R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 34
June 9, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: Raiden by Ali Lucia Sky #GIVEAWAY
Raiden
Ali Lucia Sky
(Somnolence, #1)
Publication date: June 6th 2022
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
I never expected to see my favorite rock band standing in the office of my high school getting their schedules. Kids my age aren’t known for touring the world and making music for the masses, but Somnolence is.
They welcome me. Raiden takes me in, loves me… it’s like a dream. Until darker forces, nightmares, and their own dark appetites come for me.
—
EXCERPT:
Raiden walks out and slowly makes it my way, grinning. “I missed you.” He frames my face in his hands and kisses my lips softly. But his tenderness lasts only a moment before he lets his hunger bleed through. Our tongues stroke one another like it’s been forever since we were last together.
I hear everyone leave and Raiden delicately trails his hands down my arms to my hands and entwines his fingers with mine. He pulls them behind his back, so I’m embracing him.
“Fuck, little Lilac, your lips are delicious. I thought you tasted like strawberries, but you are sweeter.” He nibbles on my lower lip, licks my upper lip and I moan. His thigh slips between mine, and I rock into him. It feels so good. His head drops to my throat. “Can I leave my own mark right here? Something on you that isn’t from pain and punishment? Something from worship and adoration?”
I nod.
“Mmmm.” He hums. “Such a perfect flower.” He licks my throat and presses a chain of kisses down my collarbone before pressing his thigh between mine and sucks. I moan at how good it feels.
When he lifts his head, he brushes his lips over it once, twice and a third time. “I dream of you. I dream of having you under me. Our bare flesh together. You go off for me like a firework and light up my night. One day, I’m going to save you from your monsters and deliver you from the hell you live in. All my songs will be yours, a million lullabies, for my queen. Then I’m going to spread your thighs, crawl between them and fuck every care you have away.”
He presses his lips to mine again, as if sealing his words with a kiss.
“Enough, Raiden. There is probably paparazzi taking photos of you two right now, you dumb fucker. Do you want them to see Layla’s face looking soft and loved up like that? Protect her, do that shit inside!” Jonah scolds from the door to the house.
The fog of passion passes.
But I have my confirmation. Real Raiden can kiss like dream Raiden.
I’m falling fast.
I’m falling hard.
This is happening way too soon.
Author Bio:
Ali Lucia Sky is the author of The Powers That Be series. She lives in Southern California with her husband and a house full of kitty cats and a yard full of crows.
She loves laughing, drinking good coffee, vegan food, and supporting animal rescues.
When she isn’t writing or dreaming of new stories, she can be found planning her next vacation because traveling is life.
If you encounter her in the wild, don’t be offended if she should run away. She’s timid with strangers, but can be plied with shiny things and pictures of your cat or dog.
She’s a weirdo like that.
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June 8, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: Born in Blood by Emma R. Dean # GIVEAWAY
Born in Blood
Emma R. Dean
(Syndicate of Blood and Chaos, #1)
Publication date: June 3rd 2022
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Reverse Harem, Romance
All they had to do was accept her deal and Shadow would give them everything they could ever want.
Despite being born a mafia prince, Damien Chaos lacked the one thing he desperately wanted.
Absolute power and control.
If he wanted that, Shadow was the answer.
The only problem was the Shadow Empire is a kingdom of the intangible and they owe their allegiance to no one.
Kidnapping their lead scientist was the only answer.
If Damien could possess her, if he could resist his desire – if he could just ignore how badly he wanted to carve a symphony of obsession into her skin – he’d finally get the answers he’s been searching for.
They may call him cruel and psychotic.
Manipulative and ruthless.
But they have no idea exactly how far he’ll go to win his kingdom, because Damien Chaos can play this game better than anyone else.
That is, until he met her.
All power comes with a cost.
And that price is their pain and sacrifice.
The pretty mafia prince and his boys may think they have what it takes, but they could never break her.
Desdemona is a ghost – a shadow, and the mafia could never get their hands on her.
But Damien, Aeron, and Kaito were too beautiful to deny. All she had to do was let them think they’re in control. Then they’d fall right into her trap.
They would become hers.
All three of them.
She would use their desire to dig her claws deeper into their minds until they began to relish in the pain – until they finally submit.
For the first time in their lives Damien, Aeron and Kaito are forced to learn what true chaos really is.
This is a reverse harem mafia romance where the villain gets the girl. It has some dark themes including manipulation, stalking, kidnapping, and violence. This story also has MM.
—
EXCERPT:
“If I thought I could steal you from him, I would,” she whispered, and somehow Kaito knew she was talking about Aeron, not Damien. “I’d be willing to share you with him though. He’s almost as pretty as you are. I want him to break me, but I want you…I want you to eat me alive.”
