Rancher Daddy
Morgan Walsh will do just about anything to connect with the son who continues to keep him at arm's length. Even ask a favor of ex-fiancee Tabitha Rennie. And what young Nathan desperately wants is for Tabitha to train his late mother's horse. But Tabitha is also determined to keep her distance. As soon as she's paid off her father's debts, she'll leave town and the painful memories of the real reason she abruptly left Morgan all those years ago. Yet spending time with Morgan and his son is sparking dreams she can't deny: of family, fresh starts and first loves that last a lifetime.
A beautiful story about forgiveness, self-worth, and new chances in life and love.
I enjoy this author's way to tell the story, how she incorporates the character's faith in God into their daily lives and the decisions they make. From every turn in the plot, it comes clear what faith means to the protagonists, and how it shapes their lives and choices they make. The characters are by no means perfect or without faults. The ones they take responsibility of, the ones given to them by others, or something they are born with. They stumble and even fall, but always keep going, and that I admired about them immensely. Tabitha Rennie had faced many adversities during her relatively young life.Her father's sins were held against her, her disability hindered her education and career choices, her self-worth was low from being beaten down too many times, yet each time she got up and tried again. Morgan Walsh had faced his own troubles in life. Finally getting the custody of his son, but only after his estranged wife died, he came home to be close to his family. He knew he would run into Tabitha, the girl that broke his young heart, but he was not prepared for her to be a part of his everyday life. Morgan and Tabitha has a lot of issues, from the past as well from the present, that they had to work through. Some of their family issues were intertwined and holding them apart, but the past hurt and the still open questions, and wounds, were grinding their way as well. I really enjoyed the story and I had difficulty putting it down until the end. I wanted to know what will happen, I wanted to know if and how Morgan and Tabitha solve their issues, I wanted to know how Morgan would react when some truths from the past were revealed, and how and what they would have to do to get that second chance to build something lasting between them. I was emotionally connected and invested in the outcome of the journey they were on. A thought-provoking, intriguing, and uplifting story that not only was an enjoyment and entertained me but made me think and ponder the issues brought up, as well. ~ Four Spoons
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ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS
SEVEN SWASHBUCKLING PIRATE ROMANCES BY SEVEN PIRATE WENCHES: Katherine Bone Jennifer Bray-Weber Barbara Devlin Chloe Flowers Danelle Harmon Amanda Mariel Kamery Solomon
PREPARE TO BE BOARDED.
If you love historical romance, pirates, adventure and thrills, you'll love this 7-book set by these award winning and best selling pirate romance authors!
The Pirate’s Debt by National Best-selling Author Katherine Bone:
An earl-turned pirate is ordered by his benefactor to find an adventurous young runaway and return her home.To do so, he must retrieve her without being discovered by the most ruthless pirate hunter on the seas: her brother. Dead Man’s Kiss by Award Winning Author Jennifer Bray-Weber: Eight weeks. That’s all pirate captain Valeryn Barone has to escort a tempting naturalist untouched across the Caribbean or face the gallows. Can he resist the beauty who’s fallen for him? Does a dead man walking even have a chance? The Black Morass by USA Today Bestselling Author Barbara Devlin: In exchange for a chance at redemption and pardons for his crew, Jean Marc Cavalier accepts a pact that could result in liberty or death, if only he can survive the terms, but at least he will be free. Pirate Heiress by Award Winning Author Chloe Flowers: Captain Conal O’Brien has already lost control of his ship to the most unlikely band of pirates sailing the seas. If he’s not careful, he’s going to lose his heart to a notorious lady pirate determined to destroy both. My Lady Pirate by NYTimes Bestselling Author Danelle Harmon: The sea delivers a handsome castaway to Pirate Queen Maeve Merrick’s island. But her handsome prisoner harbors secrets dark enough to change the fates of nations and threatens their new found love. Captivated by the Captain by USA Today Bestselling Author Amanda Mariel: What happens when an American shipping company heiress crosses paths with a pirate? Can two people whose life paths are at odds find common ground? Carried Away by Kamery Solomon: After falling through time and being forced to join a pirate crew, Mark Bell falls in love with his fellow time traveler, Samantha. She's a woman he can't have, though. Will their presence in the past alter the future they know and love?
The Pirate's Debt Excerpt
Markwick stiffened. Blackmoor’s reasons for enlisting Markwick’s help were triggered by love for his wife. Markwick’s sense of responsibility went deeper, to a place he’d never allowed himself to go out of respect for Walsingham. While it was true that Chloe had exceeded many levels of Markwick’s patience when she was younger, since his engagement to Prudence, she’d shown herself to be intelligent, talented, loyal, and a most beloved sister and friend. She was also enamored by the Black Regent, which put his identity at even greater risk. What could he do? How far was he willing to go to bring Chloe home safe and sound? “For the duchess’s sake,” he began, “I will do my best to find Chloe. You have my word.” “Remember, her willful head is in the clouds. That, dear friend, makes her dangerous. If she spies her brother, she will most likely flee to avoid facing his ire. But if you find her . . . well, that is a trap well laid.” “Surely you place too much—” “I’ve promised my wife that you will find her before Walsingham does.” Markwick bowed. “I shall strive to earn your confidence.” He gazed at the missive in Blackmoor’s hand once more, suspecting something else was responsible for the duke’s persistence that Markwick should be the one to locate Chloe. “What’s in the letter?” Blackmoor handed him the missive, then strode to the door. “Have a care for your soul, Markwick. While the Fury demands forte, females rein a tempest of emotions sure to drown better men.” Markwick straightened. “Aye, sir,” he said, gazing down at the note. The screen door slammed. When he looked up again, Blackmoor was gone. Markwick opened the note, then leaned back on the desk. His jaw slackened at the words on the page. My dearest friend, I ask you one question: is a body unhappy about another unless she is in love? I fear we both know the answer to that now, and a gentle violence thrills my soul as I share with you that I intend to sail with the tide. I cannot face the snares and wiles of this world without love to recommend me. Therefore, I beseech you to keep my secret, for you are the only one I trust. Markwick has disappeared. As you are no longer betrothed, I am finally at liberty to confess to you that I love him. I have always loved him, and I cannot bear for him to suffer alone. Sources close to my brother inform me that a man fitting Markwick’s description has been seen in Torquay. Therefore, I’ve attained passage for myself and my maid aboard the Valerian. Do not be alarmed for my person or harden your heart against me. Dry your earnest tears. My virtuous intentions steer me toward a higher destiny. Resourcefully yours, Chloe Walsingham Markwick shut his gaping mouth, then crumpled the letter in his hand. It couldn’t be true. Blackmoor was right? Chloe loved him? How was that possible? Why? Until now, he had always perceived her attention as infatuation because he’d been the only man her brother allowed around her. He dropped the foolscap and swiped his fingers through his hair. If he failed to rescue Chloe from another one of her outlandish adventures, Prudence would blame him. Which meant Blackmoor would blame him. Not to mention Chloe’s brother. If Walsingham found out Markwick had known where Chloe was bound and hadn’t alerted him, the bond between friends would be severed for good, making his stint as the Black Regent even more perilous. If anything happened to her, Walsingham would not rest until Markwick was hunted down. That endangered the Regent’s whole design. And a dead Regent could not help the people of Cornwall and Devon. Markwick hopped forward and yanked open the cabin’s screen door. Pye stood there, just outside the door, waiting. “What be your orders, Cap’n?” Had Blackmoor ordered the one-legged pirate to stand there? “Notify the crew that we have a target in our sights. We make way with the tide.” “Aye, sir.” The salty pirate grinned. “As soon as I’d seen the ol’ cap’n, I knew we’d have us an adventure ahead.” “Spare me your excitement,” Markwick grumbled. “This adventure may very well lead to my bloody end.”
