R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 64

B@@K REVEAL: Mafiosa Princess by Liza Malloy #PreORDER

Mafiosa Princess
Liza Malloy
Publication date: December 1st 2021
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Mafia, Romance

Two men love her. But only one truly knows her.

College Junior Giada Conti wants nothing more than to pursue a normal life fueled by her own choices. Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize her father’s business isn’t completely lawful, or how that fact will completely dictate her future. Pre-law student Adrian Patras is certain Giada is the perfect woman for him, until he meets her family and grasps the extent of his girlfriend’s naivete. As Adrian finds himself unwillingly pulled into the family business, Giada grows frustrated with his insinuations about her father. Meanwhile, Giada’s ex, the notorious Luca Marino, pops back into her life with his own criminal agenda that includes winning her back.

Mafiosa Princess is the captivating first book in the steamy mafia romance series that you won’t want to put down.

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Author Bio:

Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance, women's fiction, new adult romance, and fantasy. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming. Her books are available in both paperback and ebook, and can be found on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more!

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BOOK BLITZ: Black Canvas by Laura Rossi #GIVEAWAY

Black Canvas Laura Rossi Publication date: February 14th 2021Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Psychological Thriller, Suspense

“I dream of waking up and being someone else—my hair, my eyes, even my voice, completely different—and each time I go to the mirror to check my reflection, to see what I look like, I’m her. Every time. Her. It’s her reflection that stares back at me, but I’m the one who controls it. I’m in control, and that’s exactly why it feels so good. I control her and what happens to me; I control both lives—mine and hers—and I have what I want the most: her looks, her status, her marriage. There’s nothing left of me, and only I know the secret. Only I know it’s me inside, it’s me under that perfect porcelain skin, it’s me behind those sweet, smart deep brown eyes.And I have him. He’s mine—just mine now. I’m not the other woman anymore. I’m everything he needs.”

 

“A story of mystery and intrigue weaved together with prose so delectable, so sublime. A must-read. A masterpiece. A thrill.”Eleanor Lloyd-Jones

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EXCERPT:

“I dream of waking up and being someone else—my hair, my eyes, even my voice, completely different—and each time I go to the mirror to check my reflection, to see what I look like, I’m her. Every time. Her. It’s her reflection that stares back at me, but I’m the one who controls it. I’m in control, and that’s exactly why it feels so good. I control her and what happens to me; I control both lives—mine and hers—and I have what I want the most: her looks, her status, her marriage. There’s nothing left of me, and only I know the secret. Only I know it’s me inside, it’s me under that perfect porcelain skin, it’s me behind those sweet, smart deep brown eyes.

And I have him. He’s mine—just mine now. I’m not the other woman anymore. I’m everything he needs. I can be both the wife and the whore. I’m a better version of myself and a better version of Miss Perfection.

But most importantly I have control.

I’ve never had control.

Then, my eyes open to the real world—right when he’s kissing me in the dream, before he can tell me I’m the love of his life and that he only thinks of me.

I wonder if he lies to her like he lies to me every time we see each other. Does he tell her he loves her? And why? Why does he love her?

She does nothing for him, besides being her.

‘I love you for what you do for me’

Those are his words of love for me. In the moment, they mean everything, but they don’t stay long. They vanish with him—with my dream.

I’m jealous of what he says to her; I hate the way he looks at her.

No secret meetings, no hiding, no masks to disguise ourselves… Everything is out in the open in my dream. I wonder what that would feel like, to live our love out in the open.

Before I wake up completely, I feel this resentment; the rage resurfaces.

Would he be mine if it weren’t for her? Would he have married me, if it weren’t for her? I start to lose control again. I want what she has. I want him.

I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling for a few minutes. I have no reason to get out of bed so early. I’m alone, and I spend the first moments of my day—of each single day of my life—wondering if he’s sleeping close to her, if he’s breathing her scent… Wondering if and when he’ll call me.

I have no control. He decides. He sets up our meetings. He tells me where and when. My role is to be there on time and the way he wants it. Possibly naked.

It’s only when I get his text that I have the incentive to get up. It changes my day. I work around our meeting, I do what I have to do and I hope time flies to the moment when I’ll see him again.

My whole existence revolves around him.

And is focused on how I can be more like her.

I would do anything, anything, Doctor. Anything to be her.”

Author Bio:

My name is Laura and I am dreamer, the kind that walks around all day and likes to go back and forth, from the real world to her own little world.

I have two kids and a fantastic partner. We work together in our little shop in Italy, near the beach.

When I am not busy working or being a mommy, I like to fantasize about new characters and new stories I'd like to write.

Counterpoints is my first book.