Kaito shuddered, knowing he was well and truly fucked now. This girl understood him, and he hadn’t said a single word. She wanted what he wanted, and his obsession with Aeron didn’t seem like a dirty little secret when she talked about it.
She was focused on his scar like it held the secrets of the universe. Then she looked up at him and licked her lips.
For the first time since it happened, someone else had touched that mark on his neck and he hadn’t wanted to destroy her for it. No, Kaito wanted this crazy woman to sink her teeth into it, even though he knew it would hurt like a bitch.
A strangled sound left him and Kaito couldn’t even be bothered to feel embarrassed, not when she started riding him again. Even through their clothes the sensation made him mindless until he was driving his hips up into her, desperately trying to create more pressure and friction.
Her breaths started to come in pants and Kaito leaned forward, rubbing his nose along hers just to feel those breaths—the evidence of her desire on his face as well as his dick.
All he wanted to do was taste her – the poison would be worth it.
Because he knew that sharp sting was exactly what she really tasted like, and he was the only one who hadn’t gotten to devour her. Kaito sank his teeth into her jaw, holding the bone with enough force her hips stuttered, and a little cry left her lips.
This was his though, this pleasure he’d let her take, the sharp sweetness of her skin.
His teeth ached to draw blood, but Kaito held very still, resisting the urge to make another mark on her face.
“Do it,” she whispered, reaching down to unbuckle his pants.
Kira took him out and started stroking so hard and fast there was nothing he could do but fall apart underneath her, teeth digging into her jaw but never breaking the skin.
“Such a good boy,” she murmured, using his shirt to wipe the cum from her hand. “But next time you’ll taste me.”
The praise and the orgasm made him fucking stupid. Kaito licked the mark on her jaw and breathed her in, wanting to hear what else she was willing to tell him. Would she let him know how good he felt when he was fucking the shit out of her?
Would those blue eyes tell him everything he wanted to hear?
Fuck, she’d gotten into his head so deep Kaito didn’t think he’d ever be rid of her
Author Bio:
Emma Dean is the autistic author of Draga Court and the Council of Paranormals. Juggling work, life, higher education, and a rambunctious toddler leaves little room for much else, but when she gets the chance she dives into a good book and likes to re-read the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop every year during Christmas.
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BOOK BLITZ: Smart Girls Don't Kiss Aliens! by Alina Jacobs #GIVEAWAY
Smart Girls Don’t Kiss Aliens!
Alina Jacobs
Publication date: May 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Paranormal, Romance
Crash-land on an alien barbarian planet and told there’s no way home?
LMAO! I’m a rocket scientist. Miss me with that noise.
Anyone else might have a nervous breakdown, but I was abducted with my besties. Among us, we have fifteen PhDs.
We will be getting off this planet. Trust.
No, I will not be finding an eternal bonded mate among the seven-foot-tall alien males.
No, I will not be wearing a furkini and walking around barefoot.
And no, I will not be moving into a cave with no internet or running water and accepting my fate like the rest of the freed human women on this craft-cocktail-forsaken planet.
Two liquid hydrogen rockets and a smidge of deep-space travel later, and we’re back home on Earth.
Except that our spaceship had stowaways.
Now there’s a seven-foot-tall alien named Cassius in my Los Angeles condo. He’s explaining calmly that according to the ancestors, we are supposed to be eternally mated, he’s bonded to me, and we’re going to have a litter of children. Also, he’s wearing a loincloth. And he has horns.
Wipe that smirk off your face. No, it is not as sexy as it sounds.
He barked at my cat. He harassed my busybody Karen neighbor (actually, I’m okay with that one). He’s obsessed with the ice maker on my fridge.
What’s a smart girl to do?
The smart thing is to build a rocket ship and send Cassius and his other hot alien friends back to their home planet.
The not-smart thing to do is fall into those deep blue-gray eyes and let him show me just how good that forked tongue feels.
And the downright stupid thing to do is fall in love with an alien.
This is a stand-alone, full-length, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, complete with bad space puns, hot guys with horns, and enough steam to cause a supernova. Happily ever after guaranteed!
—
EXCERPT:
“Um, okay, so none of this”—I pointed at the guy with horns, the angry pregnant woman in front of me, and the barbarian alien landscape—“is going to work for me.”
“The alien slave ship carrying you and your friends crash-landed on this planet. You have to stay here forever and ever; there’s no way home,” the pregnant woman insisted as she rubbed her belly. “You’re going to bond with a mate and have babies to help repopulate the tribe. Our clan is in desperate need of women.”
