.Meeting her caring mate-to-be Brendan Kelly has her further questioning the future. Regardless, her life has forever changed now that she’s met not one, but two men who pull at her heartstrings…

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:Carmela
Bullets peppered the big screen of the Teatro de la Noche. Screams rang out around me, and I dropped to the floor, pulling my cousin Chandra down with me. Tension ached in my shoulders, and my heart pounded in my chest like a trapped animal, desperate to escape.Gunpowder stung my sensitive nose, but through the overpowering scent, I caught a whiff of a hunter heading our way. “Chandra, we have to move.”If Chandra and I didn’t get out of here we’d end up dead—or worse, test subjects for the Cazador—human hunters ordered to scour the land of nocturnes by the plutocratic government.“How? They’re all around us.” Chandra peeked over the seats before dropping back down beside me. “A few of them are chasing down those who ran from the first assault, but two more are heading straight for us.” She ran a manicured hand through her honey-brown hair, which was only a shade darker than my own. “Come on. I have a plan. Let’s try to sneak out the side door.” She crawled in the opposite direction, down the row of seats.The sight of my cousin’s butt cheeks hanging out of her short skirt filled my vision; some things were better left unseen. I lowered my gaze, particularly since Chandra had forgone panties. She almost always held herself with an air of power and purpose. Perhaps that’s what it took to get attention from other werewolves. Chandra got it in heaps, but her lower social status stopped a lot of relationships.While it was a horrible time to second-guess my modest fashion sense, I couldn’t help wonder if I should take a lesson from my cousin. My own blouse and dark blue jeans had much less pizzazz. But I doubted my father would allow me to dress like Chandra; we had a privileged image to uphold.I bit my lip, struggling to turn my thoughts back to the problem at hand. This was all too much. How could we get out of here unscathed when the roar of gunfire continued to close in?We reached the end of the aisle. Chandra moved to glance over the seat, when a shout came from the opposite end, startling us both.“Run, Chandra!” I barely kept my voice to a whisper.She sprinted toward the bright red exit sign at the front of the theater, and I chased after her, trying to keep my pace natural though her long legs made it challenging. Maybe if they suspected we weren’t nocturnes, they’d leave us alone.The stomping of heavy boots on the theater’s plush carpets said otherwise. Then again, they weren’t opposed to taking their fellow humans down too. The very rich in power thrived on oppressing those less fortunate. What better way to keep the populace down than to have their thugs strike whenever possible.“We should split up.” Chandra shoved a heavy trashcan in front of the door, but that wouldn’t be much of an obstacle to the pseudo-military bastards.“What?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “No way. If we do that, we’ll—” The trashcan scraped the cement as the hunters tried to open the door. Maybe she was right. If we were together, there was a better chance of them catching us both. Alone, we might survive the night.I nodded to her, and we took off in opposite directions down the alleyway behind the Teatro. The door slammed open, smacking the wall hard, as I turned the corner and headed toward the main street. I had to find somewhere to hide out before the hunters spotted me again.In front of me, another group of Cazador chased a few werewolves down the main road. I slowed to keep my distance from them, but if I didn’t get somewhere fast, they were going to catch me. Ugh. As much as I loved getting out of the house and going to the movies, I wished I’d listened to my instincts tonight and stayed home.Two sets of feet pounded the sidewalk behind me. Perhaps they’d spotted me before I reached the corner.I picked up speed a little, pumping my arms as I struggled to keep to a human speed while staying out of range. The temptation to race through the streets nearly drove me to action, but I glanced back, seeing my pursuers for the first time.One of the men had greying hair and a rounded belly, which explained the slower, heavier footfalls, while the other guy appeared younger and super-athletic. No wonder I was having trouble getting away. If he hadn’t been so scary, he might’ve been attractive. Pure masculine aggression raged through him, tensing his shoulders as his gaze focused solely on me, his prize. Each man carried a large-caliber handgun. I was just glad they were too busy running to try to shoot me…for now, at least.My sandal hit an uneven patch of concrete in the sidewalk. My body lurched forward, but I caught myself before I could go down. I should’ve been paying more attention to the street. Up ahead on the opposite side of the road, I spotted a dark alleyway running alongside a row house. If I cut through, I could safely turn up the speed without exposing myself, and lose them.The older hunter slowed; his breathing had become increasingly labored. He cocked his revolver’s hammer, and I darted across the empty road, making a beeline for the alley. The last thing I wanted tonight was to see Dr. Matthews. Just a little bit farther. A bullet smacked the ground at my feet, hitting me with fragments of pavement. I bit back a yelp, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of knowing my fear.