Twinkle (Sugandha) Varshney's Blog, page 208

Ally’s Secret by Christina Leigh Pritchard

 Title: Ally's SecretSeries: C I N Series #3By: Christina Leigh PritchardPublication Date: June 10, 2017Genre: PNR SuspenseCover Designer: vikncharlie#allyssecrettour Ally won’t tell Alex what she did. She won't reveal her secrets to anyone, not even Lisa. And, Lisa can't keep track of all the lies she's been told. With new guy, Jake, in town, she sees her chance at the truth. With his help, she finds someone who does know what Ally did. Through the eyes of Crystal, watch as Ally's demise unfolds. Learn the story behind the fire, Ally’s obsession with her own ‘death’, who Rat really is, and to Crystal's dismay, relive the tragedy. Can Lisa heal after she finally knows what really happened? Will she be able to forgive Alex? Ally? Sometimes, the truth kills... Whose heart will be left unbroken?
Amazon US - http://amzn.to/2rsisaXAmazon UK - https://goo.gl/iZX4e1Amazon CA - https://goo.gl/uiNHrV Only $0.99Now, you can own the limited edition of both CIN and TRAITOR, plus deleted scenes! Get ready for Ally's Secret, book three! Order and email the author your receipt through the newsletter (http://www.christinaleighpritchard.com) and get all the short stories (all 12, plus the free bonus stories given through the newsletter).Amazon US - http://amzn.to/2r94ABmAmazon UK - https://goo.gl/FtBpS4Amazon CA - https://goo.gl/0utcP5 Christina Leigh Pritchard was born and raised in South Florida. Her first stories were written at the age of nine in wide ruled spiral notebooks (which were supposed to be used for class) and in the various diaries she kept. Stories she wrote from age nine to twelve fill about four storage boxes! Since she's upgraded to a computer, she's completed over fifty books and still going strong. Her genres include dark fantasy, young adult, drama, suspense, historical romance, multicultural, comedy, poetry and many more.

Social Media LinksFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/Christina-Leigh-Pritchard-118941638145057/Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/188024821574103/Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3240669.Christina_Leigh_PritchardTwitter - @teeny120 Website - http://www.christinaleighpritchard.com/Amazon - http://amazon.com/author/teeny120Google + - https://plus.google.com/u/0/116046523311728141496/postsYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/teeny120xLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-leigh-pritchard-769072115 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Forbidden Bonds by Lexi C. Foss

COMING AUGUST 1, 2017THE SECOND BOOK IN THE IMMORTAL CURSE SERIES.Exile never felt so good. . .Tom’s a trained sniper, not a babysitter. He kills rogue immortals for a living, but after releasing classified information to a friend, he’s banished to a remote location with the CRF’s most prized asset.Can two tortured souls find solace and love in one another?Secrets unfold as Tom forms a forbidden relationship with his new charge. The immortal woman evokes memories and feelings long forgotten, and forces him to question everything he’s ever known.Sacrifices must be made.A rash decision sends them both running for their lives as enemies vie for their heads.Some bonds are meant to be broken. . .About the BookForbidden Bonds
by Lexi C. Foss
Series
Immortal Curse #2
Genre
Adult
Urban Fantasy
Paranormal Romance
Publisher
Ninja Newt Publishing
Publication Date
August 1, 2017
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The Immortal Curse Series
About Lexi C FossLexi C. Foss is a writer lost in the IT world. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their furry children. When not writing, she’s busy crossing items off her travel bucket list. Many of the places she’s visited can be seen in her writing, including the mythical world of Hydria which is based on Hydra in the Greek islands. She’s quirky, consumes way too much coffee, and loves to swim.Lexi’s Links

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Survive By The Team by Cindy Skaggs