The large half-naked horned alien smiled and waved awkwardly to me.
“I’m not repopulating anything,” Erin said loudly. “My people didn’t overcome centuries of oppression so that I can waste my three PhDs on a planet that doesn’t even have indoor plumbing, let alone anything as civilized as a mall. I can’t be trapped on this planet. I have a manicure on Monday. She does Ariana Grande’s nails, and there is a wait list. I’m going to lose my spot.”
“It’s already lost. You all have been in the stasis pods for the last two years,” the pregnant woman said triumphantly.
I tried to focus on how obnoxious the constant belly touching was so I didn’t completely lose it. Two years. Two freaking years?
Mel started sobbing, and I hugged her.
“Poor Bert,” she cried against my shoulder.
“I’m sure someone adopted him,” I consoled her.
“Is that your child?” the pregnant woman asked, mouth softening.
“Bert’s her corgi,” Ellen explained. “She’s a dog mom.”
The pregnant woman rolled her eyes like a twelve-year-old. “Ugh.”
“Hey!” I put my fists on my hips. “We all have jobs and lives, you know. We work for an aerospace engineering company. The US military and NASA rely on us. My cat may or may not miss me, but my plants are for sure all dead.”
“Your plants are dead because you are a horrible plant mom and forget to water them, not because you were abducted by aliens,” Angie hissed at me.
“I have six Birkin bags that need me,” Erin said defiantly.
“Well, you can’t get off this planet,” the pregnant woman snapped. “You will find a male here and fall in love. You will forget your lives as working girls and embrace your place as women of this tribe. You will learn to be happy here just like I am. I fell in love with the chief and now am blessed to be carrying his seed.”
I shuddered.
The chieftain’s mate glared at me. “You will garden, have babies, and cook over an open fire.”
“Kimmie almost burnt her condo down by boiling an egg,” Angie said. “She shouldn’t be cooking anything.”
Author Bio:
If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I'm your girl!
Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books...
Sign up for my mailing list to get the free novella, AFTER HIS PEONIES, along with special bonus content, giveaways, and more!http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html
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June 7, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: Rebel One by J.S. Christine #GIVEAWAY
Rebel One
J.S. Christine
(Melkin Series, #1)
Publication date: May 13th 2022
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Lacey Carson dreams of experiencing the world outside of the mundane town her father limits her to. “Go big or go home”? Lacey is already wrapped up in her comforter before that question can be finished. Her fight or flight instinct falls hard in one direction only.
Insert Travis Miller. He’s a little too loud, a little too violent, a little too focused on Lacey. He only knows how to go big.
When the opportunity presents itself for more adventure, Lacey jumps in head first before Travis can say no. It may be a little more than she bargained for as she learns about the ups and downs of independence, her own strength, and the crime world she quickly becomes immersed into.
—
EXCERPT:
I looked behind us. There was a large van with guns poking out of it.
“Oh my God,” I cried, clasping a hand to my mouth. I turned back facing forward and slouched down to keep out of the way if they shot the back window.
“Don’t go that way. Keep away from our new place,” Cameron ordered Travis as he flew past cars. He took a sharp turn, pulling up the emergency brake to make the turn before releasing it and continuing down with no regard towards the speed limit.
“What new place?” Travis shot back.
“Left. Don’t go straight. I said left,” Cameron said, pointing with his hand that had a gun in it.
I swallowed. I had no idea what they were talking about but I didn’t care. I was not going to live much longer anyway. I held my head in my hands, massaging my temple with my fingertips.
“I don’t know where I’m going,” Travis shouted as we skidded around a sharp turn.
My body rammed against the side of Finn’s from the force.
“Let me drive,” Ben said from next to me in the backseat at the same time Cameron yelled for them to switch.
I racked my brain for how that was going to happen. We were going more than a safe amount above the speed limit. Stopping to switch would only slow us down and even though I was a firm believer in speed limits, that option wasn’t looking too great right now.
“Take it, Cam,” Travis said as he moved back from the steering wheel.
Cameron scooted over slightly. He put one hand on the wheel and I watched in horror as he moved one leg down to where the gas pedal would be. From the speed, it felt like it was being floored. My eyes bulged.
Ben hopped in front of me at the same time Travis flicked a switch underneath his seat, causing it to move back as far as it would go. The two boys fit in the seat awkwardly as they moved around each other; Ben taking Travis’ seat and Travis crouching to climb back.
“Hey gorgeous,” Travis said as he faced me while in between the drivers and passenger’s seat. He flashed a cheeky smile before climbing to where Ben was previously seated next to me.
The whole exchange happened in the span of maybe seven seconds. I blinked. There was no way I was living to see the age of eighteen at this rate.