Follow the story @laurarossiauthor on facebook

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BOOK BLITZ: Heart Stealer by Delaney Diamond #GIVEAWAY

Heart Stealer
Delaney Diamond
(The Cordoba Agency, #3)
Publication date: October 22nd 2021
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

The last thing he wants to do is play bodyguard to the woman who broke his heart.
As the wife of a pioneer in the field of biotechnology, Katherine Stallworth had an up-close view of the ugly underbelly of corporate espionage and the cutthroat nature of competition. When her husband is murdered and her life threatened, she turns to Raheem Miller, the one man she can trust–despite their sordid past.

Years ago, Raheem fell in love with Katherine–older, sophisticated, and way out of his league. And nothing has changed. While he’d rather avoid this assignment, he’ll never forgive himself if anything happened to her. In the middle of conducting an investigation into her husband’s death, he discovers a conspiracy that could rock the very foundation of the United States.

Now he must bring the culprits to justice while keeping Katherine alive and his desire in check. Easier said than done.

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—

EXCERPT:

Katherine Stallworth stared in horror at the carnage before her and the foul stench of death. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

Her husband’s body lay sprawled across the duvet in the dimly lit room, his dark shirt darker from the uneven circle of blood that covered his entire chest. Dead, and so were his bodyguards.

Keith lay face down at the foot of the bed, his arm at an awkward angle, his weapon butted up against the wall as if someone had kicked it away from his hand. His suit jacket was soaked with blood, and so was the cream-colored carpet beneath him.

Ivan was on the floor, slumped with his back against the bed and his temple touching the nightstand. He would look like someone who’d fallen asleep sitting up, except half his face had been blown off and his white shirt was drenched in blood.

Blood.

Blood everywhere.

Katherine walked slowly over to the bed on shaky knees. Her husband’s pale skin was ashen and drained of life, his mouth open as if in the middle of a scream, and his sightless eyes staring up at the ceiling.

She lifted both hands to her mouth as tears filled her eyes and pain wrenched her heart. “Thurgood,” she whispered into her cupped palms. Who had done this, and why?

Then she heard a noise in the walk-in closet. Her heart jumped, and her mouth fell open in silent panic. She wasn’t alone. The killer was still there!

She backed away slowly, chest tight as she tried hard not to make a sound. When her foot breeched the entrance to the door, a shadowy figure dressed in black exited the closet, and she turned swiftly, rushing down the hall toward the staircase. Breathing accelerated, she gripped the wooden railing with a trembling hand and moved down the stairs as quickly and silently as she could on her toes.

These shoes! The pretty gold heels she’d worn with such pride to the reception she now cursed for their impracticality. Her pounding heart was so loud in her ears and her breathing so shallow, she wondered if the intruder could hear the evidence of her fear.

Her driver and the other bodyguard had already left for the night, but she had to get out of there. She had to get to the garage.

“Hey!”

Halfway down the stairs, she stopped and turned.

A man stared at her from the catwalk. He wore a black ski mask over his head, with openings for his mouth and eyes—eyes that locked with hers and reeked of venom. His menacing posture and the death she’d witnessed provoked an immediate response.

Run!

Katherine took off down the stairs.

“Stop!” he bellowed.

There was no way she was stopping.

Almost to the bottom, a gunshot shattered the wood railing she clutched. She screamed and, in her panic, missed her footing on the stairs. She twisted her ankle. Sharp pain jiggered up her leg, and she went down. Her hands flew out instinctively to protect her face, but she skidded along the edge of the last two steps, scraping her knees, shins, palms, and forearms.

She lost one shoe and landed in an ungainly heap at the foot of the stairs in the foyer with her evening gown crumpled around her upper thighs. Heavy footsteps pounded behind her. Too terrified to turn around, Katherine ignored the burn of the bruises and scrambled to her feet as another man appeared in the open doorway to her right.

“Get her!” the one on the staircase yelled.

She kicked off the other shoe and gathered her full skirt to keep from tripping over the hem. She limped away from them both as fast as possible, fueled solely by adrenaline as she raced into a second hallway and pushed open the door to Thurgood’s study. She slammed it closed and quickly turned the lock but knew her actions would not keep them out for long.

There was a loud boom as one of the men slammed his body against the door, which sent her scrambling across the room. She stubbed her little toe on a chair and cried out, wincing at the debilitating pain but didn’t dare stop, and hopped over to the bookcase beside her husband’s desk.

The master bedroom, where Thurgood was murdered, was also a safe room. But fortunately, there was a second safe room inside his study.

She yanked away two books hiding a plain-looking piece of metal in the wall and pressed her thumb to the silver disc. Right away, the entire shelf popped out, and she swung the door open.

The office door was kicked in at that very moment. The frame splintered and pieces of wood spewed through the air. Both men rushed in, but Katherine slipped between the shelf and the wall and yanked the door closed.

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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NEW RELEASE BL!TZ: And Hell Followed by Beckett Riley #GIVEAWAY

And Hell Followed
Beckett Riley
Publication date: October 26th 2021
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Historical, Romance, Western

We all have our demons

My parents thought emigrating from Germany to the American frontier was going to be a good thing for everyone. But it seems that a darkness is doomed to follow us wherever we go.