Katherine Bone
National Bestselling Historical Romance Author Katherine Bone has been passionate about history since she had the opportunity to travel to various Army bases, castles, battlegrounds, and cathedrals as an Army brat turned Officer's Wife. Who knew that an Army wife's passion for romance novels would lead to pirates? Certainly not her rogue, whose Alma Mater's adage is "Go Army. Beat Navy!" Now enjoying the best of both worlds, Katherine lives with her rogue in the south where she writes about rogues, rebels and rakes, aka pirates, spies, the Royal Navy, and duty, honor, and country and the happily ever afters every alpha male and lady deserve.
As an Army wife raising four children, romance helped Katherine weather loneliness. Now she hopes to pay it forward, to ease readers’ burdens by taking them on a swashbuckling, adventurous voyage into historical romance and beyond.
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Chloe Flowers
A Parrothead at heart, Chloe’s love for pirates began with Peter Pan and continued with Pirates of the Caribbean and ghost stories about pirates from the Outer Banks. She listens to Celtic music while she writes. When life gets too serious, she reads Calvin and Hobbes comics. She lives in Ohio with her tall, dark and handsome husband, three children and two rambunctious dogs, Indiana and Luke, who are named after her two favorite action heroes.
Descended from a family of cooks and gourmet chefs, Chloe is a true foodie and along with working for fortune 500 companies in marketing and teaching MBA students strategic marketing, she also ran a gourmet cookie company. Cooking for a crowd runs in the blood, so her fridge is always full. She deals with stress by baking pies (just ask her college roommates what it was like for them around exam time).
Her idea of a perfect day? Sailing on the Caribbean with her family, sun in her face and wind at her back, and finishing the day in the kitchen making a fab gourmet meal and sipping a glass of wine.
The Pirates & Petticoats Series is about spunky heroines and the scoundrels who love them.
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Jennifer Bray-Weber
Award-winning author Jennifer Bray-Weber is a proud native Texan. She is a married domestic goddess/beach bum with two beautiful daughters. Holding two degrees, one is Music and Video Business, the other in Liberal Arts, she has been able to express her creative thinking through countless questionable, often hilarious, life experiences.
Her interests include writing, reading, traveling (what she likes to call "research"), horseback riding, scrapbooking, shopping, relaxing at the beach, and dares.
Join Jennifer's mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and free giveaways.
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Barbara Devlin
USA Today bestselling, Amazon All-Star author Barbara Devlin was born a storyteller, but it was a weeklong vacation to Bethany Beach, DE that forever changed her life. The little house her parents rented had a collection of books by Kathleen Woodiwiss, which exposed Barbara to the world of romance, and Shanna remains a personal favorite. Barbara writes heartfelt historical romances that feature flawed heroes who may know how to seduce a woman but know nothing of marriage. And she prefers feisty but smart heroines who sometimes save the hero, before they find their happily ever after. Barbara earned an MA in English and continued a course of study for a Doctorate in Literature and Rhetoric. She happily considered herself an exceedingly eccentric English professor, until success in Indie publishing lured her into writing, full-time, featuring her fictional knighthood, the Brethren of the Coast.
Danelle Harmon
First published in 1991, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Danelle Harmon has written sixteen books, with many distributed in various languages throughout the world. She and her family make their home in New England with a menagerie including four dogs, an Egyptian Arabian horse, and pet chickens.
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Amanda Mariel
USA Today Bestselling author Amanda Mariel dreams of days gone by when life moved at a slower pace. She enjoys taking pen to paper and exploring historical time periods through her imagination and the written word. When she is not writing she can be found reading, crocheting, traveling, practicing her photography skills, or spending time with her family.
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Kamery Solomon
Kamery is not the person who grew up dreaming of the day that she would clutch her very own novel to her chest, tears brimming over the rims of her eyes as she thought about how she'd written it herself, finally! In fact, anything remotely like that didn't even happen until she was actually holding her first book in her hand, amazed that she'd written it and wondering how on Earth she'd managed to do it when it hadn't ever occurred to her to write one until months before. Surprisingly, though, it was just what she never realized she loved doing.
When starting out in life, Kamery had (and still has) big dreams to perform on Broadway. She loves music and acting very much, while she and dance have a love/hate relationship; she would love to do it and every form of dance decides it hates that about her, haha! The one constant she always had between the performing world and the book world were the stories, tales that transported her to other worlds and made her feel like she really could do anything. Finally, she decided she wanted to do that for someone else and sat down to write.
