Aubrey Wynne's Blog, page 4

Pity Play by Whitney Dineen

Pity Play
Whitney Dineen
(Pity Series, #6)
Publication date: March 23rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

I’ve loved my brother’s best friend for as long as I can remember. Newsflash, he doesn’t see me that way. But now that Luke Phillips is coming to town and needs a place to stay… could this be my big chance?

It’s not like I’ve sat around for the last twenty-eight years waiting for Luke. Not really. But ever since I moved back to Elk Lake, I can’t help but hope I’ll run into him. Enter my big brother calling and asking if his bestie can bunk with me. My younger self is doing backflips at the possibilities.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Luke is looking for a long-term situation. He’s made it clear he’s got some business to take care of and then he’s on the first train back to Chicago.

But then he kisses me. And everything changes.

At least, I hope it has…

Pity Play is a brother’s best friend, close proximity, small town rom-com that takes place in the resort town of Elk Lake, Wisconsin. This is the sixth book in a series that read as standalones.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT

After climbing the stairs, I open the door to my room, and I’m immediately filled with the comforting familiarity of my early years. I’ve thought about redecorating now that I’m an adult but being that I spend as much time living in my parents’ room—when they’re in Florida—as I do here, I haven’t quite pulled the trigger. Also, I’m twenty-eight, and even though I tell Noah there’s nothing wrong with me still living at home, I have started to wonder how much longer I’ll be here.

Once again, I let my feather duster take flight and when it gets to the posters, I perform a ritual from my teenage years. I swipe it across Mel B’s face and sing, “I tell you what I want, Luke Phillips. I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna go out on a date with you!”

I’m so busy jamming around my room that I jump when the doorbell rings. It can’t even be eight o’clock so I have no idea who it is. I know it’s not Luke because he won’t be here until ten. That leaves old Mrs. Bing from next door.

My bluish-haired neighbor isn’t generally a bother, but ever since her husband went into the nursing home, she regularly stops by when she needs a jar opened or a spider killed. One time she told me that our weeds were growing out of control and kindly offered to send her gardener over. I let her do that once but then she hit me with a bill for a hundred and fifty dollars. Now we all just live with the weeds.

I run down the stairs with the Spice Girls still ringing in my head, and apparently out of my mouth because as I swing open the door, I practically shout, “If you wannabe my lover …” And that’s when I realize Mrs. Bing isn’t my guest.

All six-foot two inches of Luke Phillips is standing in front of me, and man, does he look good. It’s March in Wisconsin so he’s dressed for winter in a bomber jacket and wool scarf. Nicely fitted jeans showcase every gorgeous inch of his long legs.

I know I should say something to him, but my mouth pools with so much saliva that if I don’t swallow it soon, I’m liable to drool on the man. Swallow your spit, girl.

Once I manage that monumental, and embarrassingly audible, task, I blurt out, “Hey … Hello … Hi there!” Oh yeah, I’m a real orator.

“Hi.” Luke’s beanie-covered head tips to the side. His gorgeous brown eyes narrow like he’s inspecting a moldy piece of cheese. “I’m looking for Lorelai Riley.”

This is my chance to tell him she’s not here and that he should come back at ten when he was supposed to arrive, but my synapses aren’t firing. That must be why I throw my arms into the air and practically shout at him, “I’m Lorelai!”

Luke takes a step backward like he’s going to make a run for it. Instead of fleeing, he moves his gaze from the top of my purple bandana all the way to my bare feet. This of course means he’s aware I’m wearing a pink flowered flannel nightgown from Lanz of Salsburg. A favorite with grannies everywhere.

“Hi,” he repeats. Yet he makes no move toward the door. In fact, there’s no movement at all. It’s like he’s turned into a marble statue. He even stays put after I step back and gesture for him to come in.

Well, this is awkward. I start stammering, “I didn’t expect you until ten. I mean, that’s when Noah said you were coming so that’s why I’m not dressed.” He looks borderline terrified, so I hurry to add, “I was cleaning. Getting ready for you.”