Ben made the seat go to the right distance away from the pedals and Cameron moved back over to his seat. The speed, if anything, went faster now that Ben was driving. Cameron started talking to him about something but I couldn’t pick it out.
Travis came into my line of view as he fumbled through the duffel bag at my feet before pulling out a large gun. He pushed himself out of the window so he was leaning out of it with his chest facing the car. Finn was doing the same, only Travis seemed to be sitting on the arm rest on the side of the door, not putting him out of the car as much as Finn, who was literally sitting on the window edge.
“Lacey!” Finn yelled. He slumped quickly back into the car. “Hold my legs for me.”
Without giving me a chance to say yes or no, and without second guessing the trust he put in the girl he kidnapped hours ago, he forced himself back out the window. I crawled over to where he was and held onto the top of his legs. I sat on my knees, putting them directly on his feet to try to put more weight on him to keep him from falling out of the car.
“Next time, don’t make such a grand entrance,” Cameron yelled in the direction of where Travis’ body was. Cameron’s window was rolled down as well, but I don’t know how much he was actually doing since I felt like Finn was blocking most of his view with his body.
“Excuse me?” Travis shot back. I could barely hear him but he must have moved his head in slightly as he spoke. Otherwise, I think the wind and bullets would have carried his voice away.
“Let’s lay on the horn and tear up the roads as we come home to get everyone’s attention, what an idea!” Cameron scolded.
“Sorry, you’re going to have to yell louder if you want me to hear you over the squealing tires and bullets being shot at me,” Travis demanded.
Author Bio:
J.S. Christine has been writing novels since 2011 and graduated with a degree in Creative Writing. She strives to give readers worlds they can relax in with characters they can call their friends. Her novels typically travel down the obstacle-ridden roads of self-discovery with music blasting in the car’s speakers and the occasional explosion off to the side. Her first novel, Sparked, was self-published in 2016. When she isn’t writing, she can be found binge reading books, burning cookies, attempting to run, or teaching her three cats how great popcorn is.
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June 4, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: The Bequest by B.E. Baker #GIVEAWAY
The Bequest
B.E. Baker
(The Birch Creek Ranch, #1)
Publication date: November 30th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Two widows, six kiddos, and a will that leaves them a massive cattle ranch, but only if they work it for a year.
Abigail and Amanda may have married brothers, but they have almost nothing else in common (and really, they never did get along very well). After their husbands both pass away, they have no reason to interact. Their connection drops to an awkward phone call on birthdays and an exchange of holiday cards.
Until an eccentric uncle of their husbands’ leaves a massive cattle ranch to the women’s minor children. . . if they work the ranch themselves. A ranch that’s located near a small town on the border of Wyoming that isn’t too keen on outsiders.
They’re both going to turn the bequest down, clearly. It’s not like either of them could properly raise their kids or find love again in a backwater province like Birch Creek. But when things at home change dramatically—for both moms—they decide to give it a try. . . just for the summer.
What could possibly go wrong in a mere three months? (Or more importantly… what might go right?)
Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley said, “B. E. Baker takes you right to the heart of the small town that two widowed sisters-in-law land in very unexpectedly. Can they survive the year they need to spend there to keep it? I really enjoyed reading Bridget’s romantic women’s fiction debut.”
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—
EXCERPT:
“Mrs. Brooks? Mrs. Nathaniel Brooks?”
I haven’t been called Mrs. Nathaniel Brooks in more than a year, not since before Nate died. It catches me by surprise and leaves me almost unable to speak.
“Hello?”
“Yes,” I manage to say. “That’s me.” I clear my throat.
“Good.” The man shuffles some papers. “My name is Karl Swift.” Something about his voice, perhaps the wobbly timbre, makes me think that Karl is quite old.
“What can I help you with, Mr. Swift?”
“Er, well, it might be more correct for me to tell you what I think I can help you with.”
He sounds like Bilbo Baggins at his birthday party.
“Okay.”
“I’m actually a lawyer as well—I found your name on your law firm website from a simple search. I’m calling to notify you that last night, I formally read a will that had been posted in all the local papers and online.”
“A will for whom?” I still have no idea why he called, and I’m beginning to think he was improperly named–he’s definitely not ‘swift.’ Spit it out, Ol’ Man River!
“Jedediah Brooks passed away almost two weeks ago.”
Brooks. He’s related to Nate, then. The name finally registers. “Nate’s uncle?”
“Even so,” Mr. Swift says.
“I’m very sorry to hear that Uncle Jed passed,” I say, rotely. I didn’t meet Nate’s uncle more than a handful of times, and even then we barely exchanged a handful of words. He had a full head of white hair the first time we met, nearly twenty years ago at my wedding to Nate. He must have lived quite a long life.
