Babs Hightower's Blog, page 68
March 18, 2016
Release Day Blitz for Lassoing The Virgin Mail Order Bride by Alexa Riley
When Clare Stevens walked onto the McCallister ranch, she expected her life to be a certain way. She was the mail-order bride of the owner, and she was to fulfill her duties. Clean the house, cook for his men, and warm his bed at night. What she didn’t expect was the beefy cowboy who walked in and literally swept her off her feet.
Cash McCallister didn’t have time to date and find a wife. So a mail-order bride seemed the easiest way to find a partner. He thought he’d made a mistake until he laid eyes on the little piece of sunshine that lit up his life. He never imagined a true love like this. He never knew an obsession could take hold so tightly.
When drama hits the farm and their fast love is threatened, can Clare and Cash hold it together?
Warning: This is literally as cliché as it sounds…and just as awesome. It’s country living with high-calorie foods and easy sunsets. Come sit on the porch and stay a while. You’ll like what you see.
Buy the book
Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU
Free on Kindle Unlimited
A Taste Of Cash…
He reaches out, grabbing one of my curls. “The Johnsons aren’t home, you know. Went to a cattle show. Only one there is June. How long has he been gone over there with her?”
My body freezes at his words. He’s been gone for over an hour now. I turn to bat his hand away from my hair and tell him to leave, but before I can, he’s gone. A loud crash fills the porch as Billy is pulled away from me and he hits the house. Cash’s hand is around his throat, and Billy is starting to turn red.
Cash has him a good foot off the ground. I hadn’t noticed how short the other man was, but now that Cash is next to him, it really shows.
“You think you can come on my land and fucking touch my wife?” Cash’s face is so close to Billy’s I have to step to the side a little to see him. His face is turning purple now, and I don’t think Cash is really looking for an answer to his question. It’s clear the man won’t be able to talk with how tight Cash’s squeezing his throat.
“You don’t look at her, you don’t talk to her. In fact, you don’t even know she fucking exists.” Cash is so mad I can feel the anger pulsing off him in waves. He continues to choke Billy, and all I can do is stand there, shocked by how fast everything’s happened. I don’t even know where Cash came from. It was like he knew a man touched me, and poof, he just materialized. That actually would not shock me at this point.
“Fuck!” I hear someone yell, pulling my eyes from the scene in front of me. I see Earl and three other hands with him start to run towards the porch. They head for Cash and try to peel him off the other man. It takes all four of them to finally get Cash off Billy. When Cash lets go, Billy slides down, his ass hitting the porch. His hand goes to his throat as he coughs over and over again. I look back to Cash, who’s still being held back by the men as they try to calm him down, but it doesn’t seem to be working.
He keeps pulling to get free, wanting back at Billy.
“He fucking touched her.” He lunges again, this time breaking free of two of the hands, and I jump in front of him. He halts, almost running right into me, and I throw myself into his arms, wrapping myself around him. No way he’ll keep going at Billy if I’m locked around him. If we don’t stop him, I’m starting to think he might kill the man.
His hands go to my ass, catching me easily. I pull back and cup his face. “You marrying me today or you going to jail?” I ask him as I lean in, my lips just a breath from his, and I can see his face visibly relax.
“Marrying you.”
“Think we should practice that kissing part again?” I tease him, brushing my lips across his.
He takes my mouth. The kiss is hard and demanding, almost knocking the air right out of my lungs. I can feel everything he felt moments ago. All the adrenaline still pumping through his body, only now he’s using it on me. He pulls back sooner then I want, breaking the kiss.
“Get him off my land,” Cash says, not taking his eyes from mine as he starts to carry me towards the house.
“I’m calling the Sheriff. He’ll hear about this.”
“When you call him, can you tell him he still owes me a hundred dollars from our last poker night?” I hear Earl say as Cash kicks the door closed behind us and places me on my feet.
His eyes run over me, and I can see the rest of the tension leave his body.
“Goddamn, you look perfect.” His voice is gruff, but he takes a step back from me.