It's been a few years since she held that first book, realizing that she really liked writing and wanted to do more, but the love that blossomed in that moment has only grown. Currently, Kamery works from home in Arizona, while taking care of her two adorable kids, a girl and a boy, and talking her sweet husband Jake's ear off about the insane amount of characters in her head who are ready to fight to the death for a chance at their own novels. It truly is a wonderful life!
It’s a Treasure Hunt!
Grand prize: Kindle Fire, carrying case, $20 Amazon gift card, wine charms, coasters, a Root candle, Pirate bandana, playing cards, autographed copies of pirate romances by the authors of the boxed set, and other booty! Valued at $175
Runner up Prize: Various signed books, $20 Amazon Gift Card and some nautical fun pirate booty!
To WIN THE GRAND PRIZE: Read the short 200 word story. One line of the story will be revealed on the Romance on the High Seas page on each blog on the tour. At the end of the tour, simply answer the question: “What started it all?”
Find links to all the blogs HERE!
Ahoy me treasure hunting hearties! Your treasure hunt word or phrase for this blog is:
with the Brethren of the Coast
Awaken My Heart
Tangled Hearts #3 By: Maria K. Alexander Releasing May 10, 2017 The Wild Rose Press
Lies have a way of coming back to haunt you—a lesson Ashley O’Neil learns the hard way when she runs into the man she shared a steamy night with over fourteen years ago. Now tangled in a web of deception, she’ll need to right a wrong and chance losing her heart to the very man she deceived.
An unexpected encounter with the woman he had a one-night stand with has thrown Detective Nick DiFrancesco for a loop. Recently divorced, he’s cautious around women, but one look at Ashley has him considering taking a chance. Until he learns her secret…one that impacts him where it counts most—family. When Nick’s drug trafficking case goes south, a lead puts him in Ashley’s path. With his family in danger and his heart on the line, he’ll need to fight for justice and risk it all to the woman he’s never forgotten.
She licked her lips. “Is that an order, detective?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “A request.” When his gaze slid to her lips, Ashley felt the tingling in the pit of her stomach move lower. He stepped closer until his shoes brushed the tips of hers. “Twice in two days.” She could smell the musky male scent of him, sexy and pungent. “What?” “It’s the second time in two days we’ve run into each other,” Nick said. “Coincidences,” Ashley said. “Or a sign you should go out with me.” Oh, how she wanted to. It would be easy to give in to him, to slide her hands up his firm chest, and lose herself in his embrace. In heels, she was only a few inches shorter, and her mouth was dangerously close to his. She sucked in a breath. “I told you, I can’t.” “Can’t or won’t?” “It’s the same thing.” “It’s not, and you know it.” He leaned closer, and his warm breath brushed her face. “You can’t tell me you don’t feel what’s happening.” She lifted her chin and stared at warm brown eyes. “I don’t.” “Liar.”
How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
This is the third book in my award-winning Tangled Hearts series. Each book is a stand-alone story focusing on different members of the DiFrancesco family. I created the family when I wrote my very first book (the one under my bed ☺). The heroine from that unpublished book is best friends with Kate DiFrancesco, who is the spirited heroine from Untangle My Heart, the first book in the series. I like to think of the series as a nod to my Italian background. The stories are rich in tradition, many of which are part of my own Italian upbringing. Nick DiFrancesco, the hero from Awaken My Heart, is the oldest DiFrancesco and his story is my favorite to date. I’ve loved his character from the start and thoroughly enjoyed writing his happily-ever-after! Nick is recently divorced from a popular girl he dated on and off in high school. She was popular, shallow, obnoxious…basically everything Ashely (the heroine from Awaken) isn’t…which is why she’s perfect for Nick! Name three things on your desk right now. Coffee cup, to do list, The Pocket Book of Positives (we can all use a lift each day!) What do you like to do when you aren't writing? Reading, baking, Jazzercise, relaxing at the shore (beach), watching a movie with my family A la Twitter style, please describe your book in 140 characters or less. Can she right a wrong & chance losing her heart to the man she deceived? AWAKEN MY HEART #TBR #mustread http://bit.ly/2p55aLA What are you favorite types of stories to read? Reunion/second chance at love, friends to lovers What 5 things should readers know about you? I’m goal-oriented, driven, a perfectionist, think cake is an acceptable breakfast food, played the piano from 3rd to 12th grade. Can you tell us about your upcoming book? It’s a second-chance at love romance set in Philadelphia. Detective Nick DiFrancesco is down on his luck. His drug-trafficking case went cold, his kids blame him for his divorce, and he’s one step-away from moving in with his parents to save money. When he runs into Ashley O’Neil, a girl he had an affair with over fourteen years ago, he’s reminded of their steamy night together and wants to see her again. Little does he know she’s kept a secret from him—one that impacts him where it counts most…family. But when a lead in his case puts him in Ashley’s path, they’ll need to set aside their painful past in order to fight for justice and risk it all for love.
A romantic at heart, Maria K. Alexander spent hours as a young girl getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. Books gave her the ability to go to another world where she loved meeting new characters, learning about their problems, and watching them fall in love.
Maria is an award-winning author of contemporary romance. When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules. You can keep in touch with Maria at her Website. Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
Romancing the Bachelor
Hamilton Family #1 By: Diane Alberts Releasing May 15, 2017 Entangled Indulgence
Eric Hamilton isn’t looking for love. Hell, he isn’t even looking for a girl. He has a five-year plan, and he’s one hundred percent focused on that. But then Shelby walks into his life, and suddenly, he can’t think about anything else.
Unfortunately for him, she hates his guts, and wants nothing to do with him. But he’s a man who loves a challenge. Shelby Jefferson can’t wait to get out of the city, and back to her country roots. She moved to Atlanta for a guy who promptly left her, and the last thing she wants is to fall for another man who might make her want to stay. But Eric is nothing if not persistent, and before long she’s inside his arms, in his bed, and she’s falling for him. Hard. But when history repeats itself, and she has to choose between a man and herself––again.