“Thank you. His death was quite a shock, but at least it was quick. Jed always said he wanted it to be fast, not drawn out.”
My hand trembles where it’s holding the phone. Nate’s death wasn’t quick at all—and it was so fast I could barely think straight. “Is that why you called? To let me know that he’d passed?”
“Not precisely,” Mr. Swift says. “You see, as I understand it, both of Mr. Brooks’ nephews, Nathaniel and Paul, predeceased him.”
I murmur my assent. They were both so young. It still sounds so wrong to agree that they’re both dead, even now.
“In that case, there is quite a substantial bequest made to your children, Mrs. Brooks.”
“Excuse me?”
“Jed owned a three thousand, two hundred and eleven acre cattle ranch out here, on the northern side of Utah. It’s one of only six properties in the state that have stayed with the same family continuously, all the way back to the original land grant. In fact, portions of the property are actually in Wyoming, but it’s mostly in a place called Daggett County.”
“Are you saying that my children’s great-uncle left them a three-thousand acre ranch?”
“Yes, but it’s not quite that simple.”
I wish Mr. Swift would cut to the chase. For a lawyer, he certainly lacks in clarity. “What does the will say, then?”
“Specifically, it provides that the ranch and all its appurtenances, including the home, a guest house, two large barns, an outbuilding for storage, and some three hundred and fifty head of cattle should be left to your children and the children of Nathaniel’s brother, Paul, per stirpes.”
I wonder what something like that is worth. Maybe Ethan could get his Razr after all. “Well, that’s unexpected.”
“However.” Mr. Swift rustles more papers. “In order for the bequest to vest, the heirs or, in the case that they’re minors, their appointed guardians, must adequately and actively operate the Birch Creek Ranch for a period of one full year.”
“Operate it?” I ask. “Meaning, we can’t just sell it?”
“That’s correct. In order for your children to inherit under the terms of the will, you would need to move here and run the ranch for a year.”
Author Bio:
Bridget loves her husband (every day) and all five of her kids (most days).
She’s a lawyer, but does as little legal work as possible. She has three quarter horse geldings, a Holsteiner (jumping) horse, and she spends too much time riding and not enough time writing. (Or too much time writing and not enough time riding, depending on your perspective!)
She has more chickens than she’ll admit to having, two lions head rabbits, a cat, two dogs (one bouncy and one yappy). She makes cookies waaaaay too often and believes they should be their own food group. In a (possibly misguided) attempt at balancing the scales, she kickboxes daily.
So if you don’t like her books, her kids, her horses, her chickens, or her cookies, maybe don’t tell her in person.
B.E. Baker is the romance/women's fiction penname for Bridget E. Baker, who also writes fantasy, end of the world, and dystopian books that add a little magic to the world.
Please sign up for Bridget's fantasy or romance newsletters on her website at www.BridgetEBakerWrites.com or click Follow on her bio above to get notices and updates when she releases new books!
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June 3, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: Only In Darkness by Brenda Stanley #GIVEAWAY
Only In Darkness
Brenda Stanley
Publication date: March 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Thriller
Based on ancient Mayan mythology comes a story of bloodlust, love and the horrors of coming of age.
In ancient Central America, the legend of the Camazotz: large, bat-like creatures that desire blood and terrorize the villages in search of prey. When the volcano, Masaya, erupts and kills the tribe from which the Camazotz are from, they discover a miracle ash in the ruins.
Years later in present-day eastern Idaho, 17-year-old Emilio Chavez lives in an isolated area near the lava rock cliffs of the American Falls reservoir. From birth, he has been different. After Emilio’s friend Clara falls victim to a terrible accident, suspicions about Emilio arise, and he discovers an astonishing secret about his past.
As a sinister force tightens its grip on Clara, can Milo save her from those searching for blood while keeping his own internal demons at bay?
—
EXCERPT:
I stand looking off the cliff at the raging river and jagged boulders below. I’m going to jump–or rather let myself give in to it and just fall–that I know. What I don’t know is what will happen next. There are two ways it will end, and the more I think about it, the more trouble I have deciding which result will be worse. Often, it’s the not knowing that makes life hell. I’ve been in the dark and unaware for so many years. Now I know what I am. But it is the unknown of what that fate holds for me, should I survive, that makes me shudder.
I’ve lost my family, my friends, and everything I’ve ever known, and still, someone, or something, is out there hunting me down like an animal, trying to take what has completely altered my life. The only thing I do know is I’m going to take the leap. It will be a rush for a few seconds, and then I will hit the rocks and hopefully die instantly or–and this is what I can’t fathom–if what they say is true, my back will explode, and I will transform into what my grandmother and the others of the tribe call the winged ones.