“I got this one, old kook,” the younger hunter grumbled, and his footsteps slowed too.Another gunshot pierced the hazy night air. White-hot pain rocked my shoulder, nearly toppling me to the ground. I screamed, unable to hold it in, and picked up speed, no longer caring if I appeared human or not. The faint creak of a door barely registered before a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, jerking me inside the dark row house.My rescuer softly shut the door, careful not to make a sound, and shoved a hand over my mouth. “Sshhh,” he whispered. “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe.” His voice was deep, with an English accent. He pulled me away from the door and hunched down in the darkened room, holding me close, waiting and listening.Agony clouded my thoughts, but I couldn’t let myself lose focus.Footsteps thundered through the side alley. I stiffened at the sound. The hunters’ harsh voices and the clanking of metal were the only differences between them and a herd of cattle. They made no attempt to disguise themselves, taking delight in the fear they provoked. The Cazador weren’t true predators, but they held power over their fellow humans and the weaker of the nocturnes.I stayed silent in my mysterious savior’s arms. Thoughts of my cousin Chandra sparked inside my mind. She was still out there. What if the Cazador found her and killed her as they’d tried to kill me?This man had saved my life. I needed to do the same for my kin.His large hand flexed slightly, crushing my mouth. I placed my hand against his wrist, hoping he’d release me, since I no longer heard the disgusting Cazador who hunted me like an animal. How had I gotten myself into this mess?Shifting my weight, I groaned as my shoulder brushed against his smooth chest, my arm hanging limply by my side. The bullet must be impairing my movement. I doubted even shifting into wolf form would fix this right now. What was I supposed to do? Not even my people were immune to blood loss.The scent of death crept into my nostrils, which could only mean one thing: my savior was a vampire. In this weakened state, he could easily end my life, and I wouldn’t be able to stop him.But why would he save me? Maybe he required his next meal. An icy shiver slithered down the length of my spine. For the first time, I felt real fear.If only I’d insisted on returning home from the Teatro sooner instead of catching the night’s second movie, we wouldn’t have been there for the raid. Already my energy waned due to the rocky power of the three raging moons. The added exertion of running from the Cazador and getting shot strained my body even more.Somehow, the Cazador had known nocturnes frequented the Teatro. Who would give that kind of information away? Wolves wanted the same pleasures in life that humans desired.My savior readjusted his grip on me, brushing against my upper back. I swallowed a scream, unwilling to alert anyone who might be listening outside this man’s home. This vampire’s home. Clenching my teeth, I pulled at the vampire’s wrist. I would not be his victim.He remained steadfast, proving my weakness. “Don’t scream. Don’t run. Don’t do anything that would force me to hurt you, because I’ve had a lot of practice.” His crisp voice caressed my ear, and his breath moved tendrils of light brown hair, tickling the flesh on my neck. “Do you understand?”While he meant the words as a threat, I couldn’t help the way my body responded to his intensity. I nodded, forcing my thoughts back into place. If he attacked, I needed to remember my Militia training.The vampire released me, but he stayed still, as if waiting for my next move.Slowly and carefully, I scooted away and turned to face him. My eyes had gradually adjusted to the darkness, allowing me to see more clearly in the dimly lit room than a human would. What a sight he was. I brushed my fingertips over my sore lips.Crouching in the shadows, he wore a navy-blue dress shirt with the buttons undone to show off his pale, sculpted chest, and dark jeans that snugly fit his long legs. I’d only seen a few vampires, and none of them had looked this exquisite.My eyes widened as he ran a hand through his shoulder-length black hair. His gaze had dropped to my lips, and I lowered my hand. Hunger burned in his deep blue eyes; I prayed it wasn’t bloodlust.What was I thinking? Our species didn’t see eye to eye on anything except survival. The Feud between vampires and werewolves had raged on for centuries now, since well before bickering humans shot the moon with a nuke after a resource dispute and nearly killed the world’s population. Little did my ancestors know just how much and how fast the world would change. Instead of bridging the gap, vamps and wolves had grown even further apart. No one remembered what or whom first started the divide, but neither race spent any effort on diplomatic relations.Kill or be killed.I took a deep breath and sat a little straighter. With space between us, my fear lessened. The Militia had taught me to defend myself against hunters and other nocturnes. They made sure I wouldn’t be easy prey for the enemy. Of course—they preferred to have my womb protected, since it ensured our race would live on.Bitterness soured my taste buds, and the urge to spit overwhelmed me.Admittedly, vampires were the hardest foes to defeat, and I couldn’t practice my skills much these days. Not with Father keeping me almost literally a prisoner in my own home.But if I had to fight this vampire, I would go out having inflicted a lot of pain.“Why did you help me?” I asked, keeping my gaze on the wall near his head. No way would I look into his eyes. While I was strong, I wasn’t stupid. His kind could easily manipulate, and I had no idea what he had in mind.“I think it was your caramel-brown eyes, love.” He leaned into my line of sight, but I looked away. Instead, he closed the space between us in a heartbeat and gently stroked his index finger along my jaw.The sudden intrusion on my personal space had me jerking away, but with my back so close to the wall, I had nowhere to run. “How could it have been my eyes?” I crossed my good arm under my breasts, but that drew his attention down to my chest. Not what I’d intended. “I’m sure you couldn’t have seen them while I was running from the hunters.”With a sensual swipe of his tongue, he licked his lips. His gaze lifted to meet mine, but I quickly averted my eyes. “You caught me.”