“Do you bring all your dates here, then?” she asked, gesturing around them. “Is this your spiel?”
“I’ve brought one other woman here before, but she’s my sister, not a girl I’d bring on a date. If you really want to know, generally when I take a woman out, I opt for somewhere with less elegance and more heat. Something that lends itself to an easy seduction later on. I like to get my date relaxed, show them a good time, take them dancing, and maybe bring them home.” She snorted. “Maybe?” “Shelby…” he started, frowning. “What?” She held her hands up, looking far too innocent for it to be real. “I’m just saying, we do live in the same building. I’ve seen a lot of women come through your place.” “Clearly,” he muttered drily. “Why not bring me to a seduction restaurant?” she asked, leaning forward. The way she sat pushed her breasts up, teasing him with a glimpse of cleavage that made his mouth water. “Why take me to the same place you bring your sister?” He reached across the table, catching her chin. “Because I don’t want to seduce you, Shelby.” “Wow.” For a second, she looked offended. “That’s—” “I wasn’t finished. I have no intention of seeing you naked tonight, or on our next date, or even the next, if I’m lucky enough to get one. With you, I want it to be a slow burn. I’ll start with something so small you barely even notice me, and over time, the intensity will increase, until you’re breathless and witless and desperate for my touch. Then, and only then, will I let myself even think about having you. After I’ve earned it, and not a damn second before.” She sucked in a breath, held it, and didn’t move. He didn’t break eye contact. Neither did she. After what felt like an eternity, the waiter came back, clearing his throat. “Sir? Ma’am? Are you ready to order? Or would you prefer to order course by course?” She was the first one to look away. “Y-Yes.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, and her hand trembled. “I’ll have the potato, the steak, and the feta. Also, the caramel apple for dessert.” Eric frowned at her. She’d said she hadn’t even looked yet. Forcing his eyes off her, he glanced down at the menu to see the recommended wine pairing for the steak entrée she’d ordered. “I’ll have the crab, duck, feta, and caramel apple as well. Also, a bottle of cabernet with the second course.” The waiter bowed and left with the menus, and Shelby cleared her throat, her cheeks flushed a bewitching pink. “Look, Eric—” “You’re about to tell me to back off. I can see it. Did I come on too strong?” He crossed his arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Like I said, I don’t play games.” “I don’t, either, usually.” He cocked a brow. “Usually?” “I’m going to be honest. I’ve been trying to annoy you tonight. To make you not like me.” She winced, dropped the napkin, and then immediately picked it back up. “Actually, I needed you not to like me.”
Diane Alberts is a USA TODAY bestselling Contemporary Romance author with Entangled Publishing. Under the name Jen McLaughlin, she also writes New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling books with Penguin Random House. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury of The Bent Agency.
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
Black Tie Optional
Wild Wedding #1 By: Ann Marie Walker Releasing May 30, 2017 St. Martin’s Press
The Proposal meets Two Weeks Notice in Ann Marie Walker's new standalone romantic comedy, Black Tie Optional, which New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst calls, "a fun, sexy romp that will keep every reader entertained!"
Everything about Coleman Grant III oozes power and sex. And not the perfunctory kind either, but the sheet clawing, heart stopping, gasping for air after you’ve screamed so loud you can’t breathe kind. From his dark wavy hair that stands in an artfully rumpled mess, to the blue eyes that sear your skin, to his full, sensual lips - on the surface he’s pure perfection. Too bad he's an asshole. An arrogant, uptight corporate raider hell bent on destroying the environment one species at a time. Everything about Olivia Ramsey screams hippie humanitarian. From her blond hair tied in a sloppy bun, to her faded jeans with the Bonnaroo patch sewn on the thigh, to her combat boots still splattered with mud from the previous day’s site visit. So it makes perfect sense that they would get married. In Vegas. Stone-cold sober.Cole needs a wife. Olivia needs to save an endangered species. But what starts as a marriage of convenience soon turns into a battle of wills and sexual tension. Love is a game, and Olivia and Cole are ready to win.
Just like clockwork, Olivia thought. She watched the gas-guzzling SUV roll to a stop alongside the curb, its hazard lights blinking as if some sort of justification for bringing a full lane of Chicago’s morning rush hour to a grinding halt. Every day the sleek black car stopped in exactly the same location so the almighty Coleman Grant III could get the same extra hot, double shot Americano from the same big-chain coffee shop, bypassing the smaller, neighborhood establishments trying to stay afloat as corporate America runs them into the ground.
