C.J. Butcher's Blog, page 102

Title: Love My WayAuthor: Kate SterrittGenre: Romance/Wom...

Title: Love My WayAuthor: Kate SterrittGenre: Romance/Women's FictionRelease Date: May 31, 2017


Blurb
Her name is Emerson Hart and she is the love of his life.
Unfortunately, he's not the only love of hers.
And therein lies the problem.

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Author Bio

Kate Sterritt lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband, three young sons and highly energetic German Shorthaired Pointer puppy.
When she’s not madly juggling the logistics of soccer trainings, play dates and volunteering at the school, she can be found at her laptop, writing the types of novels she loves to read. Her characters are inspired by her own experiences, blended with her imagination and a healthy dose of wishful thinking.

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Title: Kicking RealityAuthor: Kat T. MasenGenre: Romantic...

Title: Kicking RealityAuthor: Kat T. MasenGenre: Romantic ComedyRelease Date: May 28, 2017


Blurb
Emerson
Everyone thinks they know who I am. I’m that reality TV star that fell in love with co-star Wesley Rich. But reality wasn’t my life. It was the life I lived in front of the cameras.A life designed to entertain millions of watchers each Monday night.
It only took one night to relive my past, and one night to forget my future. With someone who had been there all along.
Logan
Soccer is my life—it’s in my blood. I train hard, I play hard, and I win.  Nothing will break my focus.
I should have been able to avoid it, resist the temptation. But it’s there, playing every Monday night, an obsession I can’t seem to shake.
And I don’t know what was harder: hiding it from my best friend, or watching the woman I want live a life with someone else.

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Excerpt

“You honestly believe all that rubbish? Falling in love? They knew from the start? C’mon. It’s impossible,” I ramble to myself as Logan quietly stands at the edge. “You can spend a whole lifetime knowing someone and still feel unsure if the love is there. Two minutes in a bar and that person is your soulmate? Ludicrous.”

Logan turns his neck, body following until we’re facing each other. His presence radiates with superiority, just like when we were kids. I wasn’t afraid back then and I am not afraid now. His tough-guy persona doesn’t frighten me one bit.

“Hypocritical coming from someone engaged to a man that swore he fell in love with you the moment he saw you?” he questions, sarcasm lacing every word that left his mouth.

The shock of his words cripples my ability to respond with a witty comeback. We weren’t having a good ol’ laugh throwing worms in the bottom of Ash’s school bag anymore. And my initial reaction to his cruel words does nothing to calm the sea of emotions ravaging inside me. Logan Carrington was one of them. They all came from the same seed. The seed of men that felt entitled. Screw women, move on, fuck feelings and repeat.

“Knock, knock . . . anyone home?”

“You’re a jerk,” I mutter.



Author Bio
Born and bred in Sydney, Australia, Kat T. Masen is a mother to four crazy boys and wife to one sane husband. Growing up in a generation where social media and fancy gadgets didn’t exist, she enjoyed reading from an early age and found herself immersed in these stories. After meeting friends on Twitter who loved to read as much as she did, her passion to write began and the friendships continued on despite the distance.

“I’m known to be crazy and humorous. Show me the most random picture of a dog in a wig and I’ll be laughing for days.”

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Today we have the gorgeous cover revea...

    Today we have the gorgeous cover reveal for Bad Penny by Staci Hart! I love this fantastic new contemporary romance! Check it out and grab your copy when it releases, June 15th! Title: Bad Penny Author: Staci Hart Genre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Day: June 15th   About Bad Penny:Nothing good comes after the third date. Date three is the crucial point when things get real, which is exactly why I bounce out the door, twiddling my fingers at whatever poor boy I’ve left behind. Because if I stick around, one of three things will happen: he’ll profess his undying love, he’ll get weird and stalky, or I’ll go crazy. Like, Sid and Nancy crazy. Like, chase-him-through-the-streets-begging-him-to-love-me crazy. Seriously, it’s better for everyone this way. So when I meet Bodie, I figure it’ll be the same as it ever was. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t put a single string on me. Doesn’t matter that he’s funny and smart and jacked or that he can play my body like a grand piano. Because even though I’m built for love, love has only carved me up like a Christmas ham. Resistance is something I can only hang on to for so long, and he has persistence in spades. But my heart isn’t as safe as I want to believe, and neither is his. And the second I ignore my cardinal rule is the second I stand to lose him forever.
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About Staci Hart: Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, even though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. Her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.   From roots in Houston, to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's sleeping, cleaning, or designing graphics.  
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Title: Undercover IntentionsSeries: Russkaya Mafiya Spin-...

Title: Undercover IntentionsSeries: Russkaya Mafiya Spin-OffAuthor: Sapphire KnightGenre: Romantic SuspenseRelease Date:  May 29, 2017
 Beau Not everyone born of Mafiya blood wants to be in the life.I was determined to never go anywhere near it. Headed in the opposite direction, I pushed away from my family and their legacy.Until they needed me.And then...so did she.I got sucked in too deep, going after her and trying to save them all. Now, there's no turning back. I'd do anything for my cousins, for Sasha. After all, family is everything.

“Sapphire Knight hit it out of the park with this surprise book.” ~Melony Hobgood

“I loved Beau, he was a protector and he was caring and thoughtful…” - Heather Andrews

Sapphire Knight is the International Bestselling Author of Secrets, Exposed, Relinquish, Corrupted, Forsaken Control, Unwanted Sacrifices, Friction and Unexpected Forfeit. The series are called Russkaya Mafiya, Oath Keepers MC, Ground and Pound and Dirty Down South.Her books all reflect on what she loves to read herself.Sapphire is a Texas girl who is crazy about football. She has always had a knack for writing, whether it is poems or stories. She originally studied psychology and that has only added to her passion for writing. She has two boys and has been married for ten years. When she's not busy in her writing cave, she's busy playing with her three Doberman Pinschers. She loves to donate to help animals and watching a good action movie. HOSTED BY:

Title: The Way Back HomeAuthor: Carmen JennerGenre: Milit...