Life can be harsh and unforgiving in this world, especially for a woman. Luckily, I have my brother, Thomas, to watch out for me and protect me. He can only do so much, though, and after that vile attack, I find myself in need of his protection more than ever. It was then I realized that festering darkness came from within.

Although society won’t take kindly to it, we have forsaken God and embarked on an unholy life, but just as things finally began to calm down, the past reared its ugly head and came back to tear us apart and destroy and everything we’ve built.

But as Thomas once told me, I would ride my steed through the fires of hell to salvage the only thing worth living for, and if the devil gets in my way, he will beg to God for mercy.

We will be free.

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—

EXCERPT:

Thomas released her face and stood up, ordering Ma to go down to the root cellar and get the gunny sack. He watched her descend the ladder, her sniffling turning to quiet sobs when she cradled the direct result of her actions. The leaves crunched under their feet as they made their way through the apple orchard in the dark, with nothing but a lantern to guide the way. She ironically felt safer holding the sack against her chest as she was ahead. They stopped near one of the trees and Thomas broke ground. Ma cradled the sack and stared into the black void enveloping them. An animal must’ve fallen prey to something not far in the distance as it’s desperate wails echoed across the land. The horrible sound made Ma focus on the shovel hitting the earth mixed with Thomas’ heavy breathing and grunts. After what felt like hours, the grave was dug and he looked up at her.

“Give me my child.”

Overcome with the most emotion he had ever witnessed his mother show, she fell to her knees and held the sack against her chest, sobbing. Thomas took the sack and placed it at the bottom of the hole and climbed out, sitting on the ground with Ma next to him, her head buried in her hands. He thought of what could’ve been for a moment before getting up.

“You did this, you finish it.” He pointed to the shovel and looked in the cabin’s direction. As he walked into the darkness, led by the dim light coming from Kate’s room, tears stained his cheeks.

Author Bio:

Beckett Riley resides in the sunshine state where she writes in between taking care of a four-year-old daughter, three dogs, six chickens, a grumpy barn cat, and a husband (sometimes in that order according to him). She loves writing erotic stories as much as she enjoys reading them. Dark romance and happily ever afters with hot, possessive, guys bring tears of joy to her eyes so please excuse the alpha males roaming her pages, they know not what they do.

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BOOK BLITZ: Three Coins by Kimberly Sullivan #GIVEAWAY

Three Coins
Kimberly Sullivan
Publication date: October 22nd 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

One Eternal City. Three women. Three wishes. Three coins.

Emma, an American expat living in Rome for twenty years, can’t count on her ex-husband to help out with the kids when things get tough. Dario Rinaldi, famed plastic surgeon to the stars, is too busy gallivanting around Europe with young women to take an interest in his family.

Beautiful Tiffany, born and bred in Iowa, is desperate to get a spot as a dancer on an Italian television show. But is she willing to do whatever it takes to make her dreams of TV stardom come true?

Annarita, from an Italian-American family in Yonkers, teaches English to over-privileged Italians and regularly has her heart trampled by boyfriends all wrong for her. As her mother is always quick to point out, nothing has gone right for her since she moved to Italy. And she isn’t getting any younger, either.

Emma, Tiffany and Annarita all meet up by chance at a 1950s movie night while on a restorative holiday at a beach resort off-season. The triumphs and hardships of these three very different women become intertwined as they form an unlikely friendship and work to better their messy lives.

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EXCERPT:

The corners of Headmistress Green’s lips tilted upwards, but her stern grey eyes remained unconvinced. “I’m pleased to hear that. Too often, divorce can lead to decreased involvement by one of the parents. But in these cases, it’s our experience that two parents working in partnership can turn a situation like this around.”

She stood, signaling the end of the meeting. Emma scrambled to her feet.

“I hope to hand Chiara her diploma on graduation day. Don’t hesitate to call me if you or Doctor Rinaldi have any concerns you wish to discuss.”

Just shake hands with the woman and make it to the door without crying.

She followed Mrs. Green to the door, her Prada heels clicking with each uncertain step. She blinked rapidly, a desperate attempt to stave off the tears. She offered a weak smile to Mrs. Green at the door, and another to the receptionist, before exiting the office and walking out of the building.

The fresh air calmed her. It was a glorious autumn day, unseasonably sunny and warm for mid-October. The tourists were still wandering around the city’s historical center in shorts and tank-tops, wondering at the tropical temperatures compared to Stockholm, or London, or Hamburg. Usually, Emma was pleased to visit this campus, with its lush green yard and rolling hills, always finding it hard to believe this peaceful countryside was still, technically, a part of Rome. But today being on campus afforded her no pleasure.