I take a step towards him, and he holds one hand up.
“Barely hanging on, sweetheart. I gotta get you to the courthouse, and if you touch me right now with how I’m feeling, I’ll snap and take you right on this floor.”
“There’s more than what just happened out there, isn’t there?” I ask, pointing to the door we just came through.
“Yeah. I was already fucking pissed before I saw Billy reach out and touch you. I went right over the edge after that.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. Not a goddamn thing.”
I just stare at him. Cash runs a hand over his face, then pulls it through his dark hair.
“I went to the Johnsons’ and they weren’t there.”
“But June was.”
“But June was,” he confirms, making me uneasy. I don’t like that one bit.
“I sat and waited and waited some more while June ran her mouth. Baby, you know how I feel about that voice of hers.” He says it like he was tortured, making me roll my eyes.
“She offered me something to drink. I said no and that if her mom and dad weren’t back in the next five minutes, I was gone. That’s when she fucking lost it. Tried to throw herself at me. I dodged her, and she hit the floor. Hard. Then she started crying.” He studies me for a second, and I can tell there’s more and he doesn’t want to say it.
“What, Cash? Just say it.”
“I just stepped over her and left.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” He mimics my response. “You’re not mad? I thought you’d be pissed I just left her there crying. Last time she started with those tears, you told me to be nice. I thought—”
“That’s what got you so mad?”
“Big fucking part.” He lets out a deep breath. “All I kept thinking was that if you had to listen to some man talk for thirty minutes about how you should marry him, I’d lose it. Then I came around that corner and there’s a man standing on my goddamn porch fucking touching you.” He yells the last part.
I just shake my head and walk over to him, placing my hands on his chest, smiling up at him.
“How can you be smiling? I still want to go back out there and beat the shit out of someone.”
“I’m smiling because you’re so jealous. You’re even jealous for me over you.” I start to laugh because saying it out loud makes it ever funnier.
He just shakes his head.
“We should go get married. I think that might help.” I’m not sure who he’s trying to convince, me or him.
“Sure it will,” I tease.
“Maybe if you were walking around here with a round little belly, that might help, too,” he adds.
“Can we focus on one thing at a time here? The wedding first,” I remind him.
“We get this wedding done and I’m going to be focusing on that real hard.”
“Promises, promises,” I tease.
He leans down and places a soft kiss on my lips.
“This is going to be the fastest wedding this town has ever seen.”
Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes.
They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you!
Author Links
Twitter Facebook Website Goodreads Amazon Page Instagram
The post Release Day Blitz for Lassoing The Virgin Mail Order Bride by Alexa Riley appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 17, 2016
Get a free sidebar ad!
Get a free sidebar ad!
The first 5 people who buy a half page premium or standard ad for May receive a free sidebar ad on the website. A $30 value! Once the number goes over 5, any author who purchases a half page ad will be included in a drawing. Two winners will be chosen for a sidebar ad.
http://btsemag.com/advertising/home/
The post Get a free sidebar ad! appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 14, 2016
Purchase ad and be entered in drawing for free 2 pg feature.
Purchase an Elite Premiere ad for the May issue and be in a drawing for a free 2 page feature in the July/August issue. A $120 value! Note: There are only 4 ad spots left so that is a one in four chance of winning.
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March 8, 2016
Tips For Women To Get The Most Out Of Their Marriage
Are you happily married but want to make sure it stays that way? Do you want to know how you can add more happiness in your marriage? I have had a good think about what makes me and my husband happy in our marriage and have listed 6 tips on how to get the most out of your marriage.
1. Remind Him How You Appreciate Him
It is so easy to forget to tell your husband how much you appreciate all the things he does for you and the family. This is because as the years go on, we simply start to assume that they already know how much we appreciate them. While they very well might know, it is still so important to tell them in your own words. Next time your husband does something around the house or something nice for you; make sure you let him know that you appreciate him. You don’t even have to wait till he does something, you can tell him over dinner that you appreciate all that he has done for you and the family. He will feel truly loved and know that you do still take notice.