Title: The Way Back HomeAuthor: Carmen JennerGenre: Military RomanceRelease Date: May 29, 2017


Blurb
August Cotton shouldn’t be here. When a tragic accident calls him home to Magnolia Springs, this returned Veteran adds his parents to the list of things he’s lost in recent years, right along with his IED detection dog and his left leg. As the sole guardian of his four-year-old sister, August must rely on his Marine training in raising a tiny hellion who’s as stubborn as he is. But the Corps could never prepare him for this. Nor could they prepare him for Olivia Anders, a woman who’ll stop at nothing to get her way.
As owner of Paws for Cause, Olivia is no stranger to the broken men and women who return home from war. She’s no stranger to broken dogs either. In fact, she’s made it her mission to pair the two and enrich both of their lives, but pairing ornery and aloof August Cotton will take some work. The last thing August wants is some pushy southern woman occupying his parents’ bed and breakfast and forcing him to open up about the hell he narrowly escaped, but that’s exactly what Olivia intends.
They complete one another, and yet they can’t stand to be in the same room.
Can Olivia make this hardened Marine feel again and finally show his heart the way back home?

*** Intended for a mature 18+ audience only. This book may contain triggers for some readers.

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Excerpt
“You know, if you want to see me naked and sweaty, all you have to do is ask, darlin’.”“I do not . . . I wasn’t . . .” My words are stolen from me as he stalks forward with a maddening smirk on his face. “What are you doing?”“Getting tired of waiting for you to be okay with this.”“August, we talked about boundaries.” I press my hand to his chest because he's too close, and I can't think straight with the heady scent of his sweat and sandalwood soap distracting me. It wasn't my intention to run my hand over that sweat, to feel the hard-won muscle beneath, but here I am, petting him as if he's my favorite kitty. “No. You talked about boundaries. I told you I was gonna fight, and I ain’t above fightin’ dirty.”“How dirty?” I breathe.August’s lips curl up into a smile. “So dirty.”Both hands snake around my waist and he lifts me onto the counter, wedging his hips between my thighs. He hooks a finger in the sash and unties my robe as if he were opening a gift made just for him. I wrap my legs around his hips to pull him closer, and that’s all the admission he needs. He threads a hand through my hair and pulls my neck back to expose the tender flesh to his mouth. I close my eyes and whisper his name as my whole body turns to flame, starved for the oxygen that only his touch can bring. His hot mouth trails down my neck, his hands cup my breasts, squeezing, kneading, and I slide a hand between us, into the waistband of his shorts. I take his hard length in my hand, stroking him from base to tip. August grunts as he pushes my negligee out of the way with frenzied hands. His fingers find me bare and exposed with no panties.“So fucking’ dirty,” he groans, wetting his lips.





Author Bio

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

PUBLISHED TITLES TO DATE:

Welcome to Sugartown (Sugartown Series #1) Enjoy Your Stay (Sugartown Series #2) Greetings from Sugartown (Sugartown Series #3) Now Leaving Sugartown (Sugartown Series #4) Sugartown: The Collection REVELRY (Taint #1) KICK (Savage Saints MC #1) TANK (Savage Saints MC #2) Finding North Toward the Sound of Chaos Harley & Rose


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Hot Single Dad ALERT! Grab Goaltending by Jami Davenport ...