She hurried down the hill to the entrance gate as fast as her fashionable but impractical heels would carry her. Please don’t let me bump into Chiara or the twins. She kept her head low, as if that could mask her identity should her children cross her path on campus, on their way to lunch or gym class.

“Emma! Why, it’s been ages!” A voice rang out when she’d nearly reached the school gate.

Emma turned on her heel to see a woman she knew had been one of Dario’s patients on more than one occasion. Her nose had been redone, her lips plumped, and cheek implants strained against artificially tight flesh.

“Margherita! What a pleasant surprise.” Emma stepped forward and kissed the woman on each silicone cheek. “It’s been ages. My fault. I need to contact you to see when I can help out with PTO activities. Isn’t the international luncheon coming up?”

Margherita waved her hand, attempting a smile on skin that was no longer elastic. “Oh, that. We all do what we can. I know how hard it’s been for you, what with …” she lowered her voice. “The divorce.”

The horrified expression accompanying her words would have been equally suitable for “your drug conviction” or “the mafia killings you ordered.”

Divorce was surprisingly rare at the Fairmont School, as Emma was quickly learning. “Oh, it’s fine. I forget about it half the time.” Dragon Lady didn’t need to know the truth.

Margherita sighed. “But still, so tragic. I always thought you were such a perfect couple. Although, I must admit,” she chuckled. “I never would have pegged you for a plastic surgeon’s wife. Although that was always part of Dario’s charm. He’s known for creating perfection on his patients, but never demanding it from his own wife.”

A steady throbbing began behind Emma’s right temple. “I’m over it, really. Thank you for your concern.”

“I’m sure you are, my dear. Especially if Dario could … sweeten the pot, shall we say, with his departure. It’s important we hold them to their financial obligations, eh?” She winked. “But still, it’s a shame for Chiara. Lucrezia tells me how upset she is, how she always complains the divorce ruined her life.” She shook her head. “You know how dramatic teenagers can be.” Margherita stood, expectantly, her head tilted.

Emma silently counted to five. “Thanks for your concern. It was tough for Chiara at first, but I think she’s starting to accept it.”

Margherita’s lips formed a dainty little ‘o’. “That’s not what I heard. But I’m always behind on these things. How nice that everything is going swimmingly, and I’ve been misinformed.” There was a hard glint in her eyes. “Let’s be in touch for the international luncheon. Bye, Emma dear.” With quick kisses on the cheek, she turned on her heels and made her way up the slope to the school.

Emma watched the receding figure, her head still spinning. A double whammy of Mrs. Green and Margherita. Surely, things couldn’t get any worse.

Author Bio:

I write the women’s fiction stories I love to read, both contemporary and historic tales of women and the rich lives they lead along their journeys of self-discovery. A lifetime admirer and longtime resident of Italy, I’m often guilty of sneaking the bel paese into my stories.

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ANTHOLOGY BLITZ: Baby, It's Hot Outside~A Christmas Down Under #GIVEAWAY

Baby, It’s Hot Outside: A Christmas Down Under
Publication date: October 31st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Baby it’s Hot Outside – A Christmas Down Under
Seasonal Summer Multi-Author Novella Collection

100% pure SUMMER Christmas.
Come Down Under for a hot and steamy SUMMER festive season.
Escape those winter blues with 12 summer Christmas novellas.

A fabulous collection of sexy Down Under summer Christmas romances. Hot sun and hotter men, friends to lovers, reunion stories and more. Come visit a world of hot, sultry kisses and long, lazy days in the sun. It’s Christmas Down Under and just another day at the beach!

Join USA Today bestselling author, Bronwen Evans with ten of her fellow Australasian authors. Warm your heart, and maybe a little bit more, too, with 11 never before published sexy novellas of Down Under lovin’ in the Christmas sun. Only 11 – aren’t there 12? There are! The 12th story is a collaboration between the 11 authors in this boxed set. Each author is writing a chapter of THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

Twelve standalone novellas (never before published)99c Pre-Order Price rising to $4.99 week of releaseOnly available until the end of January 2022 – get your copy today!We are running a contest for this box set. You can win a Kindle Fire HD and a collection of stories…https://www.bronwenevans.com/contest-time-baby-its-hot-outside-romance-collection-99c/

Twelve perfect indulgences to get you in the Christmas spirit:

ANNA FOXKIRK – The Worst NoelleANNIE SEATON – Her Christmas StarBRONWEN EVANS – Fast Track To Love

JACQUELINE LEE – Unrequited Love

JAYNE KINGSLEY – Twelve Days Of Christmas

KENDRA DELUGAR – Something In The WaterKRIS PEARSON – Summer SantaMEGAN MAYFAIR – The Season For Second ChancesRAY COLLET – Home For ChristmasSOFIA GREY – A Christmas Retreat (Falling For The Colonel’s Daughter)SUSANNE BELLAMY – Red Dirt ChristmasCOLLABORATION – The Week Before Christmas – A collaborative novella with a chapter from each of the authors in this box set. We will be running a fabulous contest of guess who wrote what chapter!