He lifts his foot like he’s going to take a step forward, but the action is so slow it’s like he’s trying to push his way through a wall of frozen molasses. “I can find a hotel or something …”

“What? No! Come on in! You’re staying here!” The image of Kathy Bates from that old movie Misery pops into my mind. From the look on Luke’s face, he’s thinking something similar. I want to assure him that I won’t hobble him, chain him to the bed, and keep him as a hostage, but I think that might scare him more.

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

 

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Undoubtedly Reckless by Constance Kersaint excerpt and giveaway

Undoubtedly Reckless
Constance Kersaint
(#2, Rebel by Night)
Published by: Evernight Publishing
Publication date: March 19th 2025
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

Constance Kersaint invites you back into the scandalous world of the Darewoods, of danger and intrigue, as Roland Darewood does the unthinkable–he falls in love with a duke’s governess.

He is all she should avoid.

For years, Sabina Kembrooke had been careful. She hid herself from those who would harm her, or worse, but one act of compassion may ruin her forever. After years of hiding in a duke’s home, the man she rescued comes crashing into her life again. Roland is too dangerous a temptation but, despite her powerful response, she must not give in.

She’s not who she seems to be.

Roland has returned from years at sea to take his place as viscount and head of his dysfunctional household. Sabina’s respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her, but he must uncover her secrets if he is to keep her safe. The danger Sabina tried to hide from may have found her again. Can she trust him? Can he save her?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Apple Books

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EXCERPT:

Rooftop Follies

“Every year I post a letter,” Sabina offered Roland. “I can be declared dead after ten years of silence so I post a letter every year to prove that I am alive. That way my stepfather cannot take control of my father’s affairs, which includes my inheritance.”

“I can help you, Sabina,” Roland said quietly.

“You have my gratitude, but this is my responsibility. I have borne it for ten years, there are only a few months left before I am twenty-five. Then I will contact my lawyers and finish this.”

They finished their coffee just as the tavern became louder and drunker.

“Time to go,” Roland said, pushing back.

Neither of them rushed to seek a cab, enjoying the brisk walk through an oddly snowless December night. Abruptly, Sabina stopped, her head cocked.

“Oh, listen to that,” Sabina said.

“Don’t tell me you’re interested in some second-rate musician presenting a third-rate opera?” Roland asked.

“It’s not a third-rate opera, it’s your opera,” Sabina smiled. “Rinaldo.” Roland groaned.

“God save me from French epics. A few minutes and then we must be off. I think I smell snow in the air. Mustn’t get caught in bad weather,” Roland warned.

“Music is never a waste of time,” Sabina said. “And you actually smell horse droppings but I’ll allow you your delusions.” They moved closer to the soulful violin just as a surprisingly good soprano launched into, “Lascia ch’io pianga.”

“That violinist is quite good,” Sabina whispered to Roland. “The soprano is drowning him out. If only they had a whole symphony. Once I heard the Chevalier De St. George conduct in Paris and I was never the same. Come with me,” Sabina said abruptly and grabbed Roland’s hand.

Roland let himself be led through some foul alleys and up some slippery steps, then through a building. Then, they exited a door onto a roof. She could pick up the thread of the music again, clear and sweet. Roland followed his lady to the edge of the roof and watched her take in the song as the notes floated upward into the fetid night air.

“Why up here?” Roland asked her.

“The music rises and up here, you can feel like you’re alone above the clouds, carried away by waves of heaven.” Sabina tilted her head to the notes.

“Have you been to the theater since you’ve been in town?” he asked.

“Oh, no, the duke is not a music lover, so we do not attend, which is a shame. A good orchestra raging into a symphony is my weakness,” Sabina said. The music made her foolish

Sabina could not understand the words but she felt the music. It did things to her, made her feel things that were unwise.

But it was after dark in London and no one could tell her what to do. Sabina turned and looked up at Roland’s face. He was not a handsome man but he had always been so attractive to her, from that stubborn jaw to the thoughtful eyes that looked at her searchingly.

“Would you be terribly affronted if I kissed you?” she asked.

“You didn’t ask the time before.” He grinned, reaching for her.

“Are you going to make me apologize?” Sabina responded, enjoying his hands on her. She loved his hands. He could repair her windows, handle a gun, guide a horse, hold her steady.

“No, I beg you to do it again.”