Author Bio:
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author and a life-long paranormal fan who still sleeps with a night light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies, and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.Want to learn about new releases? Sign up for my newsletter! http://bitly.com/SarahMakelaNewsletterWebsite / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK REVEAL: Ben by C.M. Marin #GIVEAWAY

Ben
C.M. Marin
(The Chaos Chasers MC, #3)
Publication date: May 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

A biker. A gorgeous, sexy, charming biker. In other words, the kind of guy I swore I wouldn’t even glance at again a long time ago. No, scratch that. Ben is worse than the kind of guy I swore I wouldn’t even glance at again.He’s everything I don’t want to want. A carefree bad boy with an irritating grin, who thinks he has me all figured out. And… he’s right.Damn sexy biker.There’s only one possible explanation for fate to have put him in my path. I’m cursed. I must have been an awful person in a past life, and Ben has been sent to make me pay for my sins. The worst part? I’m too weak to resist him for long. The only thing that keeps me from completely falling in love with the guy is the several thousands of miles that separate us.But that was before his enemies try to get to me.Now, all I want is to go to him, and let him hold me. That’s when I realize that I’ve already fallen in love with him.Damn charming biker.

Add to GoodreadsPrevious books in the series:

Author Bio:
C.M. Marin fell in love with books a long time ago. She's a small-town girl who loves all things romance. Steamy contemporary romance and romantic suspense are her guilty pleasures, so when she's not writing away new fictional characters, you can find her with a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other.Newsletter / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ: Built by Maggie Marr #GIVEAWAY

Built: An Enemies To Lovers Second Chance Bad-Boy Billionaire Alpha Romance
Maggie Marr
Publication date: March 19th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

I hate Jake Warner. Loathe. Can. Not. Stand. No matter how sexy he looks in his jeans with that low-slung tool belt. He had his chance with me and he blew it Big. Time. He’s not getting a second-chance no matter how long I stare into this ice-blue eyes and think about those full lips or his dimples when he smiles. We may have to work together, but that absolutely doesn’t mean that we’ll get back together. Nope. No way. No matter what my heart says, this time I’m listening to my head.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:“I hate you, Jake Warren. Loathe. Detest. Can’t stand to be around you. I—”A wicked-slow smile spreads over Jake’s face. A smile that I’m almost willing to risk losing my job over to wipe from his smug mug.Almost.One of the reasons I hate that face so damn much is that Jake’s face is perfect. Not perfect in the sense that it’s got nothing wrong with it, because there’s that tiny scar that cuts through his right eyebrow from when he fell out of the tree in Mrs. Gibson’s front yard trying to get my cat, Mr. Biggles, down from the maple tree. Jake was ten and I was seven. That moment, in my childhood, when Jake played Prince Charming to my weeping Damsel in Distress resulted in four stitches, a broken arm, and a saved Mr. Biggles.But none of that matters now. None of it.That was twenty years ago and ever since I returned home and took the job at Ryan & Sons Construction, my Dad’s construction company, there’s been nothing, and I mean nothing charming about Jake Warren. In fact everything about him has been downright loathsome.I. Hate. Jake.I should get a tattoo. Or maybe a t-shirt.No matter how perfect his face and body are—those two things don’t matter because I can’t stand his full, cupid-bow lips and indented cleft chin, and I definitely detest his square jaw with high-cut cheekbones. And his dark brown, curly hair and ice-blue eyes that seem to see right through every part of me.Like this very moment, he’s standing so close to me that I can practically feel his muscles pulsing beneath that sweaty white Stanford t-shirt he’s wearing.Show off.So what if you went to Stanford and have perfect biceps and work with your hands and wear a tool belt slung low on your hips.So. What.Jake stands in front of me with his hands on his hips, with those lips—those damned pillow-cushion lips—nearly even with my eyes, like he’s some kind of crown prince because he can lift a two-by-four, swing a hammer, and hang drywall…he stands there in his dirty Levi’s with that hip cocked, staring right at me. Knowing full well that he was the boy that saved my cat, kissed me when I was twelve, and saw me naked at sixteen.And broke my heart at twenty-one.Well, I’m not naked today. Nope, today I’m pissed. I stand in front of him just back from an afternoon meeting with a Chinese investor who may or may not want Daddy’s company to build two hundred new homes, with my hand on my hip, my tablet in my hand, ready to tell Jake Warren why he should never, never, never speak to a client because that is my job as the front-facing newly minted sales team at Ryan & Sons Construction, and while I’m deadly serious, Jake’s eyes are…are…wickedly playful.Asshole!His damn ice-blue eyes are wickedly playful in this completely inappropriate way that causes my nipples to harden and my lady-bits to tingle like they do nearly every day that I work with Jake. Which for the last ten months has been every damn day.Nope. I hate him. Loathe. Detest.“Becca”—he lifts an eyebrow and his gaze streaks up and down my body—“you know you love me.” His words are honey. Sweet and slow and slick and sticky and they pull me to him almost as certain as if he’d taken that big strong arm of his and snaked it around my waist and pulled me close.Which he didn’t do, and in fact hasn’t done in what seems like nearly a lifetime, and another reason why I absolutely can’t stand this man.“Love you? Ha! I just told you I can’t stand you. Do you even listen to me Jake Warren? Do you listen to anyone? Ever?” I wave the tablet for emphasis because the email I just got from a client—a very important client—proves yet again to me that a) Jake Warren never listens and b) he should be fired so that c) I can run Daddy’s construction company like I was meant to do without any interference from this clown.“Oh, I hear you, Becca,” Jake says, those ice-blue eyes gazing right past me and toward the open doorway and the construction office filled with support staff and other guys that work for Daddy on various construction crews, all of which Jake Warren heads up. “I think everyone in the entire firm hears you too.”“Fuck you,” I silently mouth. I take two steps backward, and press my stiletto to the office door, between us and the rest of the company and kick the damn door closed. “Private enough for ya?”“Guess it depends on what you have in mind, Tiger.”Heat floods my neck. No one. No. One. calls me Tiger—or no one has since Jake did all those years ago and there have been a whole lot of years, plus one college degree, an MBA, and a failed (very public) engagement since the last time Jake stood this close to me and called me Tiger.“Becca,” I say between gritted teeth. “That’s Becca to you. Or, if you prefer, you can call me Ms. Ryan,” I say.“Riiiiiight.” He takes a step closer. “And what if I prefer Tiger?”I swallow and don’t move because deep down inside as much as I currently hate Jake Warren, I actually, if I’m honest, prefer him calling me Tiger too.