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—

SNEAK PEEK:

The Week Before Christmas – All authors in the box set….

Ryan had been a vet for a while now. He’d thought he’d seen it all when it came to the mayhem animals could create. It turned out these puppies, even at eight weeks old, were advanced players in the game of chaos.

Oscar’s spaceship themed bean bag had met its match with puppy teeth, and the filling was now scattered all over the wooden dining room floor. Shelby’s row of pot plants along the hearth of the disused fireplace in the lounge had also definitely come off second best after their puppy encounter, with dirt tipped all over the carpet.

Shelby extracted one puppy from behind the television where it had been happily chewing on cable. Holding the squirming bundle close to her chest, she walked back to the laundry.

He was scanning the room to locate the other offenders when one trotted in from the hallway carrying something in its mouth.

“What have you got there, little buddy?” He caught the puppy and gently pried the plastic object out of its mouth. His brow furrowed. What was it? One of Oscar’s toys? It was the shape of a dolphin but appeared to be battery operated. He pressed the button and the tip of the dolphin’s snout suddenly vibrated.

Oh shit. He suddenly realized exactly what the object was.

He raised his gaze to Shelby, who’d just come back into the room and was staring at the object in his hand. He couldn’t help letting a chuckle escape at her expression. It was an exact mirror of her face when he and Paul had convinced her to watch Nightmare on Elm Street when they were teenagers.

She closed the distance between them and all but snatched it out of his hand.

“It was a gag gift from Amanda,” she said.

His chuckles had simmered down to a smirk, but there was no way he could wipe that off his face right now. “Sure it was.”

God, she was beautiful even when she was embarrassed. Cheeks flushed, the blush spreading down her neck, turning her creamy skin a light pink.

“They must have got into the storage boxes in my wardrobe,” she said as she retreated down the hallway.

“I’d disinfect that if I were you,” he called after her, still not able to disguise the amusement in his voice.

So, that had been mildly hilarious. Was it really a gag gift that she’d held on to? Or something she used to enjoy herself on a lonely night?

Okay, he wasn’t going to let his imagination drift too far down this line. It wouldn’t be good for his sanity. Or the tightness of his pants.

Shelby, coming back into the room with a cloth, trod on some of the tiny balls—now coated with oil—from Oscar’s bean bag, and started to slip.

And then he was on his feet, catching Shelby just as she stumbled, his arms bracing her shoulders as her hands flew to his waist to help her regain her balance.

For a few seconds, they both breathed hard, still clinging to each other.

She glanced up at him, making no attempt to retreat from his arms. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” He couldn’t tear his eyes away from hers. Their gazes remained locked tight.

Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her. A voice rose in his mind. He couldn’t tell from what part of him the voice was loudest.

What part of him wanted Shelby the most? The part that wanted to take care of her, love her, be a dad to Oscar, protect her from anything bad that could ever happen…

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NEW RELEASE BL!TZ: I'm Not Your Enemy by Cara Dee #GIVEAWAY

I’m Not Your Enemy
Cara Dee
(Enemy, #2)
Publication date: October 21st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Family | Book 2 of 2 | Lovers to Enemies | Enemies to… The line between love and hate has never been so thin, and Blake and Sebastian return in this sequel with bottled-up hurt that somehow just brings them even closer.

Sebastian was right. I was a coward. I ran my closeted tail all the way back to Georgia. Once I got there, I had no place left to hide. My life imploded. But when I was welcome nowhere, I still had to go somewhere.

I could barely look my sister in the eye, facing Sebastian didn’t even exist on my radar, and I was prepared for my brother-in-law’s protective hostility. I just didn’t have a choice. For once in my life, I wanted redemption. I wanted to belong somewhere, and I was ready to work for it.

Sebastian was the exception—hard no. I might have screwed up royally, but he wasn’t so damn innocent. He’d hurt me too, and he better not push me. In fact, it was best we avoided each other altogether.

So it didn’t make a lick of sense for me to seek him out to provoke a reaction.

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—

EXCERPT:

It was still weird for me to be part of a family dinner where no one said grace. It’d been the rule for as long as I’d lived. If dinner was among family and you sat at a table, someone said grace.

Fuckin’ heathens up here.

I removed my ball cap and left it on my lap.

“Momma, can we live in an RV?” Teddy asked.

“You think we have too much space at home?” Soph smirked.

Teddy grinned sheepishly. “No, but we could go anywhere!”

I chuckled and grabbed myself a Coke.

“Where would all your toys go?” Dylan asked.

Teddy hadn’t considered that. “Maybe in my room at Bastian’s house?”

Sebastian shot him a little grin but didn’t say anything. He was usually so vocal. Now, because I was here, shit was weird. He hadn’t looked my way once. Not a glance as far as I knew.

Isabella was getting fussy in Dylan’s arms, and Soph said she couldn’t put off feeding her any longer. She excused herself to head inside and nurse the little one.

“Don’t step on Oppy and Percy, please,” I said.

“Oh! I wanna see them, Uncle Blake!” Teddy pleaded and almost knocked back his chair when he stood up. As if I could deny him. “Momma, I go with you.” He grabbed a new pizza slice and tumbled toward Soph.

Dylan turned a perturbed look Soph’s way. “You’re leaving me with those two?” He just didn’t know how to whisper.

Soph thought that was hilarious and just giggled in response. Then she disappeared into the trailer with the kids, and the tension automatically turned awkward and agitated. The latter came from Sebastian, because without Teddy around, he didn’t have to pretend.

“Are you gonna fucking eat or what?” Sebastian asked irritably.

I glanced at Dylan, who was in the middle of finishing a slice, and it dawned on me that the question was for me.

“Huh?” I managed. Wow, he was talking to me.

Sebastian flicked me an impatient look. “You’ve lost weight, and you’re not eating. Are you sick or just dumber than you look?”

“This is nice,” Dylan said. “We should do this more often.”

I furrowed my brow and wondered what the hell Sebastian’s problem was. Okay, I could venture a guess, but if he wanted to avoid me, avoid talking to me, he didn’t have to worry about what I ate.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about—I haven’t lost any weight.”

“Dumber than you look, then. Because yeah, you have.” He tossed a crust into one of the boxes and leaned back, his posture and expression saying he was letting it go. He didn’t wanna talk anymore.

“So how are the Pugs doing, Blake?” Dylan interjected. “Or was it Bulldogs?”

I slid my stare to Dylan instead and let some humor seep in. Bless him. “You don’t have to run interference, buddy. When Sebastian’s ready to hash things out like a real man, these passive-aggressive little bitch fits will be history.”

“Boy, there’s nothing passive about my aggression,” Sebastian laughed. “Unlike that snide remark you just offered.”

“What was that, baby? Yeah, I’ll be right there.” Dylan abruptly left his seat and fled inside.

Christ. We knew how to clear a room. Or a patio.

“We might as well get this out of the way so we can move on,” Sebastian told me, and I lifted a brow, admittedly curious. “Soph told me you were building them a house, and it goes without saying that I will be here to help out whenever I can. But as far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason you and I gotta talk. We’ll act civil around Teddy, and then—” He shrugged. “I’ll just wait until you run back into your closet in Georgia again.”

Nice speech. He had it all figured out, huh?

“All right.” I nodded with a dip of my chin. “I take it you’re not interested in an apology for leaving the way I did.”

He smiled faintly, a humorless twist of his lips that left me a few degrees colder. “No, you can save your excuses for someone who gives a rat’s ass.”

“Got it,” I replied tightly.

Author Bio:

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

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NEW RELEASE BL!TZ: Kisser of Death by M.H.B. #GIVEAWAY

Kisser of Death
M.H.B.
Publication date: October 21st 2021
Genres: Dark Contemporary Romance

One accident.Two men.Almost three years of despair.Four beating hearts growing in pain.Five lives forever changed.
Everything fell apart in the blink of an eye.
These days my own misery keeps me company.
I never thought this would be me—a twenty-four-year-old—stuck in a dead-end relationship.
Gone are the thrilling adventures with Harvey Stark.
Gone is his smile.
Gone is the sight of his dimples and the sparkle in his bright blue eyes.
He’s changed into a hollow version of himself and I’m just a shadow following him around our home.
Then I meet my new boss at a firm in Downtown Chicago. Damon Dreygon challenges me in ways I never knew existed and makes me believe in myself again. Our souls match instantly, and meeting Damon feels like a step towards peace.
Except it’s not. Because everyone grieves differently.
So while one man refuses to touch me, the other can’t love me.
And I’m crawling through the crippling chaos, barely holding on . . .

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—

EXCERPT:

My hell. Not everyone has the same definition of hell. Mine is different. My hell exists every day. It’s things I desperately want but can never have.

Harvey’s smile. His attention, his love, his body.

And this. Bikes.

The wind. The sun. The freedom. The speed. The power.

The thought of being so close to death.

There’s nothing more thrilling than being so close to death.

It’s exhilarating.

“Gemma?” I gulp when he traces his fingers over my throat. I can’t tell him to stop because I don’t want him to.

This morning he was ignoring me.

And now he brought me to hell. But I like it here. It’s hell because I’ll get a dose of fun, of high, of happiness. And I won’t ever have the chance to do it again.

Because I promised. And even I can’t break a promise more than once.

Author Bio:

M . H . B . graduated law from a Canadian University and loves spending time with her German Shepherd Dog. She has a passion for animals and enjoys the simple things in life: books, music, chocolate, sunny days and overall wellness. When she is not writing, her mind is in another world, with a book in hand.

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BOOK BLITZ: G.O.A.T. by Liz Crowe #GIVEAWAY

G.O.A.T
Liz Crowe
(Detroit Sports Network, #4)
Published by: Evernight Publishing
Publication date: October 7th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

On the day Roz Garnet signed divorce papers, ending her near thirty year marriage to a hot-shot sports agent, she figured a celebration was in order. Little did she know that stopping by her favorite Detroit bar for an old fashioned would lead to a life-altering moment. All she wanted to do was to sink in her own self-pity puddle and try to figure out what she was going to do next.

Retired football star Sean Ridley was thrilled to have landed an up-and-coming agent for his son, so once that deal was struck, he stopped by his favorite Detroit bar for his own solitary celebration—no plans in place for a life-changing, chance meet up either.

But lives are changed, and plans are altered, and after one seriously hot weekend at a premiere horse racing event, Roz and Sean have to face the fact of the matter—that their first meeting might have been pure coincidence but it was one that made all the difference.

Lust and love don’t stop happening after forty—just ask the G.O.A.T.

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—

EXCERPT:

Sean got up, needing to move around, to dispel nervous energy.

“Oh, sit down, for heaven’s sake.” She smacked the ottoman in front of her. He took it as an invitation but reminded himself that he had to go slow, to let her lead. He sat, keeping his distance. But still so close he could smell her, her skin, her lotion, her very essence. It was intoxicating. He clenched his jaw against it. “You are so … cute.” She bent one knee and pressed the toe of her other foot into his thigh.

Okay, so this was torture. Sean channeled his inner big boy and smiled at her, got up, and sat on the couch. He needed space. “I am cute,” he said, sipping his water. “You’re beautiful. But surely you know that.”

She snorted and looked up at the ceiling. “You really do know how to bring out the worst in a girl, don’t you, mister man?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

She glared at him long enough to make him uncomfortable. “I’ve had way too much to drink. Again.” She got up, swaying a bit before she righted herself and headed for the bathroom. Sean waited, taking deep, calming breaths. She returned, looking flushed, her hair tumbling in soft curls around her face. Sean had to clench his fists tight enough for it to hurt to stop himself from grabbing her, dragging her onto the couch, showing her how a real man treated a woman as magnificent as her.

She walked up to where he was sitting, slouched down into the too-soft leather, and sat in front of him on the ottoman. “I like you,” she said, putting her hands on his knees. “I like you a lot. But I’m not … I mean, we should be friends. We’d be really great friends.”

He took her hands and pulled, gently, so she rose and shifted forward, ending up on his lap. Once there, she curled into him, knees up, arms around his neck. “I would love to be your friend,” he said, stroking her hair. “But I’d also like to be more.”

She was shaking all over, which made him doubt himself and this whole damn scene. Closing his eyes, he pressed his nose into her hair, sucking in deep breaths of her. “I want to be more for you, Roz. So much more.”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, letting go of him. “I don’t know anything anymore.”

“Tell you what,” he said, keeping his arms around her, holding her, like he sensed she wanted him to. “Let’s eat, watch a mindless movie, get a good night’s sleep, and go to a horse race tomorrow. I hear there is one. And it’s kind of a big deal.”

She nodded. He held on to her a little longer, hoping she wouldn’t get up anytime soon but knowing this was the extent of things for now. Which was fine with him. Going slow was his superpower. All the better to enjoy the final result, which, he told himself, would be a mind-bender for both of them. He grinned and pressed his lips to her temple, keeping it soft, non-committal.

The speed at which she flipped around, straddled him, and had her lips locked on his left him paralyzed with shock for a few seconds—but only a few. He met her halfway after the initial surprise wore off. Their lips smashed together, teeth clicked in an inexperienced way. Her lush body pressed against him left him breathless in a way that should embarrass him but didn’t. The whole thing was surreal. He wasn’t sure where to put his hands. Her desperation was palpable, he could almost taste it.

As soon as he identified it as that—an attempt to prove to him that she could do “this,” whatever “this” was—he broke the kiss. “Hold on a second,” he said.

“Why? Isn’t this what you want?”

He was struck dumb for a moment, admitting that it was very much what he wanted. And that she was so damn stunning right then, lips full, face flushed, curls framing her face. He took a deep breath and put his hand alongside her cheek. She clutched it, and that desperate aura slowly began to fade. “Breathe,” he said. “Just take a minute and breathe.”

She blinked fast, then sucked in a breath and exhaled, never taking her gaze from his. “You must think I’m some kind of a…”

“Fascinating woman who worked hard to help her husband become successful, but was denied the most basic of spousal privileges—that of being told you’re perfect and beautiful multiple times a day. And being made love to in a way that you deserve, also multiple times a day.”

She made a sound of disbelief and raised an eyebrow at him.

He grinned back. “Well, you know, there was a time when I could’ve done that. And while those days are behind me, I make up for quantity by ensuring top quality, if you know what I mean.” He was spellbound by her, unable to take his gaze off her even as his body was painfully ready to scoop her up and take her into a bedroom, or this couch, or the floor and prove his qualifications. Although he knew it was soon. He shifted underneath her, trying to get comfortable but not wanting her to remove the lovely warmth of her body from his.

“You’re a charmer, I’ll give you that.” She got to her feet, keeping her hands on his shoulders, which put her boobs at his eye level, which made everything worse and better at the same time. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for keeping his hands off them, took her hands, pushed her up and away from him.

“I try.”

Author Bio:

Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville living in Central Illinois. She's spent her time as a three-continent expat trailing spouse, mom of three, real estate agent, brewery owner and bar manager, and is currently a social media consultant and humane society development director, in addition to being an award-winning author. With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, inside fictional television stations and successful real estate offices, and even in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are compelling and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, at times frustrate, and always linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

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BOOK BLITZ: Uncomfortable by Nessa Page #GIVEAWAY

Uncomfortable
Nessa Page
(Undone University Series)
Publication date: October 26th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

KRYSTAL’S FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE was supposed to be the best year of her life, so far. She has a great best friend, great roommate, and great boyfriend. Eh, maybe that last one isn’t quite right. She finds this out the hard way when they break up and he revenge posts steamy pictures of her on social media. What’s a girl to do, besides go confront him?

Except she ends up finding his frat brother instead.

The Undone University Series features sexy undergrads who prove there’s more to campus life than classes.

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Only 99¢ for a limited time!

—

EXCERPT:

Jace

I don’t volunteer for round three of inflatable Twister. I’m voluntold—by Abby. Apparently, she doesn’t want RJ playing for my team because she thinks he will purposely try to distract her into losing. It isn’t until I’m standing next to the game board that Krystal steps up to my left for the other team. Inwardly, I groan. I was really hoping to avoid having her gorgeous ass in my face for the next twenty minutes.

But I plaster on a smile and say, “Just couldn’t stay away from me, huh?”

Her cheeks pinken, and she looks away, but not before grumbling, “You wish.”

The first few minutes of the game are easy enough. I end up with each of my hands on neighboring colors, yellow and blue, and my feet still on the living room floor.

Four moves later, though, I’m struggling to find a green circle to put my right hand on. They’re all taken, and my only choice to stay in the game is to wrap my body around Krystal’s, lean down over her, and share her green circle, placing my hand on hers.

She sucks in a breath, but doesn’t say anything, and I do my best to hold my body away from hers. I try not to focus on the coconut smell of her shampoo, or the warmth radiating off her.

On the next move, Abby falls out.

I don’t get any reprieve from my weird, and entirely too intimate, position over Krystal. The only move we make is to shift slightly over to place a foot on yellow. I move first and find a place that I hope will allow me some distance. But as Krystal makes her move, I realize there was a fatal flaw in my plan. She has to back up a bit to get her knee under her. The second her leggings-covered ass touches the front of my sweats, my dick springs to life. The material between us is entirely too thin for me to not have felt the brush of our bodies, and suddenly, I’m sporting full wood. Hell is a game of drunk inflatable twister with a hot girl you can’t have sex with pressed against your body and not being able to hide your erection from your friends.

Maybe I will get lucky, and no one will notice. I am bent over, after all. Maybe it looks like a fold in my pants, not a tent I’m pitching. I don’t dare to draw attention to it by looking. And Krystal is still shifting around in front of me, trying to get her footing.

Finally, she has her foot centered under her, but all that’s managed to do is thrust her ass in the air in some quasi-yoga pose. Downward doggie style. I inwardly curse and shake the thought away. I do not need to be picturing myself thrusting into Krystal from behind right now. I need to think about baseball, statistics class, a lecture given by my World Lit professor with the monotone voice. But my dick is pointing right at her, and if she moves even a few inches in my direction, I will poke her with it.

I resolve to accidentally on purpose fall on the next move, but Camden beats me to it. He topples off the board and rolls across the floor before righting himself and climbing to his feet. He goes for a shot and takes two. “Since I don’t need to play anymore,” he says as he raises his second shot into the air. Then he downs it and goes to claim the empty stool next to Jules, wraps his arm around her shoulders.

Krystal and I shift into new positions, which are only slightly better than before. I’m still folded over her awkwardly—and my lower back is starting to hurt from the effort— but she’s no longer straight under me with her ass dangerously close to my erection. Now, we make more of an X shape. And my errant dick is finally starting to behave. I no longer rock hard… just… almost rock hard.

Author Bio:

Nessa Page is the author of steamy new adult and adult contemporary romance novels featuring sexy heroes and the women who love them. When she's not writing about too-hot-to-handle firefighters or too-cool-for-school undergrads, she's mostly likely to be found in her hammock by the lake, dreaming up new story lines.

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