Author Bio:
Brenda Stanley is a former television news anchor and investigative reporter for the NBC affiliate in Eastern Idaho. She has been recognized for her writing by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, The Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She is the mother of 5 children, including two sets of twins. Brenda and her husband Dave, a veterinarian, live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.
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BOOK BLITZ: Almost Perfect by Delaney Diamond #GIVEAWAY
Almost Perfect
Delaney Diamond
(The Cordoba Agency, #4)
Publication date: May 20th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
A cat burglar and an assassin run for their lives across Paris—and try not to get distracted by the sizzling attraction between them.
Assistant antique dealer by day, cat burglar by night, Sable Devereaux has lived in the shadows for years. With one final heist, she can walk away from a life of crime and open her own antique store, retiring to the quiet existence she has always dreamed of. But during her last theft, she witnesses a murder and goes on the run to escape the cross-hairs of some very powerful people.
Agent and master-of-disguise, Hunter Mitchell is intrigued when he has to subdue the sexy thief after she breaks into his Parisian apartment. Then he quickly learns he must protect her—and himself—from an organization hiding much more than a murder.
The couple races across Paris in a fight to stay alive and stop one of the most powerful organizations in the world—and discover what they’ve been looking for all along… is each other.
—
EXCERPT:
“Let me help you,” Sable said from the doorway.
“I got it. I’ve been shot before. I have nine lives.” Hunter flashed a grin.
Her hand grasped his undamaged arm. “Please.”
He paused. “All right.” He turned down the lid on the commode and sat down.
“Take off your shirt,” Sable instructed as she doused a washcloth with warm water.
Hunter pulled the shirt over his head and revealed his firm chest. Blood stained his sandy-colored skin and the blond hairs on his forearm.
Sable started cleaning his arm and around the cut. “Why do you do this?”
“Do what?” So close to him in the small bathroom, his voice rumbled in her ears.
“You’re good at what you do, but you risk your life to protect people all the time, right? How can you constantly jeopardize your own safety?”
“You’re one to talk.”
She looked up at him briefly before setting the bloody rag on the counter and picking up a cotton swab. “Normally, being a thief isn’t so dangerous.”
He watched her work for a bit. “It’s exciting. It’s in my blood. I’ve been this way since I was sixteen. I got into trouble and an organization helped me get on the right path.”
“Men like you…” Sable shook her head, tossing the bloody cotton in the trash. “Never mind.”
“Men like me? Daredevils?” he prodded.
“Yes, daredevils. And players.”
“What’s wrong with us? Daredevils are fun. Players make the best lovers.” Amusement filled his voice.
She wrapped his arm with gauze, keeping her eyes trained on the task and avoiding his eyes. “Players also break hearts.”
“Only if you give them your heart,” Hunter said in a low voice.
That was a warning if she ever heard one. Sable smoothed a hand over the bandage. “There.” She briefly washed her hands while he continued to watch her.
When she finished, she stepped back, but Hunter caught her shirt and held her in place. She didn’t want to look at him but couldn’t resist lifting her gaze.
“You want to give me your heart, Sable?”
The thinning of the air made breathing difficult. “I’m not that foolish.”
Hunter’s light-colored eyes scoured her face. Then he stood, fisting her shirt in his hand and hauling her closer. Sable let out a soft gasp. The breath leaving her nostrils trembled and stuttered as much as her beating heart.
“Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
She swallowed. “You’re welcome.”
He cocked his head, gaze dropping to her parted lips. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you for the longest. You gonna let me kiss you, Sable?” he asked huskily.
He didn’t wait for an answer.
He dipped his head, and her lips fell open wider before his mouth touched hers. Their mouths crashed together, guttural moans leaping from their throats and filling the small bathroom.
Author Bio:
Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sensual, passionate romance novels, and was born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, visit her website and join her mailing list. Enjoy free stories on her website at www.delaneydiamond.com.
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May 31, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: The Burly-Que Girls (The 6) by Linda Hughes #GIVEAWAY
The Burly-Que Girls: The 6
Linda Hughes
Publication date: December 26th 2021
Genres: Historical, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Get a front-row seat to classic striptease during the heyday of burlesque.
When former burlesque dancers Dolly O’Dare and her friends discover that their manager, Ballard “Balls” Benedict, has skipped town with their retirement funds, there’s no stopping the irate troupe from converging on Las Vegas to track down the scoundrel. But to rack up enough dough to hire a private dick, the six dames must sell their life stories in a steamy, hilarious, and – yes – sweet tell-all book.