  Title: Survive By The TeamSeries: Team Fear #3By: Cindy SkaggsPublication Date: June 23, 2017Genre: Romantic SuspenseCover Designer: Mayhem Cover Creations#survivebytheteamreveal The wild ride continues in this highly addictive series.Mandi Gault never met a man brave enough to openly date a mortician, so when a good-looking man with twelve-pack abs invites her to dinner, she's not asking any questions. Too bad he's trying to kill her. Danny Gault died in a conspiracy threatening Team Fear--his defunct military team--so when Gault's sister winds up in the hospital, former teammate Dean Stills is forced to leave the safety of the team's compound. He recognizes her attacker as a member of a rogue military unit with orders to eliminate Team Fear. Now they're on the run while they unravel why Team Echo wants her dead. As the danger escalates, they share a wild night of down and dirty fun that would put a blush on a corpse, but Stills made it clear it was one and done. Now he must decide if he's brave enough to forget about vengeance and live. Military trained, medically enhanced, designed to kill. The surviving members of Team Fear are out of the military and in a world of secrets, lies, and cover-ups in this fast-paced romantic suspense series by Cindy Skaggs.
Pre-Order Your Copy Today! AMAZON US - http://amzn.to/2sERcTLAMAZON UK - https://goo.gl/BtfPk6AMAZON CA - https://goo.gl/0opbbv Team Fear #1AMAZON US - http://amzn.to/2sFbSuMAMAZON UK - https://goo.gl/wYPfqkAMAZON CA - https://goo.gl/2q2elT Team Fear #2AMAZON US - http://amzn.to/2rCLgwdAMAZON UK - https://goo.gl/6QiAmvAMAZON CA - https://goo.gl/QTu8Or Cindy Skaggs grew up on stories of mob bosses, horse thieves, cold-blooded killers, and the last honest man. Those mostly true stories gave her a lifelong love of storytelling and heroes. Her search for story took her around the world with the Air Force before returning to Colorado. Now she’s turning her lifelong love of storytelling into a career she loves. She has an MA in Creative Writing, three jobs, two kids, and more pets than she can possibly handle. She also plays the flute, makes crazy-good sculptures out of tortilla dough, and can wrangle the neurotic dog without getting mauled. Find her as Cindy Skaggs, Writer on Facebook, @CLSkaggs on Twitter, or www.CSkaggs.com to sign up for her newsletter.
Social Media LinksFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/CSkaggsGoodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/CindySkaggsWebsite - http://www.cskaggs.comTwitter - https://twitter.com/CLSkaggs a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lone Stallion by Nicole Lake

Title: Lone StallionSeries: Solo Shift #3Author: Nicole LakeGenre: Shifter RomanceCover Design: Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations
Release Date: June 20, 2017


Blurb
Katie:Baseball players break your heart. They are designed to break your heart. Especially baseball players like Jacob Baird. Just drafted, just signed, just started in the minor leagues. And he works like a horse out on the ball field, although the rumor mill says that’s not the only reason they call him Horse.
I don’t date ballplayers because 1, they break your heart, 2, my dad’s the club owner and that would be awkward, and 3, good luck trying to explain my falcon to a potential boyfriend, ballplayer or not.
But why is my falcon so jealous over this guy?
Jacob:OK, so I fell for the Falcons welcome-aboard prank: let the new guy hit on the hot brunette before he finds out she’s the boss’s daughter. Off-limits? Fine, I’ve got no problem playing the field.
But why is my stallion set on playing Katie instead of the field? 
_____________
Imagine yourself as a shifter alone in a world that doesn't know shifting exists.
This is the Solo Shift world: no packs, no guidance, no mates, and no prospects until chance, luck, trust, and love all intervene. 
What can you expect from a Solo Shift book? A standalone story with lonely shifters, shifters who don’t know they’re lonely, love scenes, and no cheating. And at least one HEA, sometimes more!

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Excerpt
Came back with my hot dog and ate it while Baird met the fans. From where I was, it looked like he was handling the attention well. Smiling, happy to be there, shaking hands, signing autographs, seemed to be the approachable type. Fit in real well with the fans. Folks in Welkerville like to see that in their players—and Baird seemed to be delivering that. That was a good sign, and I knew Dad would be happy to hear that. He also didn’t seem to be hitting on any of the women, which was also a good sign. I let the fans have their time with him. Most of them needed to get home, and I didn’t; besides, I was still working on my hot dog. Once the crowds cleared and my hot dog was gone, I came up to him, smile on my face, and I shook his hand and welcomed him to Welkerville.And stopped myself from jumping his bones on the spot.Yeah, that surprised me too. It was like The Awkward Years all over again—hormones all a-fire and everything.Sure, he had muscles. Sure, he had that glowing smile. Sure, he was big and brawny. But so were the other guys, with the possible exception of the smile. Why were my spidey-senses tingling—no, wait, those were my lady parts. Why were theytingling?Fortunately for me, I’ve gotten a lot better at faking normal behavior since The Awkward Years.Also fortunately for me, he answered by lifting a line straight out of Bull Durham. At least, I think he did. The problem with that movie is that it got minor-league life so right that you’re never sure if you're seeing an intentional Bull Durham reference or just Life As Usual in The Minors. So I just answered back with another stock cliche while I tried to keep my tongue in my cheek, or at least in my mouth. While trying to remind myself what an Executive Assistant to the Owner was supposed to do—oh, yeah, that’s right, introduce myself.But before I could do that, he beamed at me again—oh my God, that smile—and asked, “Are the stands always this full?”Good. That was good. He was talking baseball and the fans. I could talk about that all day without making a fool of myself.But then he followed up with, “Where does everyone go after the game, anyway?”Part of me said this was a set-up to a pick-up line. Other parts of me—the tingling parts—were ecstatic. Fortunately, my Executive Assistant to the Owner side recognized this was a good time to educate Baird in Welkerville ways.  “Home, mostly. Some of ‘em drive an hour or two to get here, plus most of our fans have cows to milk or feed, or jobs to go to in the morning. A few of ‘em hit the bars. A lot of folks hit the Taystee Creem downtown; they’re open late.”I patted myself on the back. Very educational response, very responsible, very much notan open invitation to check out that place behind the stands that’s been a make-out spot for generations of young Welker County residents, get that image out of your head, Katherine Joy Casey.