2. Honesty Is The Best Policy
I have always found that honesty is the best policy because it will always come out eventually so you might as well be honest about it now. I remember I had maxed out my store card and got myself into a bit of a pickle. I didn’t want to have my husband worry about me so I didn’t tell him. Whenever he brought up anything to do with finances, I would get myself flustered. He knew me too well and knew something was up but let me tell him in my own time. When I did, he wasn’t angry and just gave me hug and helped me solve my problem. This actually brought us even closer together and so I learnt that being honest is always best… even when you might be feeling embarrassed.
3. Look After Your Appearance
While beauty isn’t just skin deep, it does still matter that you take care of your appearance. We can get way too comfortable in marriage with one another which is why it becomes so easy to let ourselves go. There was a time where I had gone for an embarrassing length of time without shaving my legs. While me and my husband joked about it, I realized that I shouldn’t let myself forget about my appearance. I don’t slap a load of makeup when we’re in the house but I do make sure that I stay fit and healthy.
4. Enjoy Time With Your Girlfriends
Getting the most out of your marriage by making it happier doesn’t mean that you have to spend every waking minute with your husband. One of the best things you can do is to enjoy time out with your girlfriends. Me and my girlfriends actually go on a weekend away once a year to revive ourselves. We always have such a good time and I believe it makes me more interesting to my husband. You’ve heard the saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder” which is absolutely true. Me and my husband always whisper sweet somethings to each other on the phone when I go on my girly weekends away and it just adds to our romance.
5. Keep Intimacy And Passion Flowing
Again, it is all too easy to become comfortable in your marriage and forget about the passion that you had when you both first started dating. The best thing you can do for your marriage is to bring that passion back. It doesn’t have to be exactly as it was back then but more than what it is now. This isn’t just all about sex neither as there could be nothing more romantic than a stroll along the beach in the moonlight. Whatever it is that you feel will add romance and passion back into the marriage, do it.
6. Reminisce About Your Dating Days
Finally, a great way to make your marriage happier is to reminisce about some of the happiest memories you both share together while you were dating. When lying in bed the other night with my husband I asked him what has been his all-time favorite holiday. This then started a conversation between us where we talked about some of our most cherished memories.
The post Tips For Women To Get The Most Out Of Their Marriage appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Release Blitz for SEDUCTION: Her British Stepbrother by Lauren Smith
SEDUCTION
Her British Stepbrother (Part 2)
Lauren Smith
Releasing March 8th, 2016
Forever Yours
The sequel to FORBIDDEN.
Tristan
is a man who knows what he wants. And he wants Kat in his bed. All he has to do
is convince her they belong together . . .
Kat
knows the connection she and Tristan share is special. Her British bad boy is
too much of everything: too hot, too arrogant, too irresistible to stay away
from. He’s her addiction and one night with him isn’t enough.
That’s
what hurts the most. They can’t date, can’t be a normal couple, not when their
parents are getting married. Because now that she knows he’s going to be her
stepbrother, no one can ever find out what they’ve done . . .
ONLY $0.99
Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo
Make sure to pick up FORBIDDEN (Part 1) and
Pre-Order CLIMAX (Part 3) coming May 3rd, 2016
Both ONLY $0.99
Lauren Smith, winner of the 2014
Historical International Digital Award, attended Oklahoma State University,
where she earned a B.A. in both history and political science. Drawn to paintings
and museums, Lauren is obsessed with antiques and satisfies her fascination
with history by writing and exploring exotic, ancient lands. She is currently
an attorney in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
The post Release Blitz for SEDUCTION: Her British Stepbrother by Lauren Smith appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Release Blitz for CUT TO THE CHASE by Elle Keating
CUT TO THE CHASE
Dangerous Love #2
Elle Keating
Releasing March 8th, 2016
Forever Yours
When
Erin Whitley is alone with Chase Montclair, high above the city in his
glittering penthouse, she sees a side of the legendary businessman no one ever
sees.