They’ll do whatever it takes to find Balls and get their money back. After all, at this point in their lives, they’ve got nothing to lose. But along the way they discover that the real treasures are in zany old friendships, quirky new acquaintances, and maybe even a second-chance romance or two.
Join the fun and fall in love with these wildly wonderful women in this first book in the Burly-Q Girls series. You may end up doing a little hoochie-coochie dance to become a Burly-Q Girl yourself.
This work of fiction was inspired by real-life stories told to the author by her burly-que friends.
—
EXCERPT:
Suddenly, an impatient knock from outside assaulted the apartment door like a mobster’s Tommy gun. Rat-a-tat-tat. Rat-a-tat-tat.
“Who in hell …?” Ginger got up and opened the door.
Annie Fannie stood there in all her hoity-toity glory.
Ginger glared up at the tall, svelte woman, her shock evident. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Dressed in a designer outfit that no doubt cost more than Ginger’s entire wardrobe, hell, probably her entire apartment, the uninvited guest pressed the back of her hand to Ginger’s shoulder to nudge her aside. “Let me in. The heat out here is insufferable.” She came to an abrupt halt just inside the door, leaving Ginger stuck in the open threshold to deal with the heat. “Well, well, well. Look … at … this,” Annie snarled as she sauntered into the room and stood like a queen looking down her nose at her peons. “The whole gang is here. Hello, girls. It’s been a long time.”
Dolly huffed. “Not long enough.”
“Aren’t you going to invite me to sit down?”
“No, Annie, we’re not,” Ginger stated flatly.
“I haven’t gone by Annie since I quit performing. It’s Anastasia now.” She patted her dyed blond hair, making certain they noticed she had a chichi coif.
“I’m guessing you’ve never quit performing, one way or another.” Dolly stood up to face the interloper mano a mano.
Merry hopped up to join the line of defense.
“My, my. What hostility. What did I ever do to make you all so rudely hostile toward me?”
“Gee, Annie, I’m surprised you ask, because we know you don’t give a rat’s ass what we think.” Dolly balled up her fists and ground them into her hips, at the ready.
“As for the hostility,” Ginger seethed, thirty years of hot anger boiling up unexpectedly, “how about the fact that you lied to my boyfriend about me and stole him away? Huh? How about that?”
“Pfft. Please. He wasn’t worth having. I only dated him a few times. You could have had him back. Oh wait. I remember now. He went on to Pussy Willow after me. I guess he liked her … willow.” She smirked, amused at her supposed wit.
“You treated us like shit,” Dolly growled. “You insulted our costumes and our acts and even our bodies. Like you thought you were so much better than us.”
“Well …” Annie made the mistake of throwing her arms out wide and looking around the room. “I’ve certainly never lived in a hovel like this.”
That did it. Ginger flung herself at their tormenter, clawing at the viper’s haute couture dress and tearing it down to her waist.
“You little bitch!” Annie Fannie, once the most elegant of exotic dancers, turned out to be a formidable foe. She grabbed a handful of Ginger’s hair and with that they hit the floor, rolling around and throwing punches as best they could. Arms and legs flailed about at random, like a game of Whack-a-mole gone bad.
Dolly and Merry jumped into action, each snatching a brawler and yanking her away. Everybody got roughed up in the process. The Women’s Wrestling Association had nothing on them.
“Girls! Girls!” Dolly hollered. “This isn’t going to change anything.”
“Stop! Stop!” Merry yelled at the same time. “You’re both acting like Neanderthals.”
Once separated and on opposite sides of the room, the brutal enemies tried to kill each other with laser stares.
“Look at what you did to my dress. It’s ruined.” Annie slung the comment across the room. Her pink, embroidered, lacy, padded, underwire bra poked out at them.
“Yeah. Well, that’s nothing compared to what you did to my life. I loved Harold!” Ginger’s lower lip quivered as she shook a quaking finger at her nemesis.
Annie frowned, paused, then said, “His name was Howard.”
“No, it wasn’t! He was my Harold.”
“Ah, Ginger, honey.” Dolly’s gentle tone caused Ginger to look at her friend. “I remember him.”
They watched as awareness clicked in on Ginger’s face.
“As much as I hate to admit that Annie is right, his name was Howard,” Dolly reminded her.
Ginger looked to Merry for support, but all Merry could offer was a helpless shrug.
“Oh. Oh. Well. Yeah, sure. Now I remember.” Ginger straightened herself, patted her mussed up hair, casually sat down at the table, and calmly clasped her hands. “I knew that.”
“Now that we’ve done a brawling bump and grind down memory lane,” Annie chided, stuffing the torn edge of her dress up into her bra straps, “I’d like to get to the reason for my visit and then get out of this dump as quickly as possible.”