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Author Bio
Secret shifter romance novels. Secret shifter romance novelist.

Wife of an IT geek—his words, not mine! Mother of two kids, two cats, and two dogs. Incurable romantic. 

What do I want in my romance stories? Men who aren’t total asses. Women who avoid total asses—either from experience, or by being smart enough to avoid them in the first place! Men who survive just fine without a woman. Women who survive just fine without a man. Men and women smart enough to know the perils of jumping into love, and brave enough to do it anyway. And of course, a happily-ever-after!


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Romance Between the Pages' Weekly Podcast Interview With Jennifer Lyon

Ever wondered about the personalities behind your favorite books? Victoria Danann's new podcast with Riley J. Ford has an incredible lineup of authors booked through the spring. No question is out of bounds. Check it out!

THIS WEEK'S BEST SELLING AUTHOR...JENNIFER LYON!

Jennifer Lyon is the pseudonym for USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Apodaca. Jen lives in Southern California where she continually plots ways to convince her husband that they should get a dog. So far, she has failed in her doggy endeavor. She consoles herself by pouring her passion into writing books. To date, Jen has published more than twenty books, including a fun and sexy mystery series and a variety of contemporary romances as Jennifer Apodaca, and a dark, sizzling paranormal series as Jennifer Lyon. She's won awards and had her books translated into multiple languages, but she still hasn't come up with a way to persuade her husband that they need a dog.


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Silas by S.R. Watson

Title: Silas
A Playboy's Lair Novel: Part OneAuthor: S.R. WatsonGenre: Erotic RomanceRelease Date: June 5, 2017


Blurb
My name is Brennan Delavan and I'm 21 years old. I grew up in a home of the privileged, but as the daughter of the help. When I became of age, I worked along side my mother to earn my keep. My cynicism for the world in which I live, is with merit. I’ve experienced first hand how the circle of wealth monopolizes opportunities that are just beyond reach for everyone else. We're merely hamsters in a turning wheel with an illusion of freedom and equality. I no longer dream of being more. I have accepted what is. My mother is now dead. My father died before I was born. I don't need to exist outside the walls of my reality. I AM THE HELP!

My name is Silas Lair and I'm a sex extraordinaire! Sex is my business and my gift. Every facet of sex that you can conceive, is a realm of my empire. My yacht, The Playboy's Lair, is just one of my many entities and is currently my primary domain. I'm very protective of my domain and who I let infiltrate my space. When I'm asked to hire a new housekeeper as a favor to my most trusted house manager, I oblige. The moment Brennan crosses the threshold of my yacht, my guard erects ten fold. Her jaded attitude and introvert mannerisms can only keep her safe from me for so long. She is an enigma, one that I have every intention of getting beneath me. She walked right into my world of sex - my lair! There is no room for innocence here. I will fuck my curiosity of her out of my system and carry on with my legacy! 

Fuck or be fucked. The only two options I live by. I choose the former.
**This book is part one in a two-part book for Silas**


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Author Bio
S.R. Watson is a Texas native, who currently resides in Wisconsin. She grew up reading the Sweet Valley series (Twins, High, & University) among others. Although she wrote countless stories during high school, she never published any of them. She continued her education and became a registered nurse. After reading the Twilight series and 50 Shades Trilogy, she decided to pursue her passion for writing once again.