“I’m not very good at it,” Sabina warned, placing her hands on his chest.

“Well, then I think you should get some practice.” Roland bent his head down to her lips. “I humbly offer myself as a test subject.”

Sabina went up on her toes to meet his lips and smiled as they kissed. This was so right, possibly the only thing in her life that was good and hers. She opened her lips and touched her tongue to his lips, letting herself into his mouth with a delight that bordered on joy.

She heard his breathing and remembered to breathe herself as she explored the ways they could kiss. Her arms found their way around his neck and he had backed her to a stone block that she had not seen before on the roof.

It wasn’t enough. Sabina couldn’t help the frustrated noise that came from her and she slid a hand down to cup the erection bulging the front of his breeches.

“Lord, Sabina, have mercy, woman.” Roland broke away from her to gasp.

“I need you,” she breathed heavily. “I need this.”

“I’m not going to take you on a bloody roof,” Roland said, then pulled her in for another drugging kiss.

“Then I’ll take you.”

Author Bio:

Winner of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award

Hello fellow readers! I’m Constance, I write, read, and chase kids (my own). Come read with me!

Goodreads / Instagram / Twitter

 

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MEAN CUISINE by Wendy W. Webb with excerpt and giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wendy will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Beluga Stein is taking a cooking class and it’s a real killer. This time she’s traded her signature loud muumuus for ill-fitting chef attire, including a toque the size of her ego.

A well-liked chef is found dead and it’s up to Beluga and her feline familiar, Planchette, to investigate. There’s no recipe to follow, only the hope that her erratic psychic ability will hit the spot. Is a supernatural entity stirring up trouble, or something far more dangerous?

Beluga and Planchette can’t stand the heat, but there’s no way out of this kitchen while murder is the main dish.

 

Read an Excerpt

Beluga Stein’s Diary

Such a day.

And while Chef Pernod tried mightily to restore order with an impromptu lecture on the differences between Grande, Classic and Nouvelle cuisines, I’m afraid the distinctions were lost when the frozen body was wheeled past us to the waiting ambulance.

The sight of such a spectacle took a toll on the chef as well, I should add. Fortunately for me there was no mention of Planchette in the kitchen, but for the rest of us the chef’s well-practiced lecture took a sudden nosedive into a stream-of-consciousness series of French words. I think I heard her say that a traditional kitchen brigade had positions with names sounding something like “poisoner,” which is rather ominous if you ask me, and “chefs who party,” which might warrant further investigation if things start to get dull. Or one finds herself in immediate need of hors d’oeuvres and a tropical cocktail.

About the Author:

Wendy W Webb (aka one of the many Wendy Webbs) has published dark fantasy short stories and novels, co-edited anthologies, and has had productions of stage and radio plays. After a hiatus as a doctoral student of emergency management and as a disaster responder, she welcomed the return to fiction with The Wild Rose Press writing the gothic Widow’s Walk, and two updated books in the Beluga Stein supernatural-humor-murder mystery series, Bee Movie and Mean Cuisine. Sunbury Press under the Milford House imprint published the paranormal, travel, “memoir,” Eye of the Gargoyle. She adores her husband; two dogs, one of which turns on iTunes whenever Wendy leaves her office; dry red wine; theatre; and travel as long as she doesn’t see anymore ghosts!

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mean-cuisine-wendy-w-webb/1007879485

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mean-Cuisine-Beluga-Stein-Mystery/dp/1509259279

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The Wrath of the Wallflower by Louisa Cornell

The Wrath of the Wallflower
by Louisa Cornell
Revenge of the Wallflowers #55

She Fears the Ultimate Revenge

When Lady Alice Lister’s first season ended in gunfire, she expected to be the subject of some rather unkind remarks. And sideways glances. And perhaps a gentleman or two tripping in their haste to flee her presence.

When her second season ended in the sort of misery that could only be created by the cruel efforts of three wealthy titled young men determined to make her the most ridiculed and least sought-after dance partner in the history of London society, the thought of revenge certainly came to mind, though the how and where were less certain when she dissolved into tears at the very thought of ever returning to London again.