A mountain of a man in mirrored aviator shades jumped out of the front seat to open the rear door, giving Olivia a clear view of the luxury vehicle’s interior. Two leather captain’s chairs with fold down keyboards and armrest tablet holders sat facing several television monitors mounted above what appeared to be a full-service bar. Forget running a business, it looked as though Coleman Grant ran NASA from his back seat. Honestly, what could possibly be so important that it couldn’t keep until he got to the office? The commute from his Gold Coast penthouse to his Loop headquarters was less than two miles. Hadn’t the guy ever heard of just chilling out with some tunes? Olivia approached the car just as Grant climbed out of the back seat. He paused to button the jacket of his navy blue Tom Ford and for a moment she forgot he was an arrogant, self-righteous prick hell bent on destroying the environment one species at a time. For a moment, she allowed herself to take in the physical perfection standing in front of her. From his dark wavy hair that stood in an artfully rumpled mess, to the blue eyes that seared her skin, to his full, sensual lips - everything about Coleman Grant oozed power and sex. And not the perfunctory kind either, but the sheet clawing, heart-stopping, gasping-for-air-after-you’ve-screamed-so-loud-you-can’t-breathe kind. But then his eyes narrowed and his lips curved into a knowing smirk and Olivia remembered exactly who she was dealing with. “Mr. Grant,” she began. The bodyguard moved to step between them but Grant waved him off. “Ms. Ramsey, what a surprise,” he said, not at all surprised since this was the eighty-third day in a row she had approached him. Not that it mattered. She had no plans to stop these sidewalk sessions until he either agreed to her demands or filed for a restraining order. He made his way toward the coffee shop with Olivia tight on his heels. “You know, most people simply make an appointment with my assistant.” “I’ve tried that, Mr. Grant. But for some reason your schedule is always full.” “Pity,” he said, his voice void of all emotion. When he reached the glass doors, he yanked one open. “Please, after you.” Bastard. Normally he charged in like he owned the place, never mind if she or anyone else got a face full of door. How dare he try to throw her off her game by acting chivalrous. As if the man had a courteous bone in his body. Olivia stood frozen in place, debating how best to handle this latest twist in their balance of power. As she did, Cole’s gaze raked her from head to toe, from her blond hair tied in a sloppy bun, to her faded jeans with the Bonaroo patch sewn on the thigh, to her combat boots splattered with mud from the previous day’s site visit. She hated to admit it, but the scrutiny of his gaze was unnerving. And it wasn’t just the laser like focus. There was something about his expression, as if he wasn’t looking at her fully clothed in a shop brimming with customers, but rather undressing her with his eyes. She shifted in place, debating if she should call him out for his piggish behavior or simply stick to the topic at hand. “Suit yourself,” he finally said, stepping through the doors and leaving her alone on the sidewalk. Not so fast. She took a deep breath and joined him at the service counter. “Mr. Grant, as I’m sure you’re aware, the northern long-eared bat was recently granted protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.” “Rather difficult to forget given your daily reminders. Although I must say, Ms. Ramsey, you disappoint me. No visual aids today?” He turned away from the counter with his extra hot, double shot Americano to find Olivia standing behind him with an 8 x 10 glossy in her hand. “Ah, it seems I spoke too soon.” “This particular species of bat has been the most impacted by white-nose syndrome and the resulting decline in their numbers is what—” “Those really are the most vile creatures,” Grant interrupted. “Have you ever considered taking up the cause of a more appealing animal, say a manatee?” “There aren’t any manatees in Lake Michigan.” “Precisely.” He smirked. “Perhaps you could move? I’m sure you could find some poor, unsuspecting Floridians worthy of your attention.” He raised his left hand and for the first time Olivia realized he was holding a second cup. He thrust it in her direction and without thinking she took it, dropping the photograph as she did. “You seem like the type who would order your latte with a hundred and one specifications, but hopefully skinny vanilla will do.” Olivia blinked. He bought her a coffee? What the actual fuck? Did he really think he could charm his way out of the hot seat? She had spent her entire adult life and most of her teens speaking on behalf of those who couldn’t. It was going to take a lot more than a few random acts of fabricated kindness to get her off his back. She was about to tell him not only where he could stick his latte but how in her twenty-eight years on earth she’d never ordered a “skinny” anything, when he turned toward the door. She bent to scoop up the photo then hurried after him, fast talking her case all the way to the curb where his bodyguard stood waiting with the door already open. As usual, Grant didn’t say a word, much less defend his stance. Instead he simply flashed a grin that would have made her drop her latte, not to mention her panties, if she didn’t find him to be lacking in not only morals and ethics but quite possibly a soul. He gave her a quick nod before ducking into the car. “Until tomorrow, Ms. Ramsey.” With that, the door slammed shut and the SUV pulled into traffic to the sound of protesting horns. “Asshole,” Olivia muttered under her breath. “Gorgeous asshole, but still.” She turned on her heel and started down the street with her head held high. Coleman Grant III might have been trying to make a mockery of her attempts to persuade him, but their standoff was far from over. A slow grin curved her lips as an idea began to take shape. She’d just pulled her smartphone out to send herself a reminder when it began to vibrate in her hand. “Are you bringing your swimsuit?” her best friend asked before Olivia had even managed a hello. “To the desert? You’re joking, right?” “I wasn’t sure.” “Cassie, I know you’ve had your head buried in cookbooks for the past few years but surely you can remember how a vacation works…lounge chairs, suntan oil, blended drinks with tiny umbrellas that make you say ridiculously inappropriate things to cabana boys.” “I have never said anything inappropriate to a cabana boy. And that’s sexist by the way.” “Cabana person?” Olivia laughed at her own joke. “I’m playing. But you’ve got to lighten up a bit. We’re headed to Vegas, Sin City, what happens there stays there and all that.” “You sound like a tourism ad.” “All I’m saying is you better be ready to party Hangover style.” Cassie snorted. “Yeah, cause that worked out so well for them.” “I promise I won’t leave you stranded on a hotel roof.” “This is a bad idea. I should be staying here and looking for a job.” “You’re the sister of the groom. You can’t very well ditch out on the bachelor/bachelorette festivities. Besides, if I can break my ‘Harass Coleman Grant’ streak for a few days, then you can certainly give the stand mixer a rest.” “How’s that going by the way?” Olivia groaned. “New day, same story. ” “Maybe it’s time to—” “Move on? No way.” While it was true that working freelance allowed Olivia a certain amount of latitude, she prided herself on never giving up. There was no way Coleman Grant was going to blemish her perfect record. “I’ll just have to double my efforts.” Cassie laughed. “I’m actually starting to feel sorry for the guy.” “Don’t be fooled by the looks. He might be hotter than Ryan Reynolds and Ian Somerhalder combined, but underneath that perfect exterior beats the heart of an ogre.” “Sounds like someone has wet panties.” “Why Cassandra Miller, is that smutty talk I hear coming out of your mouth? There may be hope for you yet.” “Don’t change the subject. You’ve got the hots for this guy.” “Hardly. He’s eye candy all right, but he’s also a spoiled, self-centered asshole who think it’s his way or the highway. Not this time though.” Olivia nodded to herself. One way or another he was going to give in to her demands. Coleman Grant III had finally met his match. He just didn’t know it yet.