S.R. Watson published the first book in 2014. She is the bestselling author of the Forbidden Trilogy, The Object of His Desire, and the co-authored S.I.N. Trilogy with Shawn Dawson. 

When S.R. Watson is not writing or working as a CVOR nurse, she loves to read and binge watch her favorite shows (Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, Elementary, etc.)


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Tempting Levi by Jules Barnard

Title: Tempting LeviSeries: Cade Brothers #1Author: Jules BarnardGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: June 6, 2017


Blurb
Off-limits never looked so tempting...problem is, she's my ex's little sister.

Cade men are known for two things: arrogance and competitiveness. I grew up in one of the wealthiest, most dysfunctional families in Lake Tahoe, and all I wanted was to get the hell out. I thought I'd succeeded. Until an accident burned up my firefighter ambitions. Then Dad died and left me in charge of the family's luxury resort.

Now I've got financially uptight advisors telling me what to do, and I need someone I can trust working at my side. The perfect candidate walks through the door in her pencil skirt, fitted white blouse, and that mass of wavy blond hair she tries to contain.

The only problem? She's my cheating ex's younger sister.

Hell no. The last thing I need is another Wright female in my life.

But Emily's good at the job, and she seems trustworthy. I should ignore the desire I have for her. But after all I've lost, I'm tempted by what I can't have and ready to stoke the flame that smolders between us. As long as this Wright sister doesn't betray me the way the last one did.

Then again, I always liked playing with fire.

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Excerpt
She climbed to her feet and leaned into him, tracing the scar above his eye. “I like this scar.”He chuckled and dropped his cheek into her hand. “Glad it pleases someone. It didn’t feel too good when it happened.”“I don’t like it because you were hurt. It’s just—it brought you to me. And it reminds me that you’re not the same person I met years ago. That we’ve both changed… However”—she grinned saucily—“scars are pretty hot.”He tugged at her top and kissed her collarbone, tickling her with his lips, because the naughty man had quickly discovered a sensitive spot. “My scar looks hot, does it?”She laughed as he continued to pepper her skin with light kisses. She lifted her shoulder in defense. “Very sexy.” “Hmmm, don’t give me ideas, Emily, or I won’t let you go home.”




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Author Bio
RITA-nominated author Jules Barnard began her publishing career in 2014 with her first contemporary series, Men of Lake Tahoe, making it onto romance bestseller lists. In 2015, she launched, Fates Divided, the first of a romantic fantasy series Library Journal calls "...an exciting new fantasy adventure." Whether she's writing about sexy men in Lake Tahoe or a Fae world embedded in a college campus, Jules spins addictive stories filled with heart and humor.
When she isn't in her sweatpants writing and rewarding herself with chocolate, Jules spends her time with her husband and two children in their small hometown on the California coast. She credits herself with the ability to read while running on the treadmill or burning dinner.
To learn more about Jules, visit her website at: http://www.julesbarnard.com./
Sign up for Jules’s Newsletter and receive access to FREE extra scenes!


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Only The Pretty Ones by Karen M. Bryson

Title: Only The Pretty Ones Author: Karen M. Bryson Genre: Romantic Crime Fiction Release Date: June 9, 2107 Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.


She was the pretty one. She was the one who was taken.Maxie Ford’s sister, Ella, has vanished. When the police refuse to investigate, Maxie decides to take the law into her own hands. With the help of a drug dealer, “Mickey Finn” Donovan, Maxie dives into the seedy underworld of the city in search of Ella.What she discovers is a trafficking ring that abducts college girls for wealthy and high-powered men, and a legal system that is so corrupt no one is willing to stop them.