However, when her third season offered her the opportunity to gain her independence and a small fortune simply by her attendance at that season’s most important events, she could not refuse. And should the opportunity to finally ensure those who made her first two seasons a misery receive their comeuppance it behooves a lady to give careful and sober thought to the idea of revenge. After all, one must have something to occupy one’s time between dress fittings, carriage rides, and balls at Almack’s.

To ensure success, she needed an accomplice. However, under no circumstances did she plan to choose an accomplice to whom she was even mildly attracted, especially not a criminally handsome, kind, brilliant horticulturist with big blue eyes, and…where were we?

Sinjin Perriton has survived years of dealing with London society by not venturing forth into the mad whirl of the ton.

His horticultural studies and his love of reading tales of daring have kept him safe, happy, and at home in his vast orangery. His shy nature has made his years’ long correspondence with Lady Alice Lister the closest and most precious friendship of his life. When she asks his help in her plotted vengeance, he readily agrees, too readily. Close proximity to a lady bent on the destruction of those who have wronged her might well be the death of him. Revenge comes at a price that Sinjin is willing to pay, but will the final cost be his heart?

Shop Now: https://www.amazon.com/Wrath-Wallflower-Louisa-Cornell-ebook/dp/B0D4CSCLVW

Shop the series:

Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots: A Small Town Romance Anthology

Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots: A Small Town Romance Anthology
Annie Carlisle, C.A. Miconi, Delta James, Irene Lawless
(Pelican Point, #1)
Publication date: March 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Welcome to Celtic Knot Winery, where the lush vineyards are ripe with secrets, and love is as rich and complex as the finest vintage.

In Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots, four intertwined romance stories unfold against the enchanting backdrop of rolling hills and grapevines. Each tale weaves its own unique tapestry of passion, betrayal, and heartwarming redemption, proving that amidst the beauty of the vineyard, anything is possible.

Pour a glass and lose yourself in Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots, where every story uncorks a new journey of the heart. Amidst secrets and seduction, these tales remind us that love is the most intoxicating wine of all.

Included in the anthology:
Love’s Hidden Knot by Annie Carlisle
Love Undercover by Irene Lawless
Love Me, Love Me Knot by CA Miconi
Love’s Twisted Knot by Delta James

👉 Enemies to Lovers
👉 Billionaire
👉 Alphahole
👉 Grumpy/Sunshine
👉 Second Chance
👉 One Night Stand
👉 Love Against All Odds

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Good morning,” they say in unison.

“He’s here.” Brennen says in a panic, his face draining of color. “I’ll go greet him.”

“That’s my cue to leave.” Sophie waves to us as she leaves through the fermentation room door.

“Wait…” I frown up at Brennen. “Shouldn’t Sophie be here for this? She is the winemaker after all.”

Brennen scoffs. “No. Sophia refuses to be part of this because she didn’t make the wine. I think her exact words were that she wouldn’t serve this swill to pigs.”

I roll my eyes – that sounds exactly like Sophie. The girl is great and all, but she is the epitome of an elitist wine snob. But that is why we hired her.

As the actual winery owner, Brennen has taken the reins of our family business and spent years trying to fix what our father did to our family name, not to mention creating a rift between my two brothers with me playing referee.

As the attorney for both, I’m able to keep one business separate from the other — Brennen’s winery and Ryan’s conglomerate. If Brennen ever found out that I was working for Ryan too, he’d disown me just like he has Ryan. Fortunately, he doesn’t know. Thank god for client confidentiality laws.

“He’s been crazy all morning,” Isabella says under her breath.

We can hear as Brennen and the critic enter the front doors, “Here we go.” I say out loud.

I stand beside Brennen, offering a professional smile as the critic approaches. But the moment Mr. Dawson looks up, his eyes meet mine, and the color drains from my face.

No. It can’t be.

No.

No.

No.

His mouth opens in shock, too, his gaze flicking over me as if trying to process what he’s seeing. My heart stutters in my chest, my pulse thundering in my ears.

It’s him.

The man from last night. The one I left sleeping in that hotel room this morning. The man whose name I never got because we agreed there was no reason for names. But I know every inch of his body. And he knows mine.

Mr. Dawson—the world-renowned wine critic Miles Dawson—is my one-night stand.