As powerful and commanding in the bedroom as he is in the boardroom, Chase can
melt her with a word and thrill her with a touch. But when he bares his soul
and tells her he loves her, Erin fears a dark secret from her past will destroy
everything.
Chase
vows to protect Erin at any cost. Every night, he takes her in his arms and
unleashes her wildest inhibitions. Every day, he wakes her with kisses and
promises her more. But the deeper they fall in love, the closer the danger
gets.
If
Erin wants to be freed her from her past, she will have to trust Chase with her
life. And if Chase wants to be with Erin forever, he must risk losing her
first.
BUY NOW
Amazon | B
& N | Google | iTunes | Kobo
Elle Keating was born and raised in
South Jersey, where she lives with her husband and three children. It was
during her long commute to work, crossing over the Betsy Ross Bridge into
Pennsylvania, her mind drifted. Images of a world with Chase, Erin and their
friends came rapidly and sent her writing to bring these intense characters to
life.
When Elle is not in her favorite
coffeehouse, huddled in a corner on an oversized chair and working on the next
book in the series, she enjoys being mom, taking her children from one sport to
the next, and challenging herself frequently to be in two places at once.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
Don’t Miss THRILL OF THE CHASE,
the first in the Dangerous Love Series
The post Release Blitz for CUT TO THE CHASE by Elle Keating appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Saved By The SEAL Battle Scars #2 By: Diana Gardin
SAVED BY THE SEAL
A Battle Scars Novel
Diana Gardin
Releasing March 8th, 2016
Forever Romance
He
saved her life. She showed him how to live it . . .
When he sees a
woman drowning, Grisham Abbot immediately leaps into action. The Navy SEAL
forgets his training, his past, and the explosion that forever scarred his body
and his mind. He can only remember what he was born to do. But saving Greta
Owen is a complication Grisham is definitely not ready for. She’s stunning and
gorgeous—like sunlight after months of darkness. Yep, Grisham is so, so
screwed.Greta knows that the smart thing to do would be to run from Grisham. He’s a
wounded warrior, and his head is a big-time mess. The problem is that Greta
wants to make him her mess. One kiss and she’s completely in over her head. And
if this SEAL risked himself to save her, then she must find a way to bring him
back to life . .
.
BUY NOW
Amazon
|
B
& N
|
Google
|
iTunes
|
Kobo
Diana Gardin is a wife of one and a mom of two. Writing is her second
full time job to that, and she loves it! Diana writes contemporary romance in
the Young Adult and New Adult categories. She’s also a former Elementary school
teacher. She loves steak, sugar cookies, and Coke and hates working out.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
If you are looking for more in the Battle Scars Series…
The post Saved By The SEAL Battle Scars #2 By: Diana Gardin appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 7, 2016
Release Blast for BROKEN POLITICS by Janae Keyes & Giveaway
Enter to Win a
Print Copy of BROKEN POLITICS
BROKEN POLITICS
Janae Keyes
Releasing March 7th, 2016
Kindle Direct
“I didn’t quite understand any of
this. I wasn’t a fan of his. I despised his administration and everything it
stood for, but yet I wanted him in the worst way.”Kayla is stuck in a rut writing puff pieces for a magazine that she doesn’t
even like and is far from being a political reporter for a publication with
actual substance. Until then she writes a political blog that blasts the
current administration and their policies. She can feel her big break coming
soon when she gets the chance to do a piece on the President.
President Matthew Von Hansen is the youngest president to date and the first
single president in the last 130 years. He’s found himself in the seat of power,
but with no real power. He wants to make a difference, but that can be hard
when being forced to stay within party lines. Matthew is everything that Kayla
despises about Washington or so she originally thinks. Sparks fly and love is
on the horizon, but can these two find their way around broken politics?
BUY NOW
AMAZON
Janae was born and raised in the
California Bay Area. She grew up a very creative only child and has been
writing for as long as she can remember. When Janae isn’t chasing around her
active toddler she is working on ideas and working to improve her craft. Janae
is currently living in a suburb of Brussels, Belgium with her husband and
daughter.