OneIt’s the first time I’ve been out of my apartment in nearly a month and a drunk frat boy is engaged in a rambling conversation with my breasts. I’m twenty-six. I’m getting too old for this shit. I wonder if he’s even noticed that my knockers haven’t responded to any of his questions. The guy reeks of booze and cigarettes. All I want to do is escape, but he has me trapped between the end of the old wooden bar and the wall. When he finally makes an effort to glance up at my face I feel like he’s focused on my chin. “What did you say your name was?” “I didn’t.”  He wobbles like a newbie surfer trying to ride his first wave. When he attempts to perch on one of the bar stools, he ends up falling on his ass.   My sister, Ella, talked me into accompanying her tonight. Normally I wouldn’t be caught dead at a sports bar frequented by the overprivileged college crowd. But Ella pleaded, and I didn’t want her to go alone. I’m a poster child for the bad things that can happen to women when they’re left alone with drunk college guys. That’s why I prefer to limit my face-to-face social interactions to my sister, my best friend, and the mail carrier. “I know you said you didn’t want to drink, but I brought you one anyway.” She hands me a glass filled with cheap beer. How do I know it’s cheap? It’s the color of piss and smells worse than a portable potty on a hot summer day.I place the glass on the edge of the bar. “Thanks anyway.”“You could at least try to fit in.” The problem with her request is that I’ve never fit in anywhere. My sister is a freshman at my alma mater: Big State University. I graduated five years ago. My parents wanted me to attend one of those prestigious private universities that line the northern East Coast. I had the grades to get in, but lacked the social savvy to succeed in the Ivy League. I chose to attend a less prestigious institution where the only criteria for admission is a pulse. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The school isn’t second rate, but it’s also not the Harvard of the Florida Gulf Coast as some of the administration would like prospective students to believe. I thought I’d blend in better at someplace like Big State University. I was wrong. I was just as much of a misfit there as anywhere else.   The bar is packed with Big State University students. It may be a different decade than when I was a student, but the social stratification is still the same. And I’m still a misfit.   “Fitting in is overrated.” I glance down at the drunk frat boy who took the tumble. He’s fallen asleep on the filthy, beer-soaked floor in front of me. At least I think he’s asleep. I kick him in the ribs just to be sure he’s still alive. He moans in response. “This is not my idea of fun.”Ella ignores my disparaging remarks. She glances around the bar. “I don’t see Sean anywhere.”Sean Harrison is the guy who invited Ella to meet him at the bar tonight. He’s the guy she’s been talking about nonstop for over a week. The way she’s built him up I expect nothing less than a Prince Charming who is going to sweep her off her feet. Of course romantic gestures like that only happen to girls in fairytales. They don’t happen to girls who hang out in grungy sports bars frequented by Big State students. We’re lucky if the guys we go home with remember our names the next morning.    Ella bites her perfectly-pink bottom lip as her bright blue eyes scan the bar. “He said he’d find us.”“Find you. He said he’d find you.”My younger sister has always been the pretty one. Long blonde hair. Sparking sapphire eyes. Perfect features. Being pretty is the reason she’s holding a beer in her hand when she’s only eighteen. When she wants something, men rarely tell her no. “Why are you always so down on yourself?”Because when people can’t think of anything else to say about me, their go-to line is at least she’s smart. As if that’s a compliment. That’s what people say to parents when they have a kid who is awkward and unattractive. “I’m a realist.”“No, you’re a cynic.”“Enough about me. I thought we were talking about your Prince Charming.”“I think I see him.”She grabs my elbow and pulls me through the crowd as she heads towards Sean.I place my hand over my mouth to avoid gasping when I lay eyes on him. No one would accuse me of being a great catch, but this guy isn’t even in my league. He’s got a round toddler face on a squishy dad bod making it difficult to tell if he’s old or young. His hairline is receding, which doesn’t help his attractiveness quotient. He might be able to make a case for being a solid four on the attractiveness scale, if his clothes didn’t look like they were from his father’s closet.      “Ella.” He gives my sister a peck on the cheek. “I’m so glad to see you.”Her pale cheeks redden in response. “I’m glad we found you in this crowd. This is my sister, Maxie.” “Nice to meet you,” I say as convincingly as possible. As I look the dweeb up and down I wonder what kind of spell he’s put my sister under. He points to my empty hands. “You don’t have a beer.”“I don’t like to drink and stride.” My attempt at humor fails miserably. Sean stares at me blankly. “It’s a play on words. Drink and drive. Drink and stride.” Is there any greater torture than having to explain a joke? He laughs politely. “I get it now.”“Sean and I met at a coffee shop near campus,” Ella explains. “He loaned me a pen.”“I always carry extras, just in case.”“Sean’s a Sigma Psi.” Ella gives me a sly smile. The pieces of the puzzle are slowing coming together. My sister has always had a fascination with the rich and powerful. Maybe because our parents always struggled financially.  Only the best of the best is chosen for Sigma Psi. For generations the fraternity has been the college home to the offspring of the wealthy and elite of the country.   Sigma Psi guys generally mate with girls in their own social class. Usually that means Delta Sigma sorority sisters. But the guys have been known to slum around with girls outside of their tax bracket when they want to get laid and don’t want to bother learning the girls’ names. That doesn’t appear to be Sean’s motive though. He seems to be genuinely enamored with my sister. As if there’s a straight guy on the planet who has ever laid eyes on Ella who hasn’t fallen madly in love with her.   