 

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Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots: A Small Town Romance Anthology

Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots: A Small Town Romance Anthology
Annie Carlisle, C.A. Miconi, Delta James, Irene Lawless
(Pelican Point, #1)
Publication date: March 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Welcome to Celtic Knot Winery, where the lush vineyards are ripe with secrets, and love is as rich and complex as the finest vintage.

In Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots, four intertwined romance stories unfold against the enchanting backdrop of rolling hills and grapevines. Each tale weaves its own unique tapestry of passion, betrayal, and heartwarming redemption, proving that amidst the beauty of the vineyard, anything is possible.

Pour a glass and lose yourself in Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots, where every story uncorks a new journey of the heart. Amidst secrets and seduction, these tales remind us that love is the most intoxicating wine of all.

Included in the anthology:
Love’s Hidden Knot by Annie Carlisle
Love Undercover by Irene Lawless
Love Me, Love Me Knot by CA Miconi
Love’s Twisted Knot by Delta James

👉 Enemies to Lovers
👉 Billionaire
👉 Alphahole
👉 Grumpy/Sunshine
👉 Second Chance
👉 One Night Stand
👉 Love Against All Odds

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Good morning,” they say in unison.

“He’s here.” Brennen says in a panic, his face draining of color. “I’ll go greet him.”

“That’s my cue to leave.” Sophie waves to us as she leaves through the fermentation room door.

“Wait…” I frown up at Brennen. “Shouldn’t Sophie be here for this? She is the winemaker after all.”

Brennen scoffs. “No. Sophia refuses to be part of this because she didn’t make the wine. I think her exact words were that she wouldn’t serve this swill to pigs.”

I roll my eyes – that sounds exactly like Sophie. The girl is great and all, but she is the epitome of an elitist wine snob. But that is why we hired her.

As the actual winery owner, Brennen has taken the reins of our family business and spent years trying to fix what our father did to our family name, not to mention creating a rift between my two brothers with me playing referee.

As the attorney for both, I’m able to keep one business separate from the other — Brennen’s winery and Ryan’s conglomerate. If Brennen ever found out that I was working for Ryan too, he’d disown me just like he has Ryan. Fortunately, he doesn’t know. Thank god for client confidentiality laws.

“He’s been crazy all morning,” Isabella says under her breath.

We can hear as Brennen and the critic enter the front doors, “Here we go.” I say out loud.

I stand beside Brennen, offering a professional smile as the critic approaches. But the moment Mr. Dawson looks up, his eyes meet mine, and the color drains from my face.

No. It can’t be.

No.

No.

No.

His mouth opens in shock, too, his gaze flicking over me as if trying to process what he’s seeing. My heart stutters in my chest, my pulse thundering in my ears.

It’s him.

The man from last night. The one I left sleeping in that hotel room this morning. The man whose name I never got because we agreed there was no reason for names. But I know every inch of his body. And he knows mine.

Mr. Dawson—the world-renowned wine critic Miles Dawson—is my one-night stand.

 

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A Wallflower Demands Satisfaction by Andrea K. Stein

A Wallflower Demands Satisfaction 
by Andrea K. Stein
Revenge of the Wallflowers #54

Olivia Jones needs justice more than she needs a husband

Olivia Jones is the acknowledged best laundress in London. She’s spent years perfecting her methods of producing the softest, lavender-infused linens. Some of the wealthiest lords in England send their soiled shirts to her and don’t count the cost.

She’s become comfortably well off managing the exclusive laundry for Goodrum’s House of Pleasure, owned by Captain Eleanor Whitcombe, Duchess of Chelmsford, and her side business of custom laundry for the tonnish families in Mayfair.

Although Olivia does not need, or want a husband, her adoptive brother has wangled a Season for her and a large dowry, both sponsored by the duke and duchess, in exchange for an, um special favor he provided Her Grace several years earlier.

A notorious blackmailer picks on the wrong woman

At her first formal ball, Baron Barclay Reynolds approaches her and demands she accept his offer of marriage. If she doesn’t, he’ll turn over what he knows about her real mother, a well-known opera singer to the gossip sheets. The blackmailer has underestimated the rage simmering beneath the surface of the sweet young laundress. She determines to destroy the disgusting baron on her own terms.