Ann Marie Walker writes steamy books about sexy boys. She's a fan of fancy cocktails, anything chocolate, and 80s rom-coms. Her super power is connecting any situation to an episode of Friends and she thinks all coffee cups should be the size of a bowl. If it's December she can be found watching Love Actually but the rest of the year you can find her at AnnMarieWalker.com where she would be happy to talk to you about alpha males, lemon drop martinis or supermodel David Gandy. Ann Marie attended the University of Notre Dame and currently lives in Chicago.
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
TEXAS FIRE
by Gerry Bartlett
Pub. Date: 5/2/2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Her father’s dream. Her crossroads. And a man who sees just her . . .
Megan Calhoun doesn’t stick with anything long. She’s the daughter of a billionaire—why pretend to be somebody else? Until she finds out her father’s will says she has to. She has to last a year in the oil patch, in the dust and heat of West Texas, working for her daddy’s company. Otherwise she’s cut off without a cent—and no way to earn one.
The only upside is her new pal Rowdy Baker, ex-football star, Calhoun engineer, and grade-A stud. If she has to live in a trailer, his doesn’t sound so bad. Rowdy knows the roughnecks running the rigs won’t take kindly to a smartass blonde rookie whose last name matches their paychecks. He can’t control his attraction to her. And with everyone from the foremen to the stockholders spitting mad at the Calhouns, he expects trouble ahead.
But Megan has never been scared in her life. And with Rowdy to help her plot, she has the chance of a lifetime: to find her calling, to fix her company, and, if she doesn’t screw it up—to capture a heart . . .
Megan Calhoun paid the driver, stepped out of the car, and rolled her suitcase over the gravel parking lot. Her hand slipped on the handle when she hit a pothole. Sweaty palms. Then her stomach rumbled. No, she refused to be nervous. She put on her “I don’t give a damn” face, and stared down a man slouched next to a pickup truck who made a comment about her butt in snug jeans. She kept going toward the building that housed the offices of CWC Industries.
This was all her daddy’s fault. Conrad Calhoun’s will spelled out the terms: she had to work in the oil fields for a year if she wanted her inheritance. It had been her own bright idea to pick the man who’d be stuck with her for the next twelve months. She’d already scanned the parking lot filled with dusty pickup trucks. No sign of him. If he was as thrilled as she was about what was coming, he was probably hiding out. Who could blame him? Except for one summer when she’d humored her father and gone along for the ride, she had no clue what went on in the oil fields. All she really knew was that those dirty, noisy places had always paid for her cushy lifestyle. Megan stopped in front of the office. It wasn’t much, just a lowslung building that had seen better days. Not like the high-rise where the Calhoun Petroleum Headquarters reigned supreme. This subsidiary of Calhoun obviously didn’t rate funding for frills. She wrestled her suitcase up the steps, then pushed open the glass door and cold air hit her face. It was hot outside, typical for Texas in early September. At least air-conditioning was in the budget here. The man at the counter had those wide shoulders she recognized. Former football player. “Rowdy, I was looking for you outside.” Rowdy Baker turned and looked her over. “I’m signing us in. Why the hell did you do it, Megan? Request me to be your partner for your playtime in the field?” He threw the clipboard he held down on the worn Formica counter. “I’m used to working alone.” “I’m not used to working at all.” Megan let go of her suitcase. Of course it flopped over, landing on her foot. “Damn it.” She left it there and looked around, making sure no one was close enough to overhear them. A couple of clerks were nearby, but one was on the phone and the other was in an office behind a glass wall. “I wanted someone I knew. My sister says you’re a decent guy. Was she wrong?” She grabbed the clipboard and checked their names. “Am I supposed to be flattered?” Rowdy looked like he wanted to pound the counter. “‘Decent’. Wow, I’m overwhelmed. Thank Cassidy for me. Now, go outside and pick someone else. Anyone else.” “No.” Megan breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her fake name on the list. “Listen, we’re stuck with each other. You need to adjust your attitude. She’s probably going to wind up running Calhoun Petroleum, you know. Cassidy is showing everyone at Headquarters that she’s got Daddy’s business sense.” “Whoop-de-do. So I could get a promotion out of this?” Rowdy got close to Megan and she almost backed off. He was big and, at the moment, intimidating. Maybe this had been a mistake. Cass had broken it off with him. Maybe he was mad and would make Megan’s life a living hell. But then the devil you know . . . “At the end of the year, all four of the Calhoun kids could be in a position to help you out. If we get good evaluations and get our inheritances.” Megan smiled. Rowdy clearly wasn’t impressed. “I’m sure Cass will do well and end up running things. Wouldn’t surprise me at all.” He finally backed off. “She called me personally to break the bad news that I’d be dragging you along with me. Begged me to take you on, because you can imagine how I feel about dealing with another Calhoun woman about now.” He glanced around the room this time. No one seemed to be listening to them. “I’m sorry.” Megan really was. Rowdy had been with Cass until recently. He was probably still aching over their breakup. “Sure you are, Ms. Cochran. An assumed name. Really? What’s the matter, afraid the roughnecks wouldn’t like Daddy’s little girl coming by to check on them?” He picked up the clipboard and a pen from the counter. “It could cause problems. I’m not naïve, Rowdy.” Megan ignored his sarcasm. “I’ve got to succeed this year. A lot’s on the line. You get that? You going to help me swim? Or sink me like the Titanic?” “I don’t know.” He looked her over, his dark eyes skimming down her body until she wanted to tug at her T-shirt. “You going to work this year or float through it and then expect me to lie so you can get your big payday at the end?” Megan wondered if a smart woman would leave right now and pick a stranger, someone more intimidated by the Calhoun name— or at least respectful. But Rowdy was still standing there, looking like he expected her to cut and run. She picked up her suitcase off her foot and raised her chin. “I’ll work if you’ll give me a chance. Will you? Or am I going to get the fallout because I’m Cassidy’s sister and you’re mad at her?” Megan saw she’d struck a nerve when he signed the clipboard and threw it down again. Good. Let him prove he wasn’t still smarting from Cassidy’s rejection. Too bad Megan couldn’t help noticing that her sister did have great taste. She’d always been a sucker for big men with dark eyes and washboard abs. “Cass and I are history. The question now is your attitude. I heard you never stick with anything more than a week or two.” Rowdy strode toward the door, then turned to look at her. “Someone’s been talking too much. My sister claimed you were a nice guy. Guess she overstated that.” Megan wanted to storm out of there and slam the door in his face. But what choice did she have with a three-hundred-million-dollar inheritance on the line? One year. She had to stick with this and Rowdy for three hundred and sixty-five days.