What’s strange is that Ella seems to be just as taken with Sean. Just when I think things couldn’t get any more awkward a liquored-up blonde staggers up to us. “Don’t listen to a thing that comes out of this guy’s mouth.” She gestures in Sean’s general direction. “He’s a sheep in wolf’s clothing.”“Don’t you mean a wolf in sheep’s clothing?” I correct.She tries to put a finger to her nose, but completely misses her beak. “I must be drunk,” she declares then laughs uncontrollably. “Maybe you’d better lie down, Tiffany.” Sean’s tone is clipped. She shakes her head. “I don’t want to miss all the fun.”“You look a little green,” Ella says.Tiffany smacks her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “I’m not feeling very good.”  She’s not looking too hot either. All the color has drained from her face. When her eyes go wide, I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that she might hurl. Instead she lets out a loud burp that smells like stale beer. “Oops.” She laughs again. Just as I’m about to let out a small sigh of relief she turns and pukes all over me. It’s not a little bile barf either. It was an epic, head-spinning Linda Blair Exorcist spew. The entire contents of her stomach cover every inch of my dark clothing. I’ve even got chunks of half-digested hamburger in my auburn hair. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and stares at me blankly. “What happened? Did I get sick?”“All over me.” I do my best to control the anger burning inside. “Bummer.” Before I have a chance to say anything else she stumbles away. “The least she could have done was take her puke with her.” Even though I’m trying to make light of the awful situation, Ella and Sean stare at me in horror like I’ve been doused in gasoline and set on fire.“I’ll be fine,” I assure them.“Maybe you’d better go to the bathroom and get cleaned up,” Ella suggests. Even though he seems harmless I don’t want to leave her alone with Sean. My job here is to be the overprotective big sister. “Would you come with me?”She glances over at Sean then she looks at me. Then she bites her bottom lip. She seems conflicted. “It’ll only be a minute,” I tell her. As soon as she takes a step toward me Sean places a hand on her wrist. “Where are you going? You just got here.”“I was going to help my sister in the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”“She’s a big girl,” he says. “I’m sure she’ll be okay by herself.”Her brow furrows. “Will you be okay?”“Ella’s in good hands,” Sean gives me a crooked smile. “I promise.”“Stay right here, okay?” The place is packed and I’m not sure I’d be able to find them if they wander someplace else. “We will,” Ella promises.I notice that Sean takes her hand in his. The guy may be a dweeb, but he works fast. As much as I don’t want to leave Ella alone with him the vomit is starting to dry and crust onto my clothing. I carefully snake through the crowd as I make my way to the back of the bar where the restrooms are located. There’s a line to get into the ladies’ room. When I glance at the entrance to the men’s room it looks deserted by comparison. I opt not to wait. It’s not like I’m planning to use the toilet. The men have sinks just like the women do. A sharp dressed guy is standing in front of a urinal doing his thing. He gives me a dirty look as I walk by. “Are you lost, little girl?” There’s a hint of indignation in his voice.“I’m not a little girl, and I’m not lost.” Admittedly I am short, but I haven’t been a girl in over a decade. The grimy sinks look like they’re rarely cleaned. At least the water is clear when I turn on the faucet. I grab what’s left of the paper towels out of the dispenser on the wall and go to work on the vomit down the front of my black shirt. Just as I start to clean the puke from my dark jeans Mr. Obnoxious from the urinal marches right up to me, invading my personal space. He gets so close I catch a whiff of his spicy cologne. I don’t like anyone getting so close to me, especially guys I don’t know.  He glares down at me with dark angry eyes. I’m only five foot four. The guy looks like he’s nearly a foot taller than me. And he must outweigh me by a hundred pounds. “What are you doing in the men’s room?”I glare right back at him. “What does it look like I’m doing?”The realization that we’re the only two people in the bathroom hits me hard. The guy obviously has some anger management issues. Maybe some girl he was hoping to score with rejected him. I just hope he doesn’t plan on taking his anger out on me. “I’m looking for some action.” His eyes scan the length of my body. “You look like a fun ride.”My chest tightens and my heart begins to thump wildly. I was a victim once and I swore I’d never be a victim again. In one swift motion I remove a .22 Magnum from my handbag and point it right at the guy’s face. “I’m not interested in any action, asshole. Now get the fuck out of the bathroom before I blow your head off.”His eyes go wide and he stares at me, dumbfounded for several long moments. “You wouldn’t really shoot me, would you?” “I’d tell the police it was self-defense. That you tried to rape me. Just think how much money I’d save the tax payers. No trial. No he-said-she-said because you’d already be dead.”He slowly raises his hands in a defensive gesture. “Okay, I get it. You’re one of those angry girls out to emasculate every guy on the planet.”  “Do you really think that’s a smart thing to say to someone who has a gun pointed at you?”A moment of clarity seems to overtake him. “I’m sorry, okay. Will you just let me go?”I nod. He slowly backs away from me. When he realizes I’m not going to shoot him if he keeps his promise he darts out of the bathroom.I put my handgun back in my bag. Then I scrub the rest of the caked vomit from the jeans. I do my best to wipe the half-digested chunks of burger out of my hair without throwing up. For several moments I glance at myself in the hazy mirror. Maybe Mr. Obnoxious was right. Maybe I am an angry girl. And maybe I have been for a really long time.   The smell of sweat and stale beer overpowers me as I step out of the men’s room. Every inch of the place is now packed with drunk college students. It’s so loud I can barely think straight. And it’s sweltering hot. My first instinct is to bolt from the bar into the relatively cooler night air. Well, as cool as you can get in a subtropical climate anyway. I can’t leave without my sister though. I made a promise that I intend to keep. I’m never going to let what happened to me happen to her.  