Will London’s newest ‘Peeler’ risk everything to help Olivia?

Will Beckford is not Her Grace’s idea of a proper match for Olivia, but he’s one of Robert Peel’s new “Peelers” patrolling the streets of London. And he’s devoted to Olivia and Dickie, having scrabbled up as a street urchin with them, his two oldest, most loyal, friends. However, as far as Olivia’s concerned, Will is the perfect instrument of her revenge. She will demand satisfaction. But with her old friend at her side, she may get so much more.

Shop Now: Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Wallflower-Demands-Satisfaction-blackmailer-wallflower-ebook/dp/B0D3621RRP/
All Vendors: https://books2read.com/u/3JLQBE
Shop the Series: https://books.bookfunnel.com/revenge_of_the_wallflowers/7x4ng9tv7t

One Night Hand Stand by Julia Kent excerpt and giveaway

One Night Hand Stand
Julia Kent
Publication date: March 4th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Who accidentally has a one-night stand with her yoga instructor?

Yep. Me.

How did I accidentally sleep with someone, right? I know what you’re thinking. Whoops! I slipped and inadvertently inserted Tab A into Slot B.

That’s not quite how it went.

But my yoga instructor is really, really skilled with Tab A, if you know what I mean.

Slot B never had it so good.

What am I supposed to do now, as I walk into my yoga class and find the guy I ghosted this morning… there, in front of the class, perfectly aligned and grinning at me like he remembers touching all my chakras.

He’s perfect. Too perfect. He’s so perfect he’s ruining my job.

I’m an investigative reporter, working on spec for an article for a national magazine, and my job is to find all the ways this yoga chain is corrupt.

The only thing criminal here is that I can’t have him in Slot B ever again. And I would. I’d turn myself into a paper doll book if that’s what it took for more of that action.

I want him. He wants me. Nothing I do will make him back off because the chemistry is off the charts.

Except for one pesky little

We’re at cross-purposes.

I need my exposé to get the job of my dreams. He needs to sell his stake in the yoga chain before I expose the corrupt current owner.

That makes him my enemy. My nemesis. The guy I have to get around to get ahead.

And now we’re supposed to hate each other.

But who ever let that get in the way of love?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play / Print

—

EXCERPT:

It’s 5:44 a.m. and there’s a naked man in my bed.

His name is… um…

His name is…

He told me to call him…

Let’s just call him by his initials.

N.M. for Naked Man.

Or for Never Mind.

Because in ten minutes, we’re going to pretend this never happened.

Pretend I didn’t go to a bar last night and have three glasses of pinot grigio, violating my strict two-glass limit.

Pretend I didn’t let my friends talk me into jumping up on stage and singing “WAP,” complete with properly choreographed dance moves.

Pretend I did not let N.M. here buy me a drink and kiss him like my tongue had developed magnets that sought out his iron tonsils.

And he most certainly did not kiss me back with a suave, athletic grace that made my body shimmer and my P, indeed, become deeply W.

Oh, no.

While technically, all of that did happen, and I invited him back to my apartment and we did the two-back nasty so many times I am pretty sure we need to invent a new prime number for it, in ten – now, nine – minutes, Mr. N.M. doesn’t exist.

My life has firm boundaries.

Speaking of firm –

 

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.

From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).

She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Newsletter / Bookbub / Amazon

 

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Duke of Dalliance by Shannon Gilmore

Duke of Dalliance
by Shannon Gilmore
Revenge of the Wallflowers #53

Marry a quiet one, and you won’t need a mistress…

Arlington Fox, the Duke of Dallimain, had a decade-long reputation for stealing other men’s mistresses. The ton called him the Duke of Dalliance. He wasn’t especially proud of the label, and if the real truth were told, he’d only stolen one mistress who just happened to belong to his father. She also happened to be his governess. Rumor traveled fast, and his misdemeanor had turned into a full-blown legend by the time he was twenty. Nine years later, his reputation is being put to good use, helping a wallflower teach a much-deserved lesson to a breed of catty women born into meanness.

A warning to the wise: There is a limit to what a wallflower will tolerate.

Shop Now: https://books2read.com/u/mv9kpq

Shop the Series: https://books.bookfunnel.com/revenge_of_the_wallflowers/7x4ng9tv7t

 

 

Guest post by Judith Works with an excerpt from The Measure of Life

PROS AND CONS OF WRITING WOMEN’S FICTION

 

 

My chosen genre is women’s fiction. But what exactly is it? Some readers turn up their noses at the mention of this genre because they think it is about bland, weak, or overly emotional woman who can’t cope with life and should be censured for their transgressions. Or, alternatively, to be read as a guide to how women should be, however unrealistic and misogynistic.

But I see it as a genre that allows for an expansive exploration of a female protagonist’s life without the restrictions that come with romance or mystery. Those genres offer great reads that I enjoy often, but when writing I prefer to take a close look at real life problems. Our lives are often messy with each of us on an emotional journey knotted with tangled relationships as we struggle to find a path leading forward to our goals. Some of us succeed, some don’t.

I didn’t want to write about a passive woman; I wanted to write about a woman who learns to take her own life in her hands. And I wanted to set it partly in Rome, often described as city of echoes, of illusions, and of yearning, where a naïve young woman could win or lose in the game of life.

My protagonist in The Measure of Life, Nicole, must deal with a mistake – that of marrying too soon. She thought she was escaping her unsatisfying life at home with her parents, but the marriage soon descends into one of frustration for reasons she doesn’t understand. When her husband is offered a job in Rome, Italy she sees it as a chance for a reset. It is a reset indeed, but one where instead of improving her marriage, whirls her into a doomed romance with her Italian tutor, an unplanned baby, and the reality she must make a choice to make the best of her life in Rome or slink back home to Seattle in defeat. She accepts the challenge however daunting it is.

This scenario gave me the opportunity to explore the themes of overcoming disappointment, the reality of expat living with all its pleasures and difficulties, the problems and joys of parenting, and courage to take a chance to reach a goal despite setbacks and unexpected turns of fate. And of course fill the story with Italian food!

 

THE MEASURE OF LIFE

Judith Works

GENRE:  Women’s Fiction

BLURB:

A story of love and loss, lies and truth, begins in Rome when Nicole shares a cappuccino and cornetto with her Italian tutor. The meeting sets off a chain of events that upends the course of her life. While Rome also brings deep friendships and immersion into a sumptuous food scene there is no escape from acknowledging the consequences of her actions. In search of forgiveness and healing, she moves to an island near her childhood home in Seattle only to find the way to reunite the remnants of her family and discover her true path is to return to Rome and face the past.

Excerpt:

A nearby rock invited me to perch to wait for the men to return. Tiny wild pink cyclamen flowers poked between the grasses and fallen pine needles carpeting the ground. With petals facing backward like the tail of a comet, I always saw cyclamens as shooting stars. I picked one but it had been partially eaten by some hungry insect. I let the flower fall not wanting to make a wish on an imperfect star. A local poet, another expatriate American, had recently published his latest work in a slim chapbook. I’d bought a copy when he did a reading at the bookstore Primrose formerly owned. I’d taken time from packing my things to attend and still had the chapbook in my shoulder bag. Uncertain what to do while I waited for the men, I read to pass the time. The first page I turned to held the perfect poem to suit my mood.

We could have shared a glass today but now you’re gone.

I wonder what the day will bring with its gray and lowering clouds.

On the opposite page was a woodcut of a wild cyclamen, the flower I’d picked moments ago. The words raised bittersweet memories.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

After I earned a law degree in midlife, I had the chance to leave the Forest Service in Oregon and run away to the Circus (Maximus). In reality my husband and I moved to Rome where I worked for the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization for four years as a legal advisor to the director of human resources. I could see the Circus that had hosted chariot races during the Roman Empire from my office window.

My husband and I reluctantly returned to the US after four years. But we pined for the land of pasta, vino, art, and sunny piazzas. Then the gods smiled and offered a chance to return to Rome with the UN World Food Program. Six more years or food and frolic in the Eternal City passed much too quickly. The indelible experiences living in Italy and working for the UN were the genesis of my memoir Coins in the Fountain.

Social Media Links

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