Gerry Bartlett is a native Texan who lives halfway between Houston and Galveston. Her antique business is on the historic Strand on the island. When she's not treasure hunting, she loves heading to the Texas capitol of Austin where she imagines her vampire Glory St.Clair of the Real Vampire series has her own vintage clothing shop. She also loves writing about the big city of Houston and the oil business in her new contemporary series, Texas Heat.
Gerry has over a hundred cookbooks but would rather read them than cook these days. She also has way too many purses and posts pictures of her latest finds on Pinterest. This former elementary school teacher is working on her twentieth published novel. Her first three were written as Lynn McKay and can be found on Amazon for a penny. Now she's out of the classroom and happy to write under her real name.
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Highland Faith
Wild Thistle Trilogy #2 By: Madelyn Hill Releasing May 17, 2017 Soul Mate Publishing
Huntress Lady Faith MacAlister seeks adventure. Her father’s dying pledge tethers her to Wild Thistle Keep, thwarting her desire to explore the world beyond the palisade. Solace is found while hunting and providing sustenance for her clan. When snatched from the safety of MacAlister lands by a rogue bent on securing a ransom, she finds the adventure of her life.
Disgraced Captain Graeme Ross travels the high seas in search of bounty to sell in order to secure family lands seized by the Crown. He longs to regain his honor in his father’s eyes and continually risks his life buying and selling goods. Lacking enough funds, Graeme and his crew follow Lady Faith MacAlister as she hunts. Out of need and desire, he kidnaps her. The lady captivates him for the moment he laid eyes upon her. Bold and spirited, she fights him. When he negotiates a ransom, deception tears the burgeoning romance apart. Now, Faith and Graeme seek to settle those differences hindering their union, despite the stretch of sea and land—and angry Highlanders standing between them.
’Twas her sister’s fault.
Hope had married Aidan MacKerry, leading the MacAlister Clan together, and now they were acting like lovesick cows. Aye, they’d recently had another bairn and ’twas why they were smiling like amadans. But Faith MacAlister had enough of the cooing and kissing. She had to leave the Wild Thistle Keep or go mad. Hunting was the only option. The size of the MacAlister Clan dictated hunting trips each fortnight to keep the larder full. Faith grabbed her quiver and bow, left word with the guards at the palisade to inform the lairds Aidan and Hope her direction, and left to find sustenance and peace. And now, three days later she continued stalking the elusive stag. She kenned her sister would be close to sending a group of men to look for her in a day or so. Luckily she’d managed an agreement with her sister whom was also her laird. An agreement between sisters proved hard to negotiate, but she’d won in the end. And she hunted without escort as long as she never left without telling the guards her direction. A sun filled day, just cool enough not to need too much clothing that may hinder her movement, but warm enough she didn’t need to start a fire to warm herself. She stretched in the britches she’d stolen from one of the stable hands. Aye, she’d tried the tartan her sister Hope loved to wear, but found it too revealing as she moved and climbed to find her prey. And a gown, the devil take them, ’twould make it nigh impossible to hunt and secure meat for the clan. She moved quietly through the woods. Each footfall, purposeful, silently brought her closer to her elusive prey. Aye, there he stood. In the morning mist that hovered just above the low foliage, a proud, beautiful stag who’d avoided her arrow for too long. Huge, with several points on his rack and a cocksure stance stating, I’m king of the forest. She hated to take down the magnificent animal. But he’d provide for her clan and her duty dictated securing meat for those who depended on her. She drew her bow, stretching the sinew, straining her arm muscles as she prepared to let the arrow fly. The feather fletching grazed her cheek as she held her breath waiting for the perfect moment to release. She’d traveled far for this chance, stalked her prey as her father had taught her so many years ago with her so wee she could barely hold a bow, much less draw and aim. And today, her size may well again thwart her hunting. ’Twould be problematic once the massive stag was felled. She’d have to dress him in the field and lug the meat back with her. No matter, she’d manage as always. Two more steps forward. Stared down the length of the arrow past the head, ready to release. “Well, well, well. What have we here?” a man said.
Madelyn Hill has always loved the written word. From the time she could read and all through her school years, she'd sneak books into her textbooks during school. And she devoured books daily. At the age of 10 she proclaimed she wanted to be a writer. After being a "closet" writer for several years, she sent her manuscripts to the universe and is now published with Soul Mate Publishing. And she couldn't be happier!
A resident of Western New York, she moved from one Rochester to another Rochester to be with the love of her life. They now have 3 children and keep busy cooking, going to the movies, and of course reading! Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
"I never thought I'd get a second chance at a first time with you."
Firefighter Logan Knight thinks it's fate when he meets Arabella Tucker again, nine years after their brief, intense relationship ended. Until he realizes that Bella doesn't recognize him and all of their memories together are completely erased from her memory. Bella may be oblivious to their history but she can’t deny their scorching chemistry and the possibility of a future with the mystery man from her past. Logan wants a future too, but he can’t go there until Bella knows everything they shared. Her parents, though, want to protect her from the emotional cost of old memories and so Logan is reluctantly persuaded to let the past lie. But when Bella starts to uncover the truth, she is shocked by the revelations. Can she move beyond the hurt of her shared history with Logan and begin their new story?
What a perfect mix of fun, sarcasm, joy, angst, sensuality, fragility, sexy, tenderness, pain, loss, love, passion, adoration... A story that completely floored me, had me laughing out loud, going 'aaw' and swooning, smiling, and crying or more like sobbing, really.