Hot Single Dad ALERT! Grab Goaltending by Jami Davenport now!Keep reading for an excerpt!Amazon → http://amzn.to/2mMUkcMiBooks → http://apple.co/2nePbxkNook → http://bit.ly/2mIjY1yKobo → http://bit.ly/2nssF4C WANTED: Single dad needs nanny--In more ways than one.Martin "Brick" Bricker is living the good life. He's playing the sport he loves, has all the women he can handle, and parties like a rock star. At twenty-six, he has no interest in slowing down or taking anything seriously--except hockey, of course.Then a knock at his door changes everything.Suddenly he's the single father to a five-year-old daughter he didn't know he had, and he's trading his playboy ways for Barbies.Amelia Stacey struggles to make ends meet and juggles her day-care job with a full load of college classes. When she's offered a temporary, two-week nanny position making more money than she imagines, she jumps at the chance. Before she knows it, she's in over her head, not just with her five-year-old charge but with the girl's hot single father.Brick always goes after what he wants, and he wants Amelia. Only responsible Amelia doesn't want anything to do with the party boy. Struggling with fatherhood and his unexplainable attraction to his nanny, Brick has to figure out where his daughter and Amelia fit into his life.If they fit at all.But one thing's for sure: Brick can't block this shot straight to his heart.EXCERPT:Chapter 1—In the NetMartin “Brick” Bricker was one lucky bastard. He had it all. Good looks, ripped body, more money than he could spend, and more women than he could handle.It was good to be him. Really, really good.Being named sexiest male athlete last week by the Hot Hockey Hunks website was icing on his already rich, gooey cake. And he loved that cake, indulging every chance he got.Who could blame him? He was young, attractive, and virile. He loved all females, tall and slender, short and curvy, and anything in between. And women loved him.But Brick’s good fortune didn’t stop there. He was the starting goalie on one of the NHL’s hottest young teams. The Seattle Sockeyes were touted as Stanley Cup contenders by the preseason predictors, whoever the hell those people were. Brick wanted the Cup so badly he imagined the deafening roar of the crowd as the final buzzer rang, the weight of the Cup in his hands as he skated victoriously around the arena, and its sweet metallic taste as he drank champagne from it. He might only be in his fourth year, but he coveted the Cup as much as a guy who’d been in the league for fifteen years and had never won it. He sure as hell didn’t want to be that guy. He wanted to win it while he was young—and keep winning it.With a weary sigh, Brick stretched and rolled out of bed. He squinted at the clock—two in the fucking afternoon.Damn.He’d had a wild night last night and had staggered home well after the sun had come up. He’d been gifted with incredible stamina and a hardy constitution that required little sleep but for some reason last night’s activities had hit him harder than usual.After taking care of business in the bathroom, he walked naked into the kitchen of his large Lake Union condo. He hated clothes, partially because of his propensity to overheat and partially because he enjoyed the shock value. Brick sweltered in warm rooms. They reminded him too much of how hot his stepmother—correct that, father’s second wife—chose to keep their house. The place suffocated him. He’d always preferred the chilly temps of his mom’s cabin in the woods.Putting a Tully’s K-Cup in his Keurig, he waited for his mug to fill. Taking a sip, he carried it to the wall of windows and stared down at the water below. Houseboats rocked gently on Lake Union, and he had to smile. Ever since he’d seen Sleepless in Seattle, one of his mother’s favorite movies, he’d sworn if he ever moved to Seattle he’d own one of those houseboats. His Realtor had been toiling for months to find the right one. So far, no luck, but Brick was a patient man.For now, he had to be content with his condo and the privacy it afforded his current lifestyle. He kept his place at arctic temps and never invited women over. He preferred an impersonal hotel room from which he could escape in the early hours, as he’d done this morning. He practically had a room on retainer in the luxury boutique hotel five minutes down the street. He was certainly on a first-name basis with everyone who worked there.Brick rubbed his eyes, wishing he hadn’t caved to his teammates’ insistence he party with them, but he’d never been one to turn down a chance to raise hell. Staying home was never an option. Brick had a reputation to maintain, and he needed his people, probably more than they needed him. After all, if he wasn’t fun-loving, beer-guzzling Brick, people wouldn’t like him. Even worse, he might have to spend time alone with only himself for company, and he probably wouldn’t like what he found. Better to be the shallow party boy everyone loved than the introspective, serious guy everyone avoided.The doorbell rang, rescuing Brick from a rare and unwelcome moment of personal reflection. He frowned. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and he didn’t encourage uninvited guests. None of his hookups had a clue where he lived, and his teammates rarely visited because of the frigid temps, except Rush. His teammate was from Russia and didn’t notice how chilly Brick kept his condo.This person couldn’t be his buddy, though. Rush would still be passed out after a night of partying. He needed eight to ten hours of sleep, unlike Brick’s three- to four-hour requirement.Perplexed, Brick took two steps toward the door and paused. Usually, he had no qualms opening the door bare-ass naked, but some sixth sense stopped him this time.“Just a minute,” he shouted, and strolled to the master bedroom. He dug around for a pair of sweats and a T-shirt.Walking back to the entryway, he looked in the peephole and saw nothing. His condo door opened to the outside, rather than into a hallway with a secure entry. That’d never bothered him before. He could handle himself in a fight. Yet something felt off. Those same instincts that alerted him where the puck was when he couldn’t see it clanged warnings in his head.With his hand on the doorknob, he hesitated. Frowning, he glanced around for a weapon. An umbrella leaned against the wall. He grabbed it, then yanked open the door.Staring into the rainy Seattle afternoon, he saw nothing until he looked down.A little girl with long dark hair and huge brown eyes like an anime character rested her tiny hands on her hips and stared boldly up at him. He stared back, then glanced around for the mother. Tensing, he expected a gang of home invaders to emerge from the dreariness and force their way into his house. He saw nothing, except an old Toyota barreling out of the private parking area and down the street.What the fuck?“Are you lost?” he asked the little girl.She shook her head, still staring, as if she expected something from him. “Are you Mr. Brick?”“Yeah,” he said uneasily.“Daddy!” She launched herself at him, displaying incredible strength for one so small. He staggered back against the wall as she grabbed on to his leg and hugged him tightly. Brick managed to regain his balance and extricated his leg from her tight grip. Placing his hands on her thin shoulders, he held her at arm’s length.Daddy? A shot of fear stronger than the hundred-proof vodka he’d indulged in last night burned down his throat.“Where’s your mother?” His uneasy feeling dialed up higher.“In heaven.” The little girl’s expression flipped from happiness to sadness faster than the flick of a light switch. She picked up a raggedy doll and hugged it to her.Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck.“Uh, okay. I’m sorry to hear that. Where do you live?”She craned her head around him and looked into his house. “With you.”He felt as though he’d been dropped into the twilight zone. “With me?” he croaked.“Yes, with you.” She nodded with absolute certainty.“Uh, I don’t know who put you up to this, but I don’t have any kids.” This had to be a scam to get money out of him. Or one of his teammates had concocted an elaborate joke. Once again, he looked for an adult skulking near the stairs.“Yes, you do.” She narrowed her eyes and studied him, scowling as if she’d found him lacking. She held out an envelope. It was smudged and wrinkled as if it’d been clutched in her hands for a long time. He stared at it, not wanting to take it and feeling as if the bottom was about to drop out of his charmed life.She shoved it toward him, and Brick accepted it with a shaking hand. He ripped open the envelope and pulled out a coffee-stained piece of paper.