Karen M. Bryson is known for writing new adult, love in midlife, contemporary romance and romantic crime fiction with a little spice and lots of heart. She is a winner of the prestigious RONE Award for Excellence in the Indie and Small Publishing Industry. Karen is also an award-winning/optioned screenwriter. When she's not at her computer creating spicy stories Karen likes to spend time with her husband and their bloodhounds. Karen has previously written under the pen names REN MONTERREY, SAVANNAH YOUNG, SIERRA AVALON and USA TODAY Bestselling author DAKOTA MADISON.



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BITTER LEGACY by C.B. Clark

BITTER LEGACY by C.B. ClarkGenre: Romantic Suspense
Sharla-Jean Bromley returns to her hometown after a seventeen-year absence with vengeance in her heart. From the very beginning, her plans go awry when she meets devastatingly handsome Josh Morgan, the man to whom her father left half of his multi-million dollar lumber mill.

Josh, suspicious of Sharla-Jean’s reasons for returning to town after such a long absence, vows to keep control of the company he feels is rightfully his. She is equally determined to prove she can run her father’s mill, even though it means working side-by-side with Josh, a man whose very presence evokes an attraction that is increasingly difficult for her to ignore. In the process, they must overcome a villain who’s determined to destroy both the lumber mill and their lives.

Will Sharla-Jean succeed and heal the anguish that has long filled her soul? Wills he and Josh find the passion of a lifetime?


Excerpt #1
Fire!

Even as the dreaded word reared like a monster inside her head, a thin trickle of smoke crept out of the dark storage room. Terrifying images of flame, smoke and searing heat threatened to overwhelm her. For a nightmare second, she was back in the midst of scorching heat and roaring flames.

Using all her strength of will, she tore free of the chilling memories. Instead of fleeing, she placed one wobbly step in front of the other and shuffled toward the storage room. Her nostrils flared at the acrid tang of gasoline and smoke. With a shaking hand, she gripped the door handle and opened the door.

A figure burst out of the darkness, crashing into her, knocking her back.

She yelped at the pain of the blow and the shock of falling. A jolt of agony and blinding light as her head hit something hard.

Heavy boots pounded across the tile floor. Cold air washed over her. And then darkness.

Excerpt #2
“Tell me,” he sneered, lowering his voice, enunciating each word as if he were speaking to a child, “before you set the fire, did you even consider how losing the Mill would affect so many people’s lives? How did you think the employees were going to feed their families?”

The unfairness of his accusation rocketed through her, and she shot to her feet. “You don’t know anything, not a damn thing. Did you or anyone else in this town stop to ask why I would set fire to Bromley Forest Products, what I would gain?” Unable to face the contempt on his face, she stormed across the room toward the door, determined to get out of the office and away from him.

“So tell me what really happened. I’m listening”

His quiet voice, filled not with his earlier anger, but a note of compassion, seeped through her turmoil. She removed her hand from the door handle and swung toward him. For a second, the briefest heartbeat, she wanted to tell him, to finally reveal the truth. But she shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand. You’re just like everyone else. You think my father was wonderful, and I’m the devil who broke his heart.”

“I picture you many ways, Sharla-Jean, but never as a coward.” He arched a dark brow. “Anyone who’d wear that red dress to her father’s funeral isn’t frightened of anything.”