Website | Facebook | GoodReads
The post Release Blast for BROKEN POLITICS by Janae Keyes & Giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 2, 2016
PLATEFUL OF MURDER blog tour, review & giveaway
Plateful of Murder by Carole Fowkes
Plateful of Murder: A Terrified Detective Mystery 
1st in Series Cozy Mystery Publisher: Ink Lion Books (January 8, 2016) Print Length: 278 pages ASIN: B01ADH8JTS 
Synopsis: Private Detective Claire DeNardo is afraid of everything. Simple things like balloons, roller coasters, and hairpieces make her knees knock loud enough to be a band’s rhythm section. Unfortunately, the only job Claire can find is working for her Uncle Gino in his seedy detective agency. Until now, her cases have all been middle-aged men with trophy wives who needed watching. But Claire gets swept up in a murder case despite being afraid of conflict, bodily harm, and hurting anyone’s feelings. She enlists a jaded security guard, Ed, to help her. But when Ed is attacked and left comatose, Claire must stumble along by herself. Both the client who hired her and the handsome police detective want her off the case. When the wrong person is charged, it’s up to the terrified detective, to summon all the courage she can to find the true killer.
My thoughts: What a roller-coaster ride and a fun ride it was. I really liked the main character being afraid of her job you hardly read things like this in a book. I can’t wait to read more by this author and this series. 
About This Author
Carole Fowkes is the author of the cozy mystery series, “The Terrified Detective.” She has also had stories in a number of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books and other similar anthologies. She’s a registered nurse and lives with her husband in Dallas, Texas. Author Links www.carolefowkes.com, https://www.facebook.com/carolefowkes, https://twitter.com/CaroleFowkes, https://www.goodreads.com/carolefowkes Purchase Links Amazon a Rafflecopter giveaway
The post PLATEFUL OF MURDER blog tour, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 1, 2016
MURDER IN AN IRISH VILLAGE by Charlene O’Connor & Giveaway
Murder in an Irish Village
by Carlene O’Connor
Murder in an Irish Village
Cozy Mystery
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington (February 23, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1617738449
E-Book ASIN: B00Y6RC1SC
Synopsis
A little slice of Heaven on the Emerald Isle…
In the small village of Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, Natalie’s Bistro has always been a warm and welcoming spot to visit with neighbors, enjoy some brown bread and tea, and get the local gossip. Nowadays twenty-two-year-old Siobhán O’Sullivan runs the family bistro named for her mother, along with her five siblings, after the death of their parents in a car crash almost a year ago.
It’s been a rough year for the O’Sullivans, but it’s about to get rougher. One morning, as they’re opening the bistro, they discover a man seated at a table, dressed in a suit as if for his own funeral, a pair of hot pink barber scissors protruding from his chest.
With the local garda suspecting the O’Sullivans, and their business in danger of being shunned–murder tends to spoil the appetite–it’s up to feisty redheaded Siobhán to solve the crime and save her beloved brood.
My thoughts: This is a first in a series and was a great read. The story is about Siobhan O’Sullivan and her siblings. I love the bistro in the story and the characters are well rounded and entertaining. The Bistro barely keeps the family going so Siobhan the oldest turns down her scholarship to stay and help with the business and her siblings. Her brother James is accused of murder but she knows he couldn’t do this. So takes her on herself and investigates what really happened. There are a few twists in the story that keeps you turing the pages. I look forward to more books by this author.
About This Author
Carlene O’Connor comes from a long line of Irish storytellers, or professional liars as she prefers to call herself. Her great grandmother emigrated from Ireland to America during The Troubles, and the stories have been flowing ever since. She has dual citizenship and divides her time between New York and the Emerald Isle. Of all the places across the pond she’s wandered, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired by the town to create Kilbane, County Cork.
Author Links
Webpage – http://www.carleneoconnor.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/CarleneOConnormysteries/timeline
Blog – http://www.carleneoconnor.com/#!blog/j8xsa
Purchase Links
Amazon
B&N GoodReads IndieBound
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