“Do tell,” Dolly said. “Why in hell are you here?”
Author Bio:
Happy endings and new beginnings - but not as you expect. Even better. That's what Linda Hughes' books are all about, whether historical romantic suspense, mystery, or second chance romance.
When Linda was 12 years old she wrote in her diary that she would be a "writter" when she grew up. With 20 books and a passel of writing awards, her dream has come true. She is a #1 bestselling co-author.
So browse around on her page. Find something that's just right for you. That 12-year-old with big dreams, who still lives within Linda, is delighted.
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BOOK BLITZ: Death Warden by Debbie Cassidy #GIVEAWAY
Death Warden: Grave Spirits MC
Debbie Cassidy
Publication date: May 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Reverse Harem, Romance
Death waits for no one, unless you’re a necromancer, in which case he might stop for a cup of tea and a chat.
I didn’t ask to be a necromancer, and I certainly didn’t ask to be saddled with a magical amulet holding an ancient big bad at bay.
I got both.
All I want to do is steer clear of trouble, write horror novels, and hang with my talking cat.
But the spell on my amulet is weakening, and the only way to sustain it is to pick up and go to Frostgate—a city built on a powerful convergence of ley lines.
The plan is to lay low and wait for a revelation that’ll lead me to my conduit, my perfect match, to help me to sustain the spell on the lock.
But there is no laying low at Grave Spirits MC. No avoiding the burning stares of the hellhound Vice President, the icy cool assessment of the undead Sergeant at Arms, or the warm amber gaze of the hellhound Club Secretary.
I can’t get involved with any of them. I have a perfect mate to find.
But for the first time in my life steering clear of trouble is the last thing I want to do.
—
Author Bio:
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
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May 29, 2022
BOOK BLITZ: A Cinderella for the Prince's Revenge by Emmy Grayson #GIVEAWAY
A Cinderella for the Prince’s Revenge
Emmy Grayson
(A Cinderella for the Prince’s Revenge, #1)
Published by: Harlequin Presents
Publication date: May 24th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
This Cinderella romance from Emmy Grayson has it all—drama, revenge…and a royal proposal to remember!
His royal ring is on the table…
Her destiny is in his hands!
Small-town bartender Briony Smith’s exhilarating flirtation with customer Cass is a welcome distraction from her very ordinary existence. She’s speechless when Cass reveals he’s a prince and she’s a long-lost princess!
She’s even more shocked by his convenient proposal! Marrying Cass will allow her to be part of the family she’s never known. And their powerful attraction can only sweeten the deal. But will it still feel like a fairy tale after Cass’s admission that making her his bride is part of his plan for revenge?
From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds. Read all The Van Ambrose Royals books:
Book 1: A Cinderella for the Prince’s Revenge
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—
EXCERPT:
“Briony?”
Cass’s voice yanked her out of her melancholy state. She loved the way he said her name, the syllables rolling off his tongue in an exotic accent.
“Sorry.” She gave him a quick smile. “It was fine.”
Most people accepted that answer, didn’t press for more out of courtesy or disinterest. But Cass stared at her, eyes probing. Her smile slipped as she shifted on her feet.
“What?”
“You’re an open book.”
She frowned. “Oh?”
He leaned across the bar. The scarred countertop still separated them. All she had to do was lean back to keep space between them.
But she didn’t. No, she just stood there as he laid a finger on her rapidly beating pulse at the base of her throat. Amazing how much fire one graze of a fingertip could ignite, she thought desperately past the swirling rush of blood roaring in her ears. The first time he’d ever touched her, a mere tap of his finger, and she could barely stop from swooning like a teenager with her first crush.
“The pulse in your throat. Your tongue darting out to touch your lips.” Despite the uptick in volume as the band transitioned into a raucous rendition of the latest country song, his words wound around her, a seductive spell. His eyes dropped down to her mouth. A wild temptation seized her, made her sway forward before common sense yanked her back. Had she truly almost kissed a customer? A most likely very wealthy, very handsome customer who would be leaving any day now?
Author Bio:
Emmy's interest in romance can be traced back to her love of Nancy Drew books, when she tried to solve the mysteries of her favorite detective while rereading the romantic chapters with Ned Nickerson. Fast-forward a few years when she discovered a worn copy of "A Rose in Winter" by Kathleen Woodiwiss on her mother's bookshelf, and she was hooked. Over 20 years later, Harlequin Presents made her dream come true by offering her a contract for her first book.
When Emmy isn't writing or reading, she's chasing around her baby boy, feeding her menagerie of fur babies or carving out a little time on her front porch with her firefighter hubby.
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