Excerpt #3
As if in a daze, he opened the door of the truck and climbed out. The full horror of the hellish scene rose before him. On wooden legs, he stumbled toward the chaos. Acrid smoke filled his lungs and stung his eyes. Coughing, tears streaming down his cheeks, he trudged onward.

A loud, piercing scream of protesting metal rent the air. He stared in morbid fascination as the metal roof of the sawmill buckled and collapsed in a monstrous roar that shook the ground. Showers of searing sparks swirled in the air, stinging as they landed on his arms, his neck, scorching his face.

One plodding step at a time, he drew nearer to the roaring flames. His skin prickled and tightened with the searing heat. A heavy cloak of thick, black smoke filled the air, searing deep into his lungs.

Another roar, like a ravenous beast, shattered the air, and the roof of the planer mill collapsed, leaving a blackened skeleton in its wake. Glowing hot ash, burst into the air, lighting on the orderly piles of kiln-dried lumber, setting them ablaze. A coal landed on his arm stinging and singeing. He brushed off the burning ember, transfixed by the conflagration before him.

Amazon ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ BookStrand ✯ The Wild Rose Press ✯ Goodreads CB Clark is the author of three romantic suspense novels published by The Wild Rose Press. ‘My Brother’s Sins’ and ‘Cherished Secrets’ were published in 2016, and ‘Bitter Legacy’ in June, 2017. CB has always loved reading, especially romances, but it wasn’t until she lost her voice for a year that she considered writing her own romantic suspense stories. She grew up in Canada’s Northwest Territories and Yukon. Graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology, she has worked as an archaeologist and an educator. She enjoys hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing with her husband and dog near her home in the wilderness of central British Columbia.

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His Destiny By Sheila Kell

Title: His DestinySeries: HIS Series #5 - Stand-aloneAuthor: Sheila KellGenre: Romantic SuspenseDesigner: CT Cover CreationsPhotographer: Eric Battershell
From Romantic Suspense BEST-SELLING Author • What happens when his destiny leads him into the arms of the woman he doesn’t think he deserves? In Sheila Kell’s passionate novel of distrust and desire, a damaged man and a broken woman are connected by heartbreak and danger… and the heat of possibility.

Despite their secrets, he’ll discover she’s always been his destiny.

Damaged HIS agent Trent McKenzie jumps on his motorcycle and leaves town, running from the pain eating at his soul. He has no plans to go home to his old life or tackle the destruction he left behind. Only when he learns his close friend Kelly Williams may be in danger does he return, even knowing he must confront the anger and grief that tortures him.

Once home, Trent discovers Kelly is no longer the innocent woman she once was. She is temptation and unobtainable, and everything he knows he doesn’t deserve. Needing to protect her and unravel the danger she’s in, Trent and Kelly embark on a trip searching for answers. They just need to prepare to discover that sometimes destiny doesn’t always play fair. 99c Sale!Also available on KindleUnlimitedAmazon US: http://amzn.to/2rZTCfgAmazon UK: http://amzn.to/2qZvJTxAmazon CA: www.amazon.ca/dp/B072FS3PH3Amazon AU: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B072FS3PH3Pick up your copy of HIS DESTINY to meet the hot-bodied men of HIS today!Hamilton Investigation & Security: HIS seriesBooks do not have to be read in order, but it's more fun if they are!  HIS DESIRE (Jesse & Kate) FREE HIS CHOICE (AJ & Megan) HIS RETURN (Jake & Emily) HIS CHANCE (Devon & Rylee) OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES $4.99 for 3 full-length novels!Also available on KindleUnlimited Amazon US ➔ http://amzn.to/2jNzUT2Amazon UK ➔ http://amzn.to/2rMPwtoAmazon AU ➔ http://bit.ly/HISseries1-3-AU Sheila Kell writes smokin’ hot romance and intrigue. She secretly laughs when her mother, in that stern voice, calls it, “nasty.” As a self-proclaimed caffeine addict nestled in north Mississippi with three cats, she wears her pajamas most of the day and writes about the romantic men who leave women’s hearts pounding with a happily ever after built on a memorable, adrenaline-pumping story. When she isn’t writing, she can be found visiting her family, dreaming of an editor who agrees her work is perfect, or watching cartoons.
Sheila is a proud Romance Writers of America member. You can find out more on her website, Facebook and Twitter. Join her newsletter for VIP updates, contests, upcoming appearances and news!
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