I loved the story, the originality and the uniqueness of it, the tough choices the author did boldly, the fragility of it, yet the strength of the feelings that carried over time and distance, and all loss and troubles. Firefighter Logan Knight was doing well, his life was in order, he had a job he loves, the brotherhood of the firefighters, his family, and friends. Yet he had an empty space inside of him that still held the one woman he had ever loved, Arabella Tucker. Logan was such a strong character, his loyalty, strength, honesty, openness just a few of his great qualities. He loved with his whole heart and was not afraid to take risks. The choices he made were tough, yet there were obvious reasons for them, reasons I could not blame him for. Arabella "Bella" Tucker was a survivor with guts and sass and contagious laugh. I can only imagine the pain and confusion she had gone through and continued to do so, with her amnesia. How her situation with the amnesia was affecting others around her, and Logan in special, was heartbreaking. That little shimmer of hope that never goes away, maybe today they will remember... I want to applaud the author for not taking an easy solution here, but going for the tough one, the one that resembles life, the one that made the protagonist grow, to develop into these amazing people who can make compromises, who can learn to love in hard situations, who can learn to accept the difficult things in life. This story got all my emotions churning, I don't remember when have I gotten so emotional while reading a story, if ever, and I mean in a good way. I was so connected to the characters, it was like feeling their angst, loss, pain, joy, love, desires as the story unfolds. The loss is so great, the pain is so tangible, the confusion so real, the past still so raw it was heartbreaking. But there is hope. There are hard choices, compromises, there are difficult conversations, and there is a lot of love, passion, and adoration, making Hot Mess an absolutely fantastic story, that I love, adore, and feel passionate about. It is going directly to the 'The Best of 2017' file. ~ Five Spoons!
KNIGHT TREASURES
by C.C. Wiley
Genre: Historical Romance
Pub Date: 12/12/17
In 15th Century England, alliances can be deadly for a Knight of the Swan. Especially those made in the heat of passion…
Fleeing for her life after a savage attack on her homeland, Lady Sabine of Clearmorrow finds sanctuary on the windswept shores of southern England, praying that her family reaches her before her foes. When Sir Darrick of Lockwood shows up in a swirl of raging wildfires, Sabine is not willing to trust the dark knight, though he may be her last hope. And when she learns of his urgent quest to locate his sister, she realizes she may be his, too…
Lady Sabine is the last woman who saw his beloved sister alive, which is the only reason Darrick demands she join him on the perilous journey to bring Elizabeth home. But even as he shelters Sabine from their powerful enemies—and savors the sweet passion between them—he wonders if the brave beauty will bring him all that he desires, or draw him deeper into danger….
C.C. Wiley is a longstanding member of the Romance Writers of America. She lives in Salt Lake City with her high school sweetheart of over 35 years and their four wacky dogs. When given a choice, she prefers a yummy, well-written, historical or contemporary romance that is chock-full of hope, love and a Happy Ever After. She believes there are wonderful courageous characters waiting for someone to tell their story. It's her hope that each adventurous romance she writes will touch the reader and carry them away to another place and time, where hopes and dreams abound. Visit her website at ccwiley.com, find her on Facebook at CCWileyAuthor, and on Twitter @AuthorCCWILEY.
Risking it All
Hidden Falls #3 By: T.J. Kline Releasing May 2, 2017 Avon Impulse
Andrew McQuaid wasn't always the local playboy. Once upon a time, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with one woman-Gia Mancuso. When he made a mistake and lost her, he decided he wasn't meant to have a happy-ever-after. Now, Gia's come back to town, with a baby in tow, and it might just mean a second chance at forever, if he can convince her that he never stopped loving her.
Ten years after leaving, Gia finds herself back in Hidden Falls. Between helping her ailing father save the family restaurant and taking care of the baby her sister left on her doorstep, she doesn't have time for the man who once broke her heart. But Andrew is all grown-up now, in every single way. And the part of her that has always been his can't quite say no to his tempting kisses. Just when Gia begins to open her heart, a devastating secret emerges that threatens to destroy her family and any future with Andrew. Are they doomed to repeat the mistakes of their past or can Andrew convince Gia that she's always been his one and only?
Jealousy, enviousness, and spite in one person can change the path of everyone around them. The blindness of the loved ones can able them to keep spreading the resentment and hateful attitude. But Gia's sister, Lorena, she took it all to a new level of evilness, that made the story so realistic, too realistic at times, with the knowledge that people like her do actually live amongst us. The lies, the hatred, the manipulations, it was a never ending spiral that seemed just escalating.
Gia's mom's support of Lorena and her attitude towards Gia and Andrew made the matters even worse like there was no hope to ever solve the family drama and issues around the restaurant. Andrew was a true hero, I really liked his character. He was honest, straight forward, responsible, considerate, and a sweet and tender father figure. Even though being wrongly accused on many occasion, he kept going on, determined that the truth would come to the light, if Gia would stop for a minute and listen and truly communicate with him. Trust him, instead of her sister, Lorena. I understand that growing up with a person like Lorena would make it hard for Gia to trust people, but she was supposed to know Andrew, love him, know how Lorena is, yet she was willing to believe her over him again and again. I wanted to shake her or wake her up so many times while reading the story. Gia is a dedicated, loyal, hard working woman, who would do anything and sacrifice her own future to help her family, to support her father. And Lorena was taking advantage of this. The story is a tale about forgiveness, about learning to trust again, about growing up, taking responsibility, and falling in love. I love TJ Kline's voice as an author, she gets the emotions going, they are real and raw, and I often feel like my heart is ripped in two while reading her stories, the heartache and angst are so tangible. She twines the tale so that my feelings goes from despair to hope with one little twist in the plot, taking for a ride not easily forgotten. Risking It All is a touching and agonizing tale. My feelings were all over the place while reading it. I was invested in the future outcome of the protagonists, and I felt their confusion and pain. The deplorable actions of the bitter Lorena felt like too much at times, I needed a lot of sweetness and adoration to balance her actions and their effect on the people around her. This story was impossible to put down until I found out about the future of the hero and heroine, the destiny of little Bella. The uncertainty and questions were kept alive through the story, yet there was a drizzle of hope and faith through all the turbulence, that love will win at the