Author Bio:
Maggie Marr is the USA Today Best Selling author of hot contemporary romance. She spends her days working in entertainment and her nights writing. Maggie loves all things pop culture and when she isn't writing, she's reading or binge-watching Netflix. Never miss a new release, sale, bonus content, or extras by signing up for Maggie's newsletter here:

maggiemarr.net

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ: Jules by Giulia Lagomarsino #GIVEAWAY

Jules
Giulia Lagomarsino
(Reed Security, #12)
Publication date: March 18th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Julian swore he would always love her. He said he would never leave her. He’s about to break that promise. If only she would listen. If only she would trust him. But how much crap can one man take? It’s time to move on.Ivy wants Julian more than anything, but she’s won’t trust anyone with her secrets. Now it’s too late. He doesn’t want her, but she needs him more than ever. If only she could make him understand. If only she had told him sooner how she felt, but that train has left the station and her life is going to hell. She should have told him she loved him when she had the chance.

Goodreads / Amazon
—EXCERPT:“You really are f@&king stupid,” Ice sneered. “Why don’t you just kick her puppy while you’re at it.”“She doesn’t have a puppy.”“That was sarcasm, a$$hole. Getting your brain scrambled has made you a real dumb f@&ker.”“What was wrong with what I said?”“You just reminded her that you still don’t remember her after you kissed her.”“Yeah, it’s true. That’s why I said it.”“Well, f@&k. There’s your first problem,” Ice grumbled. “You never tell the truth.”“I thought honesty was always best.”“Nooo. No, no, no.” Chris agreed with him, which I found a little odd, which meant it was probably the right answer. “How’s dinner?”“Fantastic,” Ice said. “Never had a better steak.”“Honey, did you put that bill in the mail?”“Of course, honey. I know that bill was important,” Ice smirked.“Was it good for you?”“Best head of my life.”“That’s an important one,” Chris said urgently. “Never forget that one. She wants to know that she’s the absolute best and you’re never thinking about any other woman going down on you.”“You lie to her about sex?” I asked incredulously.“They do it too,” Ice shrugged. “You’re the best I’ve ever had. You made me come so hard. Your dick doesn’t fit. All of those are lies they tell us to make us feel ten feet tall. You know for a fact that they still think of past f@&ks because we do it too. And then there’s that lie about coming so hard when you know they were faking it. And come on, we all know that a dick can only be so big and it’s definitely going to fit because they can squeeze a baby out of their vaginas.”“Lies are a healthy part of any good relationship,” Chris agreed. “They’re for your benefit and hers, so use them, but use them wisely.”“Well, I’m glad that you gave me this advice now, after I already f@&ked things up. What the hell do I do now?”

Author Bio:
I'm a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, "No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book." I didn't think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn't already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven't been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ: Climbing the Walls by Sacha T.Y. Fortune #GIVEAWAY

Climbing The Walls
Sacha T. Y. Fortuné
(Hart & Cole, #1)
Publication date: July 28th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

***Real emotion. Real life. Real love. This is NOT a glossy love story. But if you’re looking for a romance read that will rattle you… characters that will change you… and love that will last in your mind long after you’re finished…

THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU.***—Kris fell, head over heels over hormones, for the damaged b*tch who became his power-woman sex-goddess wife.All Nicole wants is to be a better mother, and a wife more worthy of the husband she loves with every fibre of her body, but she is constantly yanked away by her job and her overbearing boss Darren Hart.But Darren has marital problems of his own – and, when he confides in her, Nicole realises just how easily a happy marriage can crumble.…Can she keep her own from doing the same?Told from both points of view, “Climbing The Walls” explores the fibres that hold a marriage together – love, trust, forgiveness… and of course, the earth-shattering sex that will not be denied.

Goodreads / Amazon—More books in the series:
—EXCERPT:(KRIS)
“Whose fault is it that she doesn’t have a husband and kids to go home to?”“That’s by choice.” I shake my head vigorously, turning on my heel again. My tone drops as I walk into our bedroom. “And to tell you the truth, I’m beginning to see why she made that choice.”Remembering that the kids are sleeping, I resist from slamming the door. I yank off my tie, almost choking myself in the process. I’m more gentle with my belt, pulling it out and flinging it on the bed with the tie. I throw my shirt into the dirty clothes hamper, sit on the bed and kick off my shoes, pull off my socks, step out of my trousers, pull off my briefs. I hang up the belt and tie on their respective hooks, fling the rest of my dirty clothes into the hamper and head for the adjoining bathroom.I’m in the shower four minutes later with the steaming hot water coursing over my body when I hear the door creak open. My back is turned in the direction of the door, but I can picture her standing there, the stretched-out neck of my old t-shirt hanging off one of her shoulders, her arms folded across her chest.“What do you want?” My voice is choked and thick, and the words barely come out. The shower’s doing a magnificent job of sweeping away the tears that would have been gathering at the corner of my eyes. Big boys don’t cry. Men don’t cry. No matter if they feel like shit and want to relive an entire day because they just completely fucked it up and to top it off they just said the stupidest thing they could have possibly ever said in the six long years of marriage.The shower door slides open, and she steps in. I can feel her magnetic presence there behind me, but it’s not until her arms circle my waist and her breasts press into the centre of my back that I am fully aware that she’s naked, not in my t-shirt like I had previously assumed.She lays her head there against my back for a moment, and then answers: “You.”I’ve forgotten the question. It doesn’t matter.I turn around, lift her up and let her legs wrap around my stomach, her arms around my neck and my hands supporting her weight effortlessly under her ass. She leans her forehead against mine, so that her long wild curls makes a curtain on either side of our faces as we kiss, gently at first and then deeper, with some pressing urgency neither of us can understand.Her hands clutch at my hair, she’s nibbling my lower lip, I’ve been feeling myself getting hard since her nipples kissed my back but I’m rock hard now and can’t help it, can’t stop it, can’t turn back. She’s always had that effect on me, pushing me to the breaking point before I even realised I stepped into the proverbial door and it slammed shut behind me.Our relationship has forever been a seesaw of raw emotions, of arguments and bitterness and bitchiness and anger and pain and screams and frustration, fused with the smiles and love and tenderness and sweetness and of course the earth-shattering sex. The more severe the argument, the more powerful the sex. That’s how it always has been.Not to say that we haven’t had sex when we weren’t spitting mad at each other. No, not at all. Of course not. Christ, no. Just that the post-hatred sex has always been more intense, more passionate. More nerve-wrecking.The more severe the argument, the more powerful the sex – and we’d just endured two of the most tumultuous weeks of our marriage. So go figure.And there are no sorrys, no apologies, no retractions of previously yelled insults and jabs, no promises that it won’t happen again because we both know it will. And most likely, pretty soon.There’s just sex: pure, unadulterated and unprotected sex. There’s arms and legs and water and tile and wall and hair and chests and lips and eyes and bodies clinging together like there’s no tomorrow. My entire universe gets trapped in this bubble of ecstasy; my whole world is the slickness in the steamy little room as our bodies mesh. It’s just us; Kris and Nicole and Nicole and Kris and Kris and Nicole and Kris.In the midst of it, Kris’ little warning bells shriek, telling him that it’s not healthy to use sex like this, not healthy to quell the argument with sex. It never has been healthy.But it’s always worked.And he’s tired of fighting, tired of the stress, tired of the lack of sleep because whether or not he is willing to admit it, Nicole is responsible for his sanity as well as his insanity and his ambition and his drive and every raised pore in his body. He can’t get by in life unless he’s getting along with her because he falls apart and crumbles, crashes and burns out quicker than the shortest fuse. She crawls under his skin, eats away at his insides like acid, and has the power to reconstruct him with the merest hint of a vague smile. She’s always had that effect on him.And his anger surges and subsides repeatedly as she melts away his rage with her body, as her lips and her tongue and her fingertips work their magic along the hard ridges of his body.He doesn’t know what to do with her, not sure how the hell he could manage a day without her.And he’s fully aware that having sex would only be a temporary patch to their relationship, but what the fuck. He hasn’t had sex in three and a half weeks. The Friday night she’d convinced him to let her go to Kiki’s meeting alone, they hadn’t gotten around to the having sex part of the seduction, although Nicole had achieved her goal anyway.Three and a half weeks. Almost a month. If the cold war had continued another week or two he would have found himself jacking off to a porno. Which he hasn’t done since his early college years. Honestly. Since Nicole, he’s never needed to. And never has. He doubts any other man could honestly say that but he’s honest and he’s a man and it’s not his fault that most other men don’t have Nicole the bitch nymphomaniac for a wife.And he’s fully aware that sex is not going to cure everything. It’s basically just a first aid kit. The actual process of curing would take ages upon ages, and time was something the Gellars have never been profusely blessed with. So this is the shortcut.And he’s fully aware that taking this shortcut is absolutely wrong.But, of course, it’s always the wrong things that feel so damn good.

Author Bio:
Sacha T. Y. Fortuné hails from the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, and she considers herself a “citizen of the world” [Read her “30 Day Truth Challenge” here – go to Day 16].Her passion for writing began in her early childhood, when she channeled her active imagination into writing short stories, poems and full-length novels for her friends.The winner of several writing awards during her childhood, she became the President of the Writers’ Guild at Lancaster University in Lancaster, UK, where she contributed some poems and short stories to Lancaster University’s Writers’ Guild Anthologies during 2005-2007.With her BA in Media & Cultural Studies under her belt, she went on to complete her MA in International Journalism at the University of Westminster in London, UK.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ: Law & Disorder by Liv Arnold #GIVEAWAY

Law & Disorder
Liv Arnold
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: March 18th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Romance

Lawyer Juliet Jackson has come head to head with Sergeant Jesse Burns on numerous occasions in court. He is provoking. Pigheaded. Punch-worthy. They don’t get along. Not one little bit. The unfortunate fact he’s also her next-door neighbor brings her loathing off the charts. But when Juliet’s caught locked outside her home in nothing but a skimpy towel, she must swallow her pride and turn to Jesse for help. She doesn’t expect the explosive chemistry between them and can’t help but wonder if Jesse’s as demanding in the bedroom as he is in the courtroom.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Google Play / iBooks—EXCERPT:His handsome face smirked before he averted his eyes and turned his head, but she could still see the profile of his face. His police uniform stretched across his chest. Wonder if that chest is chiseled underneath all those clothes.Her ears burned hotter than chili sauce, spreading to her neck and chest. No point in putting on a mask this time, because there was no escaping this. Her fingers found the ends of the towel to cover her naked body, but her legs froze on the spot. “I got locked out of my house.”“You got locked out of your house…naked?” A grin spread across his face, revealing the dimple on the bottom lip. She wanted to bite it but didn’t know if it was to hurt him or because of the temperature between her legs.Scowling at his sarcasm, her fingers gripped the bricks of her house and she pulled herself up. “Yes. Why are you even here? Didn’t you have enough of me this morning?“Never enough.”

Author Bio:
Liv Arnold has worked as a copywriter for several global companies and now runs her own freelance business. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and lives with her husband and their spoiled dog, who only eats freshly cooked meals. When she's not writing, Liv's avoiding the gym, devouring a cheese platter, or marathoning way too much TV. And of course, she's a massive book addict and often reads until all hours of the night.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ: What He Wants by Jessie Gussman #GIVEAWAY

What He Wants
Jessie Gussman
(Baxter Boys, #2)
Publication date: December 22nd 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

One night changed everything…Cassidy Kimbell killed a man when she was only nineteen.Torque Baxter took the blame, serving ten years for her crime.He told her to flee the scene of the accident. He told her to run. He told her to keep her mouth shut, so that’s what she’d done. She’d let a boy with a crush become an innocent man behind bars.Today, that man is being released.Cassidy expects Torque to hate her. She knows nothing she has done to atone all these years can compare to what he’s lost. But she hopes becoming his sponsor on the outside, especially since she’s a lawyer now, might help.Little does she know, Torque doesn’t want her to owe him.He wants her to love him.But to do that Cassidy would have to give up the life she’s built for the last ten years. She’d have to sacrifice it all, just like he did.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:“Are you okay?” His voice whispered across her face, and she shivered.“I’m fine,” she said. “You’re wet. Are you hurt?”“I’m glad I’m wet. I wouldn’t want you to think I planned this.” He stood to his feet, the water splashing around them. “Glad it’s been a little dry this year and the creek’s low. It would have softened the landing, but you’d have gotten wet if the water had been higher.” He splashed out of the creek and set her down. She didn’t let go of his neck right away, and they ended up pressed together, his hands on her hips.“Why would I have thought you planned it?” she asked, a little breathlessly. Neither of them was hurt, and it had been fun, even after the rope broke. For her at least. She wasn’t wet.“So I could hold you.” His hands tightened on her waist, and his head bent so his cheek rested against her temple so his words hit her ear then drove straight to her heart.“You don’t have to make up elaborate schemes with frayed ropes and water in order to hold me.”His body stiffened. His chest heaved in and out. It took him so long to answer that she wasn’t sure he was going to. “This was almost as good as driving with you.”They could have been teenagers again, with no worries and few cares, driving down the back roads, free and easy.“I miss your old pickup.”He stepped back, and she let her arms drop, missing his heat immediately. “I’d rather have gone driving, but I need to put a truck together first.”He grabbed her hand, and she laughed. “You’re the only person I’ve ever met that doesn’t ‘buy’ a truck, but ‘puts one together.’”His chuckle drifted back as he led her out from under the bridge. “I’d fall in that dang creek a hundred times to hear you laugh. You need to do it more often.”Her smile froze on her face. “It’s good to hear you laugh too. It’s actually good just to hear you at all.” She didn’t mean to slam him for not talking to her after he went to prison, but it had hurt. She’d thought she meant something to him, but he’d completely shut her out.He paused, one foot on the bank, ready to climb up. “I’m sorry.” He turned, searched her face.“Why?” she asked, even though it wasn’t the first time, and he’d refused to answer her.She could hardly contain her surprise when he put a hand in his pocket and shifted, opening his mouth.

Author Bio:
Jessie Gussman is the award-winning author of The Baxter Boys series and The Sweet Haven Farm series - soul-stirring, SWEET, small town romance with humor and heart. Jessie lives in central Pennsylvania with a lot of other people. Some of them claim to be related to her. She has five dogs, nine nice cows plus one that tries to kill her every day, and twenty thousand chickens. Some of the people in her home claim a cat lives there, too, but those reports have not been substantiated. Jessie cooks for a crowd every day (except when she can get out of it) and does as little cleaning as possible. Jessie is allergic to social media, but she does send out a newsletter once or twice a week to a thriving community of several thousand readers. Anyone can subscribe, as long as Jessie doesn't have to cook for them. Her newsletter includes snippets from her life and books, along with special deals, offers and sneak peaks of soon-to-be released novels. Sign up here and get a FREE sweet romance novella delivered to your inbox: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qx71qtunbm

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ: The Virgin Club by Kayley Wood #GIVEAWAY

The Virgin Club
Kayley Wood
Publication date: March 19th 2019
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Challenge: Lose my virginity before my 24th birthdayTime Left: 23 days
Appletinis, a semi-meltdown, and a ‘Lose My Virginity Challenge’ post. That’s all it took for my little blog to go viral.The realization that I’m the lone virgin left from my club’s original pact ignited my not-so-genius idea. But what else could I do? With my two best friends happily un-single (and having plenty of sex), I’ve become an outcast—the anti-Hester Prynne, walking the streets with a giant V attached to my chest.I’m going to be fine. I’m anonymous. I can just delete the post and pretend it never happened. No big deal, right?Wrong!My co-worker crush, Logan—gorgeous, yummy and out of my league—found out about my secret deadline-driven cherry popping quest.Humiliated would be an understatement.Fortunately, my besties come to the rescue with a brilliant plan that involves my trending blog. If all went smoothly, I’d not only win over the untouchable Logan but also live my dream of becoming a full-time writer.The plan isn’t just brilliant, it’s perfect… until my new boss, Alexander Freeman comes into the picture with his Brooks Brothers suit and Tom Ford briefcase.
So what if the Stiff is hot? I will not ruin my one chance with Logan or my dream career.But I’m in more trouble than I originally thought.
Turns out Alex has a few intentions of his own and a huge secret I’m totally unprepared for.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:
Blog: The Virgin ClubSubscribers: 738Entry # 138Title: My First Job Interview
There is but one constant, inevitable truth in my life: What goes up, must eventually come crashing down.My first memory of this recurrent theme happened when I was six years old. I was angry at my mother for putting me in time-out. Believing I was too grown up for such punishments, I set out to prove how self-reliant I was by running away from home. Most kids at that age would end up walking in circles because they know they aren’t allowed to cross the street.Not me.My incident involved hiding in our neighbor’s old tree fort nailed between two pine trees. By the time they found me, my entire ponytail was drenched in pine sap. No matter how many times my mother washed my hair, the sap remained. She had no choice but to cut my hair off… all seven uneven inches of it. Of course this all happened a day before I started the first grade.Needless to say, my first day of school wasn’t a pleasant one.When I started this blog in college, the Virgin Club had a mission and a purpose we believed in: to never let the complications of sex and relationships sever the bonds of girl empowerment. To raise each other up as individuals who supported our own personal and professional goals.The five of us made a pact to remain virgins until graduation.Only three remained in the club by senior year, but we ended up as best friends. We were proud graduates who knew what we wanted and were ready to take on the world. Right?Not so fast.Keeping to my inescapable what goes up, must come down philosophy, it seems only fitting that during my first job interview, I tripped over a cord and face-planted into someone’s desk, breaking my nose. You wouldn’t believe the amount of blood that can come out of your face. By the horrified gasps of those in the office and their reluctance to come anywhere near me, you would’ve thought I had transformed into a hideous zombie, unsteady on my feet, reaching out for help and gurgling through the faucet of red flowing out of my nostrils.Thankfully, someone did eventually come to my rescue. With watering eyes and searing pain, and in a state of panic from the amount of blood on my shirt and hands, I could put girl power on the wayside. Adrenaline doesn’t give a crap about your sense of independence or not wanting someone to be your “savior.” It has only one job—survival.I took his help without shame.Although I couldn’t see his face through blurred vision, I still remember his voice, calming me and telling me that I’ll be fine and how he had had his nose broken twice. My heartbeat eventually slowed to a more normal rate as he waited with me for an ambulance. There’s something reassuring about having someone by your side who understands you. Someone who had been through it and was willing to go through it again with you.I never got his name, and I sure as hell won’t go back for a second interview.So if you’re out there, I just wanted to say thank you.

Author Bio:

Kayley has three simple rules in life:1. Surround yourself with some incredible, kick-ass women you call friends.2. Don’t worry about failure or mistakes. It’s how you respond to them that makes all the difference.3. An appletini is never complete without two cherries.

Website / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ: Object of My Desire by R.L. Kenderson #GIVEAWAY

Object of My Desire
R.L. Kenderson
Publication date: March 14th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A romance author, a cover model, a book signing … a crush.Ordinary women like me know we shouldn’t fall for beautiful men like Travis Zehler, one of the hottest cover models in romance fiction. But, sometimes, we can’t help ourselves.When I meet him at a book signing, my attraction to him is instant. I’m infatuated, and I can’t stop thinking about him.Even though I have doubts he’d ever be interested, I invite Travis to attend a book signing with me. And he says yes.My fantasy comes true when he takes me to his bed, and the more time we spend together, the more I see that Travis isn’t some object to be desired.He’s a man with a past. A man who’s been burned. A man who’s learned to keep his guard up.I want to show him he can trust again, but when our confidence in each other is shaken, I begin to wonder if happily ever afters are only for my romance novels.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play—EXCERPT:The combined noise of two phone alarms with completely different songs woke us up at six fifteen the next morning.I quickly shut mine off, as did Harper.“That was a horrible noise,” I commented from my bed.“Yep, I’m up,” Harper said. “Although I’m wondering now why we stayed up late, watching movies.”“I’m wondering whose idea it was to schedule a seven a.m. breakfast on a Saturday.”Harper sat up. “No kidding. It’s my day to sleep in. What the hell, people?”I pushed my covers off me and sat up as well. “We could always skip it?”Harper’s eyes widened. “And miss free food?”“You’re right. I don’t think they have coffee though. We’ll have to go and get one before.”Harper stood. “I’d better get ready then.”“Are you showering before you go?” I called out to her.“No, I’m just going to get dressed and go. I’d rather shower after, so I can look pretty for the book signing.”“Thank God. I didn’t want to shower either.”I spent most days sitting in front of my computer or running errands. Most of the time, I didn’t even bother with makeup, doing my hair, or putting my contacts in. My outfit of choice was yoga pants.So, when it came to book signings, I always liked to look a little more professional. But I really didn’t feel like doing all of that before seven in the morning if I didn’t have to. Besides, I didn’t have time.I brushed my hair and my teeth and put my hair up in ponytail. I put on clean clothes, and, yes, I decided to go with yoga pants because I wanted to be comfortable.“We’d better go. I don’t want to be one of the last ones there and have to sit with people we don’t know.”“What’s wrong with that?” Harper asked.She could make friends with a wall.“Nothing, except that I hate imposing on people.” I grabbed my name tag and my key card.“But you’re an author. People want to meet you.”“I’m a non-famous author,” I reminded her.Harper grabbed her things and looped her arm with mine. “Then, let’s go make them want to meet you.”We went and got large lattes first before we headed to the area where we were supposed to meet for breakfast. There weren’t that many people around, but there also weren’t many tables.“See, it’s a good thing we came early.”“Yeah, yeah,” Harper said with a smile.After the food was rolled out, we filled up our plates and brought them back to our table. I wasn’t a health food nut, but I did try to eat well most of the time to keep myself from gaining too much weight. But I was on vacation, and I was eating as much breakfast as I wanted.“Oh my God,” Harper said with a moan. “These are the best muffins.”“Crap. And I didn’t get one.”She broke off a huge piece. “Here, try some.”I opened my mouth, intending to take a bite, but she shoved the whole thing in my mouth. Both of us started laughing, and I had to turn my face toward the wall behind me. If I kept looking at Harper, I wouldn’t stop giggling, and I didn’t want the room to stare at my chipmunk cheeks.A close female voice said, “Do you mind if we take your other two chairs?”Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harper wave her arm at our empty chairs. “Go ahead. Those seats are free.”“Thank you,” a male voice said.I finally managed to chew half of the food in my mouth and swallow it. “You bitch,” I told Harper as I turned around.She laughed again, and I probably would have, too, except I was stopped dead when I saw who was about to take the seat across from me.It was Travis Zehler, and holy shit, but the few pictures I had seen on online did nothing to prepare me for him in real life.He was tall with broad shoulders and a trim waist, and when he turned to point to something, talking to the woman beside him, I noticed he had a gorgeous ass, too. I wouldn’t have even needed to look up his picture to know this was him. He carried himself in such a way that there was no other word for it than modelesque.Now, I remembered how I’d thought he wasn’t the cutest guy I’d ever seen. His hair was shorter than the few pictures I’d seen, and he had a trim beard. When he smiled at us, I knew I wanted to have his babies.Why did I decide not to look pretty this morning again?Harper kicked me under the table, and I realized I’d been staring. With my mouth open. With food in it.Travis shook his head and laughed.I was going to kill Harper later.The woman to my right had on a purple name tag like me and was probably about my age. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and pretty brown eyes. “Hi, I’m Angela Devlin.”I swallowed my food, composed myself, and smiled. “I’m Sydney Hart.” I’d seen her name around on social media, but I hadn’t read any of her books yet.“I’m Harper, I’m Sydney’s assistant.”“This is Travis,” Angela said, pointing to him. “He’s my assistant-slash-model.”“So, when did you two get in?” Harper asked. “We saw your name tag still on the table last night,” she said to Travis.He smiled, but Angela was the one who said, “We got here about midnight.”Harper winced. “Ouch. And you both got up so early?”“I slept almost the whole way here from Minneapolis, so I had plenty of rest. But I did just throw on some clothes this morning,” Angela said.“Us, too,” I said with a laugh. “That’s where we’re both from.”Although Travis looked great for someone who had driven for hours and gotten no more than six hours of sleep.“Are you both from Minneapolis?” I asked. I thought I had read Travis was from somewhere farther away, but maybe I was wrong. I hadn’t given his bio my full attention the night I looked him up.“I’m from Michigan,” Angela said. “I flew into Minneapolis and drove here with Travis.”“But you’re from Minnesota?” I asked Travis.
“Yep. Born and raised.” He grinned, and not one, but two dimples appeared. Figures. “I grew up in a small town, moved to the Cities in high school,and stayed.”
I couldn’t believe he was from the same place I lived. Despite just meeting him, he gave off this aura. I didn’t know how to explain it, and it was kind of like finding out a famous actor lived near me.“That’s so cool that you decided to attend,” Harper said.“Yeah, Ang convinced me,” he said, and I noticed the nickname he used for her. They must be close.“How did you do that?” I asked Angela, half-joking, half-serious. “I think he’s the only model to attend this weekend.”She laughed. “I did a lot of begging and pleading.”Travis shook his head, but he was smiling.“Truthfully, he’s just a really nice guy.”Travis shook his head again, and mouthed, No, I’m not.Harper and I both laughed.Angela put her hand up to her mouth, so Travis couldn’t see what she was saying, but then she proceeded to speak loud enough for him to hear. “He’s also a big softy.”“Shh … don’t tell anyone.” Travis shoved a forkful of food in his mouth and grinned.I mentally sighed. God, he’s beautiful.Harper leaned over to me and whispered, “Just a guy, huh?”

Author Bio:
R.L. Kenderson is two best friends writing under one name.Renae has always loved reading, and in third grade, she wrote her first poem where she learned she might have a knack for this writing thing. Lara remembers sneaking her grandmother’s Harlequin novels when she was probably too young to be reading them, and since then, she knew she wanted to write her own.When they met in college, they bonded over their love of reading and the TV show Charmed. What really spiced up their friendship was when Lara introduced Renae to romance novels. When they discovered their first vampire romance, they knew there would always be a special place in their hearts for paranormal romance. After being unable to find certain storylines and characteristics they wanted to read about in the hundreds of books they consumed, they decided to write their own.One lives in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and the other in the Kansas City area where they’re a sonographer/stay-at-home mom/wife and pharmacist/mother by day, and together they’re a sexy author by night. They communicate through phone, email, and whole lot of messaging.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Bookbub / Instagram / Tumblr / Amazon / Books+Main

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway