R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 25
August 6, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: Cruel Devil by Daniela Romero #GIVEAWAY
Cruel Devil
Daniela Romero
(Devils of Sun Valley High, #3)
Publication date: May 30th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Daniela Romero comes an angsty enemies-to-lovers romance between a broody jock and his best friend’s little sister.Dominique Price.Good looking.Arrogant.Football-God and my brother’s best friend.He hates me. He wants me. He can never have me.Everything comes so easy for him.I refuse to be just another game for him to win.“Okay, so this might be the best football romance I’ve ever read.” ★★★★★ —Goodreads Reviewer
Cruel Promise
Daniela Romero
(Devils of Sun Valley High, #4)
Publication date: July 8th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports
Grief is a fickle bi*ch, and I’ll do anything to escape her.That includes sleeping with my brother’s very off-limits best friend. Dominique Price wants me.My body. My mind. My soul.And he can have me.Behind closed doors and away from prying eyes.As long as he helps me forget my pain, and promises to stay the hell away from my heart, I’ll be his.And for a short while, he’ll be mine. But, we’re playing a dangerous game. One whose rules are swiftly being ignored.I want him. Need him. Might even be addicted to him. Only, happily ever after was never in the cards for us.And it looks like I'm the idiot who forgot that.
—
EXCERPT:
“What game are you playing at, baby girl?” His voice is deceptively calm, but I don’t miss the thread of warning in his tone. He’s pissed. Not that I’m surprised. I know Deacon is on his list of least favorite people. But it’s not like I expected him to drop by unannounced. I didn’t plan for this.
I try not to focus on how close he is—close enough for me to smell his cologne. Cinnamon and sandalwood. And instead, pay attention to breathing, desperate to slow my racing heart.
“I’m not playing any game,” I snap, keeping my voice low so it doesn’t reach my brother.
Gripping my hips, Dominique jerks me back until I’m pressed to his front.
“Why is he here?” He leans forward, nose trailing over my exposed skin.
I shiver and go to step away, but his grip tightens, holding me in place.
“What are you doing?” I hiss, eyes watching my brother. He can look in this direction at any time. All it would take is a second, and we’d be caught.
“Answer the question.” One hand slips under the hem of my shirt to rest against my lower belly. His hold is possessive, his touch like a hot brand against my skin.
“You told me to talk to someone,” I remind him.
His fingers dig into the flesh of my abdomen for a millisecond before he relaxes them. “And you chose him?”
He’s seething, and I can’t help the smile that ghosts over my lips. It’s a good thing he can’t see the expression on my face.
“Yup.”
“Careful,” he warns. “You’re walking a dangerous line. One that’s liable to get you punished.”
A tiny bead of sweat forms along my hairline. It’s not overly warm outside. Yet, I’m burning up.
“You can’t punish me for doing what you asked.” Right? Though a part of me isn’t as turned off by the idea as I should be. Anticipation thrums through my veins.
“Watch me,” he growls low in my ear before sliding his hand over my flat tummy and into the front of my jeans.
Clenching my thighs together, I ignore the heat blossoming in my chest. The memory of my morning with Dominique floods through my mind and despite my efforts to keep my body rigid against his, he makes no sign of being deterred. If anything, my lack of response only serves to embolden him.
Dominique slides a finger over the fabric of my already damp panties before rubbing my clit through the material. Shit. I clench my teeth, fighting against the urge to whimper.
His teeth nip at my earlobe as he strokes me, sending a bright burst of pleasure straight to my center. The air hums with electricity and his lean and powerful form wraps around mine.
“I’ll be back tonight after Aaron goes to bed.” His tone is laced with promise. “Leave the side door unlocked.”
I swallow hard, keeping utterly still despite the demands of my body, urging me to give in to his touch. To welcome his embrace.
“Wear nothing but my shirt when I arrive. I want you ready for me. Understand?”
My hands curl into fists at my sides. I can’t breathe. Let alone form coherent words to respond. Deacon and my brother are only a few yards away. At any point, one or both of them can turn around to find Dominique’s hand buried down the front of my pants, and for some strange, fucked up reason, knowing that only turns me on more.
My lungs expand with my attempts to suck in a breath.
“Tell me you understand, baby girl.”
He flicks my clit, eliciting a whimper that is met by his dark chuckle. “Good enough,” he says and withdraws his hand from my panties.
A choked sound of disappointment escapes me, and it’s then that my brother turns to glance in our direction. “You two good?” he asks, attention split between us and the game.
“All good, man,” Dominique answers, standing stiff behind me.
How does he sound so unaffected right now? Turning so my flushed face doesn’t give me away, I call out, “I’m gonna hit the books while you guys play, but call me later. K’?”
I don’t know if my words are meant for Deacon or my brother, but both promise to talk to me later, waving me off as they shout at the display, redirecting their focus back to the game.
Dominique’s heated gaze spears arrows of awareness into my back as I head for the door but I refuse to look over my shoulder.
Don’t look at him. I tell myself. It’ll only give him what he wants.
Chewing my bottom lip, I open the exterior door that leads inside. I’ve barely passed the threshold when the urge to look back damn near overwhelms me. You can do this, Kasey. Just close the door.
Author Bio:
Daniela Romero is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She enjoys writing steamy, new-adult and paranormal romance that delivers an emotional roller coaster sure to take your breath away.Her books feature a diverse cast of characters with rich and vibrant cultures in an effort to effectively portray the world we all live in. One that is so beautifully colorful.Daniela is a Bay Area native though she currently lives in Washington State with her sarcastic husband and their three tiny terrors.In her free time, Daniela enjoys frequent naps, binge reading her favorite romance books, and is known to crochet while watching television because her ADHD brain can never do just one thing at a time.Stop by her website to find all the fun and unique ways you can stalk her. And while you’re there you can check out some free bonus scenes from your favorite books, learn about her Patreon, order signed copies of her books, and swoon over her gorgeous alternative cover editions.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok / Bookbub / Amazon / Newsletter
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August 5, 2022
#BooksByREHargrave END OF SUMMER .99 BLOWOUT!
Say what now? That’s right! Life’s been rough on all of us and it’s been a while since I ran a sale, so, from August 5-31, 2022, you can grab ALL of my individual e-books for JUST 99c! 😉 If you aren’t familiar with my style, it’s usually hot and spicy, sometimes sweet and romantic, but always comes with an HEA.
THE DIVINE TRILOGY~
To Serve is Divine (99c at Amazon, FREE everywhere else): https://www.books2read.com/TSiD
A Divine Life: https://www.books2read.com/ADL
Surreal: https://www.books2read.com/Surreal
STAND ALONES~
Wanted: https://books2read.com/WANTEDreh
Dani and the Outcast (PG13): https://books2read.com/DaniAndTheOutcast
STRIPED STOCKING (BDSM) STORIES~
Brooklyn Blues: https://www.books2read.com/BrooklynBlues
Ribbons & Os: www.books2read.com/RibbonsOs
NOVELLAS~
Sugar & Spice (PG13): http://amzn.to/2feTpTO
Unchained Melody: http://amzn.to/2ahnflP
Haunted Raine (PG13): http://amzn.to/2yRpCFq
The Food Critic: http://amzn.to/1jdIrdR
Fire Lust: http://amzn.to/2ryLPaz
Kah Key Honeymoon: https://amzn.to/2ONw5cx
#BooksByREHargrave #ebooks #SALE #99c #SummerSALE #GetYourReadOn #LongLiveKink #DivineTrilogy #NarratorRomance #MafiaRomance #BSSBL #FableRetelling #StripedStockingStory #WillUBelong2Me #LittleElf #novels #novellas #quickreads #sexybooks #AddSpiceToYourBookshelf #TBR #YouKnowYouWanna #HEA
B@@K REVEAL: Midnight Tempest by Anya Summers #PreORDER
Midnight Tempest
Anya Summers
(Dungeon Singles Night, #9)
Publication date: September 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Nora fell for Levi when she was nineteen.
He is older, sophisticated, and sexy as hell. She aches for him. Longs for his touch. It has taken her six long years to get here but tonight, she plans to show him just how right they are for each other.
Levi waltzes into the club room expecting another woman.
But how the hell is he supposed to walk away when Nora is naked and kneeling, ready to please him? He can’t. She’s gorgeous enough to tempt any man. And Levi is far from being a saint, especially when he secretly craves a taste of her surrender.
Yet he doesn’t see a way forward for them with the secrets he’s keeping, even after the hottest night of his life. Nora is too young. Being with her could cost him everything. In the end, he isn’t the right man for her. She deserves so much better than him.
But Nora has other plans. Now that she’s experienced Levi’s wicked brand of lovemaking, she won’t let him go. She’ll fight for him – for them. And she’ll risk her heart and soul for the one man she knows is her destiny.
Author Bio:
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.
Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.
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B@@K REVEAL: Beginning of the End by Colleen Green #PreORDER
Beginning of the End
Colleen Green
(Amber Milestone, #3)
Publication date: August 10th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
“Amber Milestone’s life in New York City has been plagued by the Mafia for as long as she’s lived there. Her roommate, Fiona, and friend, Henry have had their lives ruined by drugs and mobsters, and the trio agree to share what they know with the police in the hopes of taking down the Bugiardini family once and for all. However, informing on the Mafia is not without risk, and Amber will have to be careful if she wants to make it out of the investigation alive.”Alyssa B., Proofreader, Red Adept Editing
—
EXCERPT:
The thought of speaking about my mob-related experiences over the past months caused an emotion I couldn’t name even if I tried. I couldn’t digest what I was feeling. It was such a mixture that it left me with an ache in the pit of my stomach grinding against the swarm of nerves, making it quiver uncontrollably. It was anxiousness and anger toward the men who did horrible deeds under the guise of so-called business. It was hatred toward them, their actions, and the pain they inflicted on others. It was sadness for the irreparable damage they had caused, like Fiona’s disappointment in her gambling-addicted father. Somehow, I was about to take all those feelings and turn them into coherent information with names, dates, places, and suspicions for my father to take to his NYPD contacts.
As we got off the train at our stop, it wasn’t just the cold fall breeze cutting through me. Memories of every injustice played back in my mind and filled my veins with ice. To help take down the mob with information, I needed to be calm under pressure. I couldn’t worry about the bullet that might get lodged in my brain because of the words I was about to speak or the bullets that may go into my dear friends’ heads. I couldn’t let fear win. Instead, truth and justice would prevail no matter what, no matter the cost. It was the only way to stop these so-called businessmen.
Fiona and I walked side by side without talking to each other. We knew what each other would say to my father per our discussion last night. We knew the information was valuable to the police and how dangerous it was to divulge it to the authorities. There was nothing left to say to each other until we were done speaking to my father.
My cell vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw “Henry” on the screen. I flipped it open. “Hey. What’s going on?”
“Change of plans. Now we’re meeting in the restaurant Tea Time in the Continuance Center on the third floor. The building is in the Columbus Circle area. I told your father that you and Fiona are coming to talk to him. He seemed excited to see you. After what he put your family through, he’s lucky you’re talking to him at all!”
“He is. But I’m not doing it for his sake. I’m doing it to do my part in taking down the mob.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up by flipping the phone before putting it back into my pocket.
“What was that about?” Fiona asked.
“New meeting place. We’re still headed in the right direction, so at least we don’t have to backtrack.”
“That’s good. Where?”
“Tea Time in the Continuance Center.”
“I’ve heard they have delicious pastries.” Fiona’s eyes lit up, but the gleam faded quickly.
“I know. It would have been an exciting thing to do if it weren’t for all the ugly things we’re about to talk about.” I frowned. “I’ve always wanted to go to have tea and crumpets or whatever, but not like this.”
At nearly four o’clock, Columbus Circle was already crowded, almost like rush hour on a Monday. In Manhattan, though, it always seemed like rush hour. New Yorkers say the busiest time is from four in the afternoon to about seven in the evening.
Tourists with maps, people in business suits, workers in black-and-white uniforms who must have been servers or bartenders at restaurants, and casually dressed New Yorkers walked around Columbus Circle, heading to different buildings. Traffic was congested, with horns beeping. The statue of Christopher Columbus stood high in the air on a pedestal. We had seen it in the distance when we were walking.
Henry was ahead of us, standing beside the twenty-story Continuance Center. I had heard it had business offices, restaurants, and shops inside. His drawn face, puffy eyes, and the crease above his forehead were most likely due to his inner struggle of living with what he thought his brother, Charles, could be doing with the mob. As we approached Henry, he mustered a faint grin.
I hugged him more tightly than I ever had before.
Author Bio:
Author Colleen Green lives in Ohio. She loves to write, read, and cook. Creating a world that readers can immerse themselves into is her passion. Last Words is her debut novel. The romance suspense book is set in the breathtaking vineyards of Napa Valley, California. Romance suspense, YA paranormal romance, and urban fantasy genres are among her favorites to read and write. She is currently working on the second book in the Amber Milestone series and a series of short YA urban fantasy stories.
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August 4, 2022
B@@K REVEAL: Emerald Eyes by Aurelia Yates
Emerald Eyes
Aurelia Yates
Publication date: August 30th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
After the death of her mother and losing her job, Sarah realizes there’s nothing keeping her in the small town where she grew up, and she travels to New York to stay with her best friend. Upon her arrival, she literally falls for a sexy, dark man with mesmerizing emerald-green eyes.
Chance encounters continue to bring them together, and Sarah finds herself drawn into a sinful world she’s never known. Wilder is unlike any other man, and although she tries, she can’t resist him or his dominating temperament.
Try as she might, Wilder will not let Sarah escape him, and with a stalker coming after her, he is determined to protect her with everything he has—even when he has to punish her in the bedroom for disobeying his commands.
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BOOK BLITZ: A Royal Mistake by Jennifer Bonds #GIVEAWAY
A Royal Mistake
Jennifer Bonds
(Royally Engaged, #3)
Publication date: August 2nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Princess Philippa Stanley is over being the perfect royal.
The world’s got bigger problems than the color of her nail polish, but the tabloids insist on detailing her every royal faux pas. Like her bold new hairstyle and missing pantyhose. Freaking pantyhose. Things that don’t matter to anyone. Except her parents.
Their Majesties are desperate for her to settle down. So desperate they invite a dozen overzealous bachelors to compete for her hand in marriage. Now she’s living her own nightmare version of The Bachelorette: Royal Edition with suitors ambushing her at every turn.
No way is she participating in this farce of a courtship, but when her father makes her an offer she can’t refuse—take part in exchange for access to her trust fund—it’s the only way to get the money she needs to start her own charitable foundation.
Fine. She’ll play the game. There’s zero chance she’ll fall in love until she crashes into a sexy, down-to-earth philanthropist who can help her launch her charity and drive off the unwanted suitors. It’s like she’s met the perfect guy.
But what if he’s really the perfect lie?
What can you expect in A ROYAL MISTAKE?
✓ Awkward meet-cute
✓ Royal in disguise
✓ Virgin heroine
✓ Friends-to-Lovers
✓ Sexy, slow burn RomCom
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
Pippa lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. The last place she wanted to be was at Heinrich von der Recke’s door, but here she was, fist raised, courage gathered. Sometimes you had to take the shite with the sunshine.
Today it was her turn to roll in the muck.
She knocked three quick raps, her nerves stretched taught. Maybe he’d be out and she could just slip a note under his door. She’d written one just in case. Another of Miss Cartwright’s lessons; always be prepared.
She glanced up and down the empty hall. There wasn’t a soul in sight, save Sarah, her constant shadow. She’d give Heinrich to the count of thirty—no, twenty—and she’d slide her card under the door. After all, a written apology was still an apology.
Pippa quickly counted to twenty and pulled the handwritten note from her pocket. Just as she knelt down, the door swung open. Heinrich stood over her, looking even taller and more handsome than she remembered. Like before, he wore a trim summer suit that showcased his broad shoulders, slim waist, and a rather impressive package.
Not that she was looking at his package, but it was right there.
God, what was wrong with her? Miss Cartwright would have a conniption fit if she could see her now.
She jerked her eyes up to his face. Though it was barely noon, dark stubble covered his jawline. Didn’t the man own a razor? Not that she was complaining. The look suited him. She wanted to run her fingers along his jaw to find out for herself if it was scratchy or soft or something in between.
Which should’ve been her first clue he wasn’t a suitor. Because no way would her body betray her by getting hot for one of the toffs.
Heinrich lowered his gaze, and his dark eyes sharpened when they locked on her own. Then that insufferable smirk spread across his lips and she forgot all about stroking his… beard.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked, voice as smooth and rich as a Richart truffle. “It’s not every day I open my door to find a beautiful woman on her knees.”
He thought she was beautiful?
So not the point. Get off the damn floor!
“I’m not— It’s not—” Flames heated her cheeks as she scrambled to her feet and shoved the parchment envelope in the pocket of her sundress. His gaze slid over her, slow and deliberate, as if he were memorizing every inch of exposed skin.
Pippa shivered in anticipation. She’d never felt a true lover’s caress, but she imagined it might feel like this, her skin hot and tight everywhere his gaze lingered. She sucked in a steadying breath, combing her memory for her carefully practiced speech, which seemed to have evacuated her brain.
Bloody hell. This was not how she’d imagined their meeting. At. All.
“Careful, Your Highness.” He folded his arms over his chest and leaned casually against the doorjamb, ankles crossed. “A lesser man might get the wrong idea. Me? I figure we should get the introductions out of the way before we get to know one another intimately.”
Author Bio:
Jennifer Bonds is the USA Today bestselling author of sizzling contemporary romance with sassy heroines, sexy alphas, and a whole lot of mischief. She’s a sucker for enemies-to-lovers stories, laugh-out-loud banter, and over-the-top grand gestures. Jennifer lives in Pennsylvania, where her overactive imagination and weakness for reality TV keep life interesting. She's lucky enough to live with her own real-life hero, two adorable (and sometimes crazy) children, and one rambunctious K9. Loves Buffy, Mexican food, a solid Netflix binge, the Winchester brothers, cupcakes, and all things zombie. Sings off-key.
Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest
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August 3, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: Blackmail by Amelia Wilde #GIVEAWAY
Blackmail
Amelia Wilde
Publication date: August 2nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Bristol Anderson will do anything to protect her younger siblings. Even if it means embezzling from the company where she’s a temp. No one will find out. And the wealthy owner of the investment firm will never notice.
Except Will LeBlanc doesn’t miss a thing.
He could call the police, but he has more interesting plans for her. In the copy room. On the conference table. Under his desk.
The coldhearted venture capitalist will make her pay back every last cent.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play
—
Author Bio:
Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside.
Amelia is a USA Today best selling author from northern Michigan. Be her friend!
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August 2, 2022
AUTHOR/READER EVENT NOTICE: Sultry in the City is around the corner!
Sultry in the City details
An author and reader conference to bring a diverse authors and readers together to celebrate the magic of romance in the beautiful city of Houston, Texas.
GET TICKETS HERE...Use code LOVE for 20% off!
VIP bags, Blind Date with a Book raffle, author raffles, and more!
Fostering Hope (an anthology about foster children and the life they led after being in the system) will be here August 23, 2022
AMAZONAll Other Retailers
Stories written by Sultry in the City authors:Mariah KingsleyLexi BlakeBeth A. FreelyPayne Craven AuthorLynessa LayneCris Burl AuthorLeigh M HallKristen CollinsM.K. DwyerAshley ZakrzewskiMorgan Elliott
*All proceeds go to Joys of Genesis*
#CharityAnthology #multiauthoranthology #multigenre #indieauthors #SultryInTheCity #HoustonTX #JoysOfGensis #Scribd #Kobo #AppleBooks #Amazon #Nook #99Cents #Ebook #AuthorSigning #LimitedEdition
Hey, hey, hey, SULTRY READERS! R.E. Hargrave here, author of contemporary and erotic romance, and editor of multiple fiction genres. Be sure to stop by my table for a chance at this STUFFED goodie basket!* I tend to get a little gift happy when building these, but never realize until I put it all together. Which means, ONE of you will reap the benefits of my impulsiveness. 😉
This time around I decided to highlight some of the authors I’ve worked with—in addition to all the fun stuff, of course—by including their books. Some are signed. All were edited by me.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Just because
ONE adult cuss word coloring book
ONE 12-count pack of Crayola colored pencils
ONE sherbert-ombred straw tumbler
ONE emery board nail file
TWO styles, both in purple, Jamberry nail wraps
TWO bath bombs from The Body Shoppe (scents: Joy & Jasmine/Love & Plums)
THREE “fancy” candy (Justin’s peanut butter cups/Cadbury milk chocolate bar/Endangered Species dark chocolate with caramel and sea salt)
ASSORTED promotional swag (metallic rainbow pen/2 coasters/QR code card)
As a nod to my series The Divine Trilogy
ONE embossed 5 oz steel flask
ONE embossed face mask
ONE purple & gold triskele sticker
As a nod to my book Wanted
ONE can koozie and ONE ink pen, both imprinted with “Keep Calm and Jesus Christ, fucking shitballs!”
As a nod to my book Dani and the Outcast
ONE lavender sachet from Gem de France, located in the French Quarter of NOLA
ONE fleur-de-lis skull sticker and ONE goddess charm from Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo, located in the French Quarter of NOLA
ONE spring clip with charms (my initials, a crescent moon, a fleur-de-lis, and a pistol)
ONE Fabled Mafia Wars Olivier Crime Famiglia sticker
As a nod to my #StripedStockingStory line
ONE pair holiday socks with “Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle”
BOOKS!
A Boy from the Streets by Maria Gibbs
Little White Lies by Jude Ouvrard
The Ninth Angel by Tamara Geraeds (includes printed author’s signature card)
Missing the Gate by Aubree Lane (signed by author)
Marking Her AND Marking Him by Elena M. Reyes (both signed by author, along with asst. swag)
Incubus Born by R.R. Born (signed by author)
*HOW TO ENTER THE RAFFLE: Every $5 spent at my table gets you 1 ticket in the draw, which will happen around 3:15 Saturday afternoon. I won’t be shipping the basket, so if the winner doesn’t collect it by the time we start shutting down, I’ll give it to the first person to show me their ticket stub at 4:05 p.m.
BOOK BLITZ: A Coup of Tea by Casey Blair #GIVEAWAY
A Coup of Tea
Casey Blair
(Tea Princess Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: August 2nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
When the fourth princess of Istalam is due to dedicate herself to a path serving the crown, she makes a choice that shocks everyone, herself most of all: She leaves.
In hiding and exiled from power, Miyara finds her place running a tea shop in a struggling community that sits on the edge of a magical disaster zone. But there’s more brewing under the surface of this city—hidden magic, and hidden machinations—that threaten all the people who’ve helped her make her own way.
Miyara may not be a princess anymore, but with a teapot in hand she’ll risk her newfound freedom to discover a more meaningful kind of power.
A Coup of Tea is the first book of the Tea Princess Chronicles, a cozy fantasy series full of magic tea, friendship, and lifting people up even when the odds seem impossible.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
She hands me a third cup, and I eye her mistrustfully, that unease back again and sharp.
“Earning your tablecloth,” she reminds me.
I smell the grassiness of the green tea before I taste it. But the flavor is so strange I can’t immediately identify the elements—she’s used aloia nectar not just as a sweetener, but to bind this mystery ingredient, and the result has a strangely smooth, nutty element. I frown at the cup and take another sip, swirling the tea in my mouth.
“So?” Lorwyn asks.
It’s much better than the other two, but this tea gives the impression of oozing—no, crawling through the grass—
I set the cup down abruptly. “Please tell me your mystery ingredient is not insectoid.”
Her eyebrows rise in surprise. “Wow. Okay, I’m impressed. Apparently the trekkers named them sleekbeetles. New species discovered in the Cataclysm. Talmeri bought crates of their scales.”
I am drinking beetle scale tea.
This morning I was a princess, and now I sit sopping in a tablecloth drinking beetle scale tea.
“Why?”
Lorwyn shrugs. “I’m sure they were cheap. Talmeri’s always on the lookout for novelty items to boast the most unique tea flavors in the city, and she also likes torturing me. Who can say which was the primary factor this time?”
I grimace. “Wonderful. A hitherto untasted bug. I hope it’s at least magically inert and you haven’t poisoned me?”
“Of course I didn’t poison you,” Lorwyn says. “I tasted it before you did. How could you tell it was beetle?”
“The grassiness of the green tea,” I say. “It’s too sharp. You need something mellower that’s still robust enough to hold up to the aloia nectar.”
Lorwyn slumps back—I’m not entirely sure how she manages to, since she’s sitting on a stool.
“Aloia is tricky,” she grumbles.
“Maybe it needs another note,” I say. “The aloia manages the beetle flavor into something nearly salvageable. Now you need a bridge between the aloia and the tea.”
Lorwyn bolts out of her stool. “Wait there!”
She returns with another small pot and a cup, adds them to the tea service. She lifts the pot to pour, and all at once I realize, beetle scales aside, what’s been bothering me.
The water from that kettle should not have correctly brewed different kinds of teas and tisanes. The temperature of the water has to have changed, and there are no cooling or heating devices anywhere near the table.
I glance around for a structure, anything she could have used to anchor magecraft. The stools aren’t in any particular order around the table, there are no candles, and the teacups are arranged for the taster’s benefit alone.
Which means this isn’t magecraft at all.
It’s witchcraft.
I promise I can maim you in any number of ways, she said.
Lorwyn holds a cup of tea out to me with an excited look on her face.
I’ve lost my wits. After realizing what she’s doing, it’s the only explanation for what I do next.
I take the cup, and I sip.
Author Bio:
Casey Blair writes adventurous fantasy novels for all ages, and her serial fantasy Tea Princess Chronicles is available online for free. After graduating from Vassar College, her own adventures have included teaching English in rural Japan, attending the Viable Paradise residential science fiction and fantasy writing workshop, and working as an indie bookseller. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest and can be found dancing spontaneously, exploring forests around the world, or trapped under a cat. For more information visit her website caseyblair.com or follow her on Twitter @CaseyLBlair.
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August 1, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: The Light After the Orange by Beverley J. Hall #GIVEAWAY
The Light After the Orange
Beverley J. Hall
(The Tundra Stone Series, #1)
Publication date: July 18th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
EVEN IN A DYING WORLD, IS SURVIVAL ENOUGH?
After the Orange and the catastrophic devastation of Earth, magic began to seep in—but will it help Alex Chegasa survive?
Hidden and protected by magic, she grew up embracing her gifts. After witnessing the only people she can call family being murdered, eighteen-year-old Alex must choose between her head and her heart in her search for a place to belong. But, her hunt for a home means having to hide her magic.
All the while, in the shadows, eight-hundred-year-old Fae Billey NicNevin, suffering from amnesia, is rediscovering her magic.
Are their fates intertwined?
What if the fantastical stories Alex’s mother told her as a child were true?
ALL MYTHS ARE BASED ON TRUTH
Sales Copy: Eighteen-year-old Alex Chegasa, one of the first generation to be raised on post-apocalyptic Earth, was taught to embrace her magical gifts.
After the Orange, as the planet burned, magic trickled in. The bombs that had wiped out most life ripped open the barrier between worlds. Can the next generation, connected to the magic, be the solution to mankind’s problems or are they destined to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors?
Did the Orange, the very thing that ravaged the planet, also provide the solution? Or is magic more than a coincidence?
While Alex searches for somewhere to belong, in Massachusetts, she questions if survival is enough when she comes to understand that magic, used by the wrong people, could be more dangerous than the power of the generations before her.
Meanwhile, in a parallel story, we meet eight-hundred-year-old Fae, Billey NicNevin. With a past she doesn’t remember, she struggles to fit into Nuadh Caled (New Scotland) as it rebuilds itself. When she meets a woman whose soul calls to her, will she find her missing piece or tumble into insanity?
Are their destinies connected?
WHAT IF THE FANTASTICAL STORIES FROM ALEX’S CHILDHOOD WERE TRUE?
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EXCERPT:
Loneliness ate me up from the inside, nibbling away at me and leaving an aching emptiness. I didn.t know what I missed or who I missed but knew, deep in the part of my soul that holds my intuition, there was a person-size hole nobody could fix, except for the one.
The person we all hunt for but so rarely find.The person we were made to fit with.The one imperfect, perfect, mismatch our soul longs for. *The trees gathered around me and protected me from the breeze that grew and took on a new life. I rested against the rough bark of the largest tree, my rear now sitting into the roots that formed a seat in the ground. The tree, I almost believed, was shaped for me. Its branches wrapped around my tiny form as I snuggled among the roots. The wind grazed my cheek and I pulled my scarf around my face, desperate to stay here for every second possible.
The sound of the wind howling through the branches vibrated the leaves and created a voice I longed to understand. I closed my eyes, listening, imagining I could hear the voices of the trees. I felt my soul combine with the tree, and contentment that existed nowhere else in my life melted my anguish and pain.
My eyes shot open and I stared at where Geilis had been moments earlier. Empty space filled my view.I was, again, alone.
Author Bio:
Beverley J. Hall was born in Kent, England, and raised in Scotland. Most of her childhood was spent with her nose in a book, and her love of stories was born.
While studying Art and Design, she discovered her love of storytelling, whether with paint, sculpture, fabric, or words.
After completing an MA in Creative Writing, she is now living her best life, writing stories at the seaside with her son, her granddaughter, and her cat Bertie.
Head over to TikTok, Instagram, or Twitter to join her overthinking and daydreaming (she’s still hoping for a pet dragon).
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok
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