Mr. Bricker,I’m dying of cancer, and my granddaughter is all I have left. Her mother has gone to heaven, and that’s on you. I only have a short while left to live. By the time you get this, I’ll be dead. I don’t want Macy in foster care. I have asked a friend to deliver her to your house upon my death.She is your daughter, and she deserves to have all the things you can afford to give her. Please take care of her and love her. You owe us that.Sincerely,Sue
He scowled. This had to be a scam. “How old are you?”“Five.”He did the math quickly in his head. He’d been playing on a major junior team in Vancouver, his hometown around the time she’d been conceived, and he hadn’t lacked female companionship.He thought back six years but couldn’t recall anyone who stood out, not that his lack of memory meant anything. He couldn’t recall the names of the women he slept with last night, either. And he’d spent a lot of his late teens and early twenties in a drunken haze on non-game nights.He read the letter again, stumbling over the sentence her mother has gone to heaven, and that’s on you. On him? Why would this stranger’s death be on him? Had she been some crazy stalker fan who’d committed suicide? Surely he’d have heard about it. At the least, his agent would’ve told him.Her accusation probably meant nothing. He was reading too much into it.He ran his hand through his close-cropped hair and blew out a sigh. He needed to call his attorney and his agent immediately. They’d know what to do.In the meantime, what the fuck did he do? He didn’t want a kid. They were okay, and he got along fine with them at signings and shit like that, but he wasn’t father material. Thank God, she probably wasn’t his.Though he had to admit, there was a resemblance, which made his blood run cold. Really cold. She looked like pictures he’d seen of his sister at that age. And those eyes… Damn, those huge eyes could melt the most strongly barricaded heart.“Uh, why don’t you come in while we straighten this out?”She nodded and tried to lug a battered suitcase as large as her inside. Brick took it, and she ran ahead of him, dragging the doll by one arm.She stopped and surveyed the living room. Frowning, she hugged herself and shivered. “You can’t afford heat, either?” she asked.“Huh?”“My granna couldn’t afford heat so it was always cold in her house, too.”“I, uh, can afford heat.” He was at a loss for words.“I’m cold.” Her lower lip puffed out in an unmistakable pout. She was a demanding little thing.“I’ll fix that.” Brick hurried to the thermostat before she could do something scarier than shit, like throw a tantrum or, heaven help him, cry. He raised the temp from fifty-five to seventy and also turned on the gas fireplace.“Thank you.” She sounded so adult, as if she’d lived ten lifetimes in five years. Brick didn’t form connections with people, not real ones, but something about her tugged at a deeply hidden vulnerability he hadn’t known he had.Walking to the massive stone fireplace on one wall, she sat on the hearth as it flared to life. Brick wiped his brow, overheating already.“What’s your last name, honey?” he asked, hopeful this could all be cleared up with a few phone calls.“Bricker, like yours.”“What about your granna? What was her name?”“Granna.”Sighing, he reached for his cell. “Wait right here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”“Are you going to send me away?”He froze in midstride. “I—uh—uh—” There went that tug again, harder this time, even a little painful.“Granna said you would take care of me, but I didn’t believe her. No one wanted me but Granna and Mommy. Now they’re both gone.”This was getting worse and worse. Brick didn’t need this complication in his footloose-and-fancy-free life. But he couldn’t send the child to foster care. He’d never been in foster care himself, but he’d had friends who were, and he wouldn’t wish that fate on anyone.“I’ll be right back.”She gazed up at him, clutching her doll to her chest. Tears filled her luminous eyes, and one dribbled down her cheek.The tug turned into a hard yank.Oh, crap.Before he did something stupid, he hurried to the bedroom, dialing his phone as he walked. His agent shared his time between Seattle, where he had a huge number of clients, and sunny California. Just so happened he was in Seattle right now.“Al,” he said before Al could get one word in.“Ah, Brick, my man. What’s up?”“I have a fucking problem.”“You always have fucking problems. What psycho woman did you piss off now?”“I wish it were that simple.”Al started laughing as if he were looking forward to Brick’s pain.“Get your ass over here. I need you.”Brick didn’t wait for an answer and hung up. He sank onto the edge of his bed and buried his head in his hands, suddenly feeling much older than his twenty-six years.
* * * *
When Brick returned to his living room, Macy was running around his kitchen island, arms outstretched as she unraveled a roll of paper towels while making barking sounds. She skittered around him, yapping like the obnoxious poodle his aunt Hazel once had. The sound grated on his nerves, which were already frayed.“Stop.”She didn’t stop, only raised her voice until the barking neared ear-splitting decibels. He prayed Al showed up soon and rescued him from this particular hell.The doorbell rang, and he bolted, tripping over the paper towels wrapped around his legs. Macy was one step ahead of him. Right before his eyes she transformed from a one-child wrecking crew to a sweet little princess with a cherubic smile.She yanked open the door. “Hi,” she shouted in her piercing little-girl voice. “I’m Macy. Do you want to have a tea party with me and Daddy and Simone?” She raised the doll upward in one hand.Al’s eyebrows shot all the way to his hairline. A slow, devious smirk spread across the bastard’s face. “Daddy?”“I, uh, uh.”Al laughed and knelt in front of the little girl. “Hey, honey, I’m Al. I’d love to play with you and Simone, but your daddy and I have a few things to discuss. Do you think you could sit over there like a good little girl and watch TV for a few minutes?”“Okay.” She skipped to the couch. “How do you turn it on?”Brick let out a sigh and flipped on his eighty-inch UHD flat screen. He scrolled through the channels until he found a children’s station, then quickly retreated to the relative safety of the kitchen.“You gotta help me.”Al grinned a toothy, wholly unsympathetic grin. “You think? I’m your agent, not your babysitter.”Brick glared at him. “She’s not my child.”“She thinks she is.” Al was entirely too amused.“I need your help. I’m desperate. I can’t have a kid here.”Al chuckled and glanced at Macy, who was singing along to the TV. “Care to explain what’s going on? You were childless when I talked to you yesterday.”Brick filled him in, ignoring the bastard’s growing amusement. “Here’s the note.”Al looked it over with a shrewd agent’s eye. “Interesting. Any idea who the mother might be?”“You’re shitting me, right?” Brick growled, forcing himself to keep his frustration at bay and his voice low.“It might be an important part of the puzzle.”“Can’t you find out where she came from? I pay you to clean up my messes.”“Not enough.” Al threw back his head and laughed.“This isn’t funny. You gotta help me.” Brick’s gaze was drawn to the little girl sitting on his couch singing to her doll. His gut clenched, and he swiped at his sweaty brow.“Okay, I’ll get my PI friend on this. Find out any existing relatives. See if I can get a picture of the mother. We’ll run a DNA test, but that’ll take time.” Al switched into troubleshooting agent mode, even though his mouth still twitched with amusement.“I don’t have time. The regular season is under way. I have a road trip in two days, and I can’t have a kid living here.”“It’s not like she’s a stray cat you can dump off at an animal shelter.” Al pointed out the obvious and drew a well-deserved scowl from Brick. “And most likely she is yours. She looks like you.”Brick scowled all the more. “I always wear a condom.”“Condoms fail.”“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.” Brick groaned and dropped his ass onto a dining room chair. He searched his memory, trying to recall any condom malfunctions. Yeah, there had been a few incidents during bouts of rambunctious sex, but he couldn’t begin to remember those women’s faces.Al sat across from him. “Let’s see what the DNA test says. If she’s not yours, we’ll call Child Protective Services.”“And if she’s mine?”His agent’s smirk was downright annoying. “Then welcome to the world of the single dad.”“What the fuck do I do with her in the meantime?” Brick scrubbed his hands over his face. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He lived a charmed life. Everything always went his way.“For starters, clean up your language.” Al snorted and leaned back in his chair.“I can’t take care of a kid. I have a life. I play hockey. I’m gone half the season.”“Real-world problems, my man. Real-world problems.”“You’re not helping any.”“Since when do my duties involve family matters? Be lucky you only have one—so far.”Brick shuddered. “Don’t say that.”Al snickered and winked. “Good luck. I’ll call your attorney, make sure housing this child is legal and all.” He stood and headed for the door.Brick leaped to his feet and followed him. “You can’t leave me like this.”Al waved at the little girl, completely engrossed in some kid’s show. “Bye, Macy.”She waved back. “Bye, Uncle Al.”“Uncle Al?” This kid was making way too many presumptions.“I like the sound of that.” Al opened the door. “You’d better get cracking. You have a road trip in two days.”“Where am I going to find a nanny in two days?” Brick groaned. He’d always avoided responsibility outside the rink, and an instant child was way too much responsibility.“I noticed a day care a few blocks down the street. Ask them.” With those parting words, Al left Brick to fend for himself.Glancing at the child, Brick considered his options. She smiled at him, and he swallowed around an odd lump. He managed a smile back.He could dial his mother. She’d know what to do. She’d probably travel from Vancouver tomorrow and take this kid off his hands. His stepfather, Rick, wouldn’t mind. He loved kids. If only his mother had married him while Brick had still been living at home, maybe his teen years wouldn’t have sucked so much.Brick slunk into the kitchen so Macy couldn’t hear him. “Mom?”“Hi, honey, how are you?”“I’m not so good.”“Oh God, Marty, what did you do now?”“I didn’t do anything. Not exactly.” He hedged, trying to come up with a way to break this to his mother. He decided on honesty and ran through the entire story. When he finished, silenced reigned.“Mom?”“I’m a grandmother?”He couldn’t tell if she was pleased or pissed. “I’m not sure. We need to do a DNA test.”“Who leaves a child on a stranger’s doorstep and disappears?” His mother sounded indignant.“I don’t know. That’s the least of my worries. I need help. I have a road trip coming up. Could you come to Seattle tomorrow and get her?”Another long silence.“Mom?” He wasn’t feeling too good about his odds right now.She blew out a long-suffering sigh only his mother could produce. “It pains me to say this, but no.”“What?” Surely he hadn’t heard her correctly.“You heard me, young man. Did you forget Rick and I are leaving in a few hours for a month and a half in Europe?”“Uh, yeah.” He hated to admit he’d forgotten. He’d been so focused on his surprise, he’d spaced on their trip.She sighed. “You’re not the only person in this world with plans, Marty.” As if he hadn’t heard that before.“I know.”“I agree. With your schedule and not having a wife or steady girlfriend, it’d be next to impossible to raise a young child. Let me discuss this with Rick, and we’ll see what we can do when we get back, assuming she’s yours. This problem is your responsibility for now.” Leave it to his mother to be pragmatic about the situation.“But—”“I have to go now. I’ll call you in a few days and see how you’re doing. I can’t wait to see my granddaughter when we get back.” The phone went dead.Brick felt a tug on his sweats.“I’m hungry.” The little girl looked up at him with the biggest, most innocent cocker spaniel eyes, and who could resist a cocker spaniel? His hardened heart cracked a little, and he shored it up with mental duct tape. He wouldn’t fall prey to this child. She couldn’t stay with him.He tried another number. His sister would help. All he had to do was text her a picture, and she’d fall in love, as she did with every stray animal.Nona answered. “Hey, Brick, to what do I owe the pleasure?”“How’s my favorite sister?”“I’m your only sister. What’s up?”“Just called to see how you were.”“No, you didn’t.”He was guilty as charged of calling his sister only when he needed something. Brick pulled out all the stops. “Ah, Nona, seriously. What’s wrong with me wanting to have a conversation with my sister?”“Nothing’s wrong with it other than you never call me just to talk, so fess up, Marty.”Brick groaned. “Okay, I admit it. I need your help. Desperately.”“Oh, really.” He could hear her devious wheels turning as she calculated what he might possibly be calling for and how she could use it to her advantage in their friendly, ongoing sibling rivalry.“Yeah, really,” he said gloomily.“Daddy, can I have some milk?” The little urchin stared up at him with pleading eyes.“Daddy? Did I hear that right?” His sister’s voice came through loud and clear, as did the restrained laughter. “Is that your problem?”“Yeah, found her on my doorstep this afternoon.”“Are you kidding?”Brick made his way to the refrigerator and poured Macy a glass of milk. She thanked him and returned to her TV. Certain she was occupied, he relayed the story to his sister, who was dying of laughter by the time he’d finished. Why people found his predicament so hilariously funny was beyond him.“And what do you expect me to do?”“Come and get her. I have a road trip in two days.”“Oh, no, you don’t. You’re the one who can’t keep it in your pants. Welcome to adulthood, baby brother. I’m in graduate school. I don’t have time for a child. And Mom’s leaving on her trip.”“I know,” he answered grumpily.Nona erupted with more laughter. The women in his family had no appreciation for the dilemma he was in. “You could always call Dad and Liz. You know how touchy-feely our beloved stepmother is.”Brick shuddered. He knew all right. The woman could melt a hole in an ice rink with one glare. As desperate as he was, he’d never subject a child—any child—to that cold, calculating bitch.“Never mind. I’ll deal with this myself.” He sighed and disconnected the phone, his sister’s laughter still ringing in his ears.Macy yawned, and Brick realized with a guilty start she’d probably had a long, tiring day, even though it was early evening.“Time for bed.”“I don’t want to go to bed.” She screwed her face up into a nasty scowl worthy of Ice, the Sockeyes’ surly defenseman.“Sorry, but you need some rest.” He was so not cut out for this parenting shit. He could leave her to her own devices. He was tired, even if she wasn’t. He must be getting old. Partying all night never used to wear him out, but last night’s binge had taken a toll.“No.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her little chin. Her belligerence wore on his patience.“Please, Macy, it’s been a long day for both of us.”They stared each other down, but she was out of her league. He could stare down the best of them.Finally, she looked away and stuck out her lower lip, which quivered. “Okay.”Brick didn’t give her a chance to change her mind. He grabbed the suitcase and led her to the guest room. He showed her the adjoining bathroom.She stood near the bed and rubbed her eyes. Her attitude had dissipated, leaving a scared little girl so alone in the cold, cruel world.Brick stood in the doorway, praying she didn’t cry. “Do you need help getting ready for bed?”She shoved her knuckles in her mouth and shook her head.“Okay, well then, good night.” Drawn by emotions he couldn’t begin to explain, Brick crossed the room, knelt down, and gave her a hug. Her little arms went stiffly around his neck. He blinked several times, finding his eyesight a little blurry.Sitting back on his haunches, he held her shoulders. “It’ll all be okay. I promise.”She sniffed and nodded, gazing at him with disbelieving brown eyes. Not liking how close to the surface his own feelings were, he rose to his feet.“Good night.” Her little voice wavered, and Brick got the hell out of there. He turned down the heat, stripped off his clothes, and crawled into bed. He sank into the welcoming mattress and closed his eyes. Only sleep didn’t come.He was an asshole. A big asshole. Instead of comforting this scared child who’d been abandoned on his doorstep, he’d run like a coward. Sure, he’d hugged her, but he could’ve done more.Brick stared into the darkness for God knew how long. Finally, he got out of bed, threw on a robe, and walked down the hall to the guest bedroom. He listened at the door and heard nothing. Cracking it open, he peeked inside. Macy lay under the covers, her doll clutched tightly to her. Her eyes were shut.He walked closer and stared down at the cherubic face. She was a pretty little thing and would be a beauty by her teens, requiring her father to sit on the front porch with a shotgun to scare off the boys. He shuddered at the thought, not because he’d pictured himself hefting that gun, but because he knew what teenage boys were capable of.He reached down and brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek. Tenderness welled up in his chest, leaving him momentarily incapacitated. When she’d thrown her arms around him and called him Daddy, he’d lost his sanity for a split second and almost wished it were true. But it wasn’t, and he wasn’t fit to be any child’s father.Brick backed away, fighting a surprising paternal urge to care for and protect this child.What the fuck was wrong with him?

Review
I love a good hockey book but this didn't have alot of hockey in it. It also didn't have a redeemable male lead. I loved everything about the little girl Macy, I loved Amelia and I even loved Brick’s fellow players. I just didn't like Brick. He was so unlikeable. Overall, I'll still keep reading because I love Jami’s writing and this series, but this book for me was 4 stars because I couldn't truly love the male lead like I normally do. If you love all the players this will be a read for you though, since they make an appearance. About the Author:USA Today Bestselling Author Jami Davenport writes sexy contemporary and sports romances, including her two new indie endeavors: the Game On in Seattle Series and the Madrona Island Series. Jami’s new releases consistently rank in the top fifty on the sports romance and sports genre lists on Amazon, and she has hit the Amazon top hundred authors list in both contemporary romance and genre fiction multiple times. Jami ranked Number Seven on Kobo’s Top Ten Most Completed Authors, an honor bestowed on the year’s “most engaging” authors based on an average page completion rate by their readers.Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her Green Beret-turned-plumber husband, a Newfoundland cross with a tennis ball fetish, a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat, and an opinionated Hanoverian mare.Jami works in IT for her day job and is a former high school business teacher. She’s a lifetime Seahawks and Mariners fan and is waiting for the day professional hockey comes to Seattle. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, a common setting in her books. In her opinion, it’s the most beautiful place on earth.Connect with Jami!Subscribe to my newsletter to receive a free novel and be notified of new releases, special sales, and contests: http://eepurl.com/LpfaLWebsite Address: http://www.jamidavenport.comTwitter Address: @jamidavenportFacebook Address: http://www.facebook.com/jamidavenportPinterest: http://pinterest.com/jamidavenport/Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1637218.Jami_Davenport

U-Turn by Leaona Luxx

Title: U-TurnSeries: Highway 17 Series Book TwoAuthor: Leaona LuxxGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: May 22, 2017Cover Model: KK Raines Cover Designer by: TE Black Designs

“I just want to say WOW. Just WOW. I seriously hated Ava. No redeeming qualities whatsoever in Changing Lanes and now she is one of my favorite people and i was rooting for her. I DID NOT see that U-turn (brillliant). I love your writing. And i love how when I read your books I get to know all characters. Not just one or two. Bravo!!! Great great job!!” 

“This book! Goodness woman! Your characters are so real. You managed to make me hate Ava in Changing Lanes and love her...even at her worst...in U-Turn. And Riley! There were times I wanted to rip his heart out. Thank you for giving me this privilege! You are one damn good storyteller!”

TROUBLE. That’s all she is and all she’ll ever be. What in the hell was I thinking getting involved with her? Everyone knows her reputation precedes her. But I’ll be damned if I don’t like it. Hurricane Ava crashes to shore wreaking havoc, the beautiful disaster she is. And I love it. What’s worse, she does too. So, why am I in love with her? Because, she loves me.She just doesn’t know it yet.   I find myself halfway home when I do a U-turn. I hit the gas, speeding toward Myrtle Beach. My tears fall once again as I think of him leaving and I’m not the last person he sees. I need to be the last thing he sees. The fissure my heart has suffered begins to quake as I pray I make it back to him.
I park at the airport entrance, racing through every checkpoint I can before actually yelling, “He’s leaving. I have to tell him I love him.” The airport officials have mercy on me when I explain he’s a soldier and I’m crazy for him. “He may not make it back, he’s deploying.”
Pointed in the right direction, I sprint to his departure gate. His family standing close by the window, I know then he’s already boarded. I push past several onlookers to the wide expanse of glass standing between us.
I search, switching between his family and the plane, to gauge where he will be. My chest constricts as I get a glimpse of him for the first time in fatigues. He’s breathtaking. As my pride swells, I lay my hand on the window, reaching for him.
I begin to lose hope when his eyes suddenly dart to me. A smile growing on his face as I fight to dry mine. The plane begins to roll, and I follow it, never moving my hand from the clear barrier. When Riley raises his hand, pressing it against the glass, I fall to my knees.
My eyes never leave his face nor does my hand break our connection. I stay there as he taxi’s down the runway and lifts off. Leaving me. I push against the glass with both hands, hoping beyond all things I could break it and run after him.
I sit against the window, clutching my chest as if my heart has fallen from it until Walker picks me up from the floor. He carries me from the building, my life in ashes. Walker sits with me until I regain some semblance of composure. I’m not ever far from plummeting over the edge again.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Leaona, also known as Lea, lives with her husband, cat and two dogs near Myrtle Beach. She was born and raised in WV by her parents whom she adores before attending Marshall University. A small business owner and mother of three, she enjoys Carolina Panthers and Marshall University Football, reading, writing, gardening, crafts, NASCAR, TWD, hot rods, and surf fishing. Leaona was inspired to write while she raised her family, never dreaming one day, she would be published. While loving all genres of books, Lea writes contemporary romance stories that are not your everyday love stories. Gritty and true to life, she draws from her life and loves to create her characters. Leaona's debut novel will release June 7, 2016. Cherry Grove is the first in The Cove Series. She’s your everyday girl and lives to connect with her fans via social media. Leaona also doesn't mind dishing about her favorite authors and their books. Beach, life, and love.

What can I say about this book?  Well, it was freaking awesome and not just because I consider Lea a friend but because it's an honest to goodness great read.  If you read the first book, then it was really hard to like Ava...I mean really, really hard!! She made it so easy for us to dislike her.  So for us to turn around and fall in love with Ava and even root for her in this book was a miracle.  I found myself wanting to throttle her and then in the next minute, I wanted to hug her for what she went through.  Riley, OMG - That man!! I want a Riley.  I'm just throwing it out there.  He knows who Ava is and he's just never cared.  He loves her. All of her - even all of her ugly parts. The whole town thinks she's a whore and Riley believes she's a princess.  Isn't that what we all want?  That one guy that will see what everyone else doesn't see.  What I took away was that age knows no bounds and it is just a number.  At a time when I'm turning 40, I actually really enjoyed reading this because it gives us single ladies hope that there's a Riley out there for us.  I am so glad I had the privilege to review this because it's one of those that you don't want to miss.  There are some deep topics in this, PTSD being one of them.  Post Traumatic Stress is so close to my heart and is such a deep passion of mine.  I've been touched by it personally, and I've seen firsthand the effects that it takes on a person and Lea wrote a very real account of this in the book that will touch people.  If you've ever experienced PTSD or know someone who has, the subject matter in this book will resonate with you at some point.  I loved seeing all the characters from the first book in this one, and it was good seeing Ava "woman up" as I like to call it. I'm not a fan of angst.  People know this and that being said...it worked in this book.  The back and forth just worked.  Usually, I would be pulling my hair out or something, but I didn't with this book.  I didn't sleep until the very end, and I went to work with a book hangover!! It was well worth it.  So, all that to say - Buy this book because you will not be sorry...it's just that good! 


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Somebody Else's Sky By Jessica Hawkins

Title: Somebody Else's Sky
Series: Something in the Way #2Author: Jessica HawkinsGenre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: May 22, 2017


Blurb
If I closed my eyes, I could still see them—all blonde sunshine, ocean-blue eyes, and long limbs. The glint of Lake’s gold bracelet. Pink cotton candy on Tiffany’s tongue. My scenery may have changed from heaven to hell, but some things never would: my struggle to do right by both sisters. To let Lake soar. To lift Tiffany up. The sacrifices I made for them, I made willingly.A better man would’ve walked away by now, but I never claimed to be any good. I only promised myself I’d keep enough distance. If I’d learned one thing from my past, it was that love came in different forms. You could love passionately, hurt deep, die young. Or you could provide the kind of firm, steady support someone else could lean on.Lake was everything I wanted, and nothing I could ever have. I was nobody before I knew her and a criminal after. The way to love her was to let her shine—even if it would be for somebody else.Book two in the Something in the Way series, an epic, 3-book saga of forbidden love...

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Pre-order now for October 23, 2017
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Author Bio
Jessica Hawkins grew up between the purple mountains and under the endless sun of Palm Springs, California. She studied international business at Arizona State University and has also lived in Costa Rica and New York City. To her, the most intriguing fiction is forbidden, and that's what you'll find in her stories. Currently, she resides wherever her head lands, which is often the unexpected (but warm) keyboard of her trusty MacBook.


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Ruckus by L.J. Shen

Title: RuckusSeries: Sinners of Saint #2Author: L.J. ShenGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: May 26, 2017 RosieThey say that life is a beautiful lie and death a painful truth. They're right.No one has ever made me feel more alive than the guy who serves as a constant reminder that my clock is ticking.He is my forbidden, shiny apple.The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth.He is also my sister's ex-boyfriend.One thing you should know before you judge me;I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.Eleven years later, he waltzed into my life, demanding a second chance.Dean Cole wants to be my bronze horseman. My white knight has finally arrived. Hopefully, he isn’t too late.DeanThey say the brightest stars burn out the fastest. They’re right.She sets my mind on fire.All smart mouth, snarky attitude and a huge heart.In a world where everything is dull, she shines like fucking Sirius.Eleven years ago, fate tore us apart.This time, I fucking dare it to try.Getting to her is a battlefield, but man, that’s why they call me Ruckus.Rosie LeBlanc is about to find out how hard I can fight.And conquering her will be the sweetest victory.



I knew within the first couple chapters that this book was going to be a tearjerker and I wasn't incorrect.  I cried.  A lot.  I probably went through an entire box of kleenex and gave up on that and then decided to use an old t-shirt as a snot rag...Gross - Yep.  It sure was.  Rosie is in love with Dean and has been since she was a teenager.  Dean's been in love with Rosie, but he's so stubborn, actually they both are.  Rosie pushed Dean to date her sister which was the biggest mistake ever.  Almost 10 years later and they still love each other.  However, Dean has some demons that he needs to face.  One being that he's got a problem that he's got to fix himself.  No one can fix it but him.  There were places in this book that I really wanted to punch Dean in the face and then hug him afterwards and tell Rosie to find someone else.  Rosie, that girl is a great heroine!  She has flaws, but none of them are that she loves too much.  You find out pretty early on that she's sick.  It says in the synopsis that time is running out...what do you do when the love of your life waited 10 years to tell you how he feels?  Is it enough?  L.J. did a really good job in this book and I felt the pain on both sides, as well as, the victory of finally having love.  This was worth missing the sleep and rolling into work looking and feeling like a zombie.  

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L.J. Shen resides in sunny California with her husband, son, chubby cat and wild, wild dreams. Her passion is to write badass stories, sushi, UFC and her awesome family and friends (not in this order, though. Obviously, sushi comes before writing. Oh, and also the family part.) She spend the first half of her twenties traveling the world and is now paying all the fun with extra shifts in front of her MacBook. Feel free to contact her on her Facebook page. She loves to hear from her readers. HOSTED BY:

Title: Sexy MotherpuckerA Bad Motherpuckers NovelAuthor: ...

Title: Sexy MotherpuckerA Bad Motherpuckers Novel
Author: Lili ValenteGenre: Steamy Romantic Comedy/Hockey RomanceRelease Date: May 22, 2017


Blurb
When the family dog trots in with my diaphragm in its mouth—in front of my date, his parents, and his adorable little girl—you would think I’d hit rock bottom.
WRONG.
Let’s back this up a sec…
Brendan Daniels is the sexiest man alive. The captain of the Badger’s NHL team is also clever, kind, funny, and was my good friend…until we cruised out of the friend zone one weekend with a red-hot fling. Come Monday morning, I wanted to keep riding the Big O train to happy town, but Brendan wanted someone who was “stepmom” material.
A.K.A, not me, apparently.
The problem? I’m crazy in love with him and his daughter. So when he asks me to be his pretend girlfriend for a long weekend with his former in-laws, I say yes. We’re still friends, after all, and friends don’t let friends fake it alone.
***
Laura Collins is the last woman I should be thinking about taking in the back seat of my car, in the woods behind my in-laws’ house, or in a hotel room where we’re sharing one very small, very squeaky bed.
I need a steady, stable influence for my daughter, not a fling with this too wild, too young, too impulsive red head. So what if she’s beautiful and intense and passionate and has the biggest heart I’ve ever known?
I don’t want to fall in love. I really don’t. The whole “pretend girlfriend” thing was supposed to solve my problems, buy me a little more time.
But when it comes to Laura?
Hell, maybe I’m just not cut out for faking it.


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I've really come to love this series and can't wait for the next one.  I fell in love with Brendan and his daughter.  The one and the only thing I wish it hadn't had so much of was...sex.  It just had too much in it for my taste, however, I still thought it was a good book.  I'll still read the next one.  If you liked the first one, then you'll definitely love this one.
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Releasing July 11, 2017

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Author Bio
Lili Valente has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale. 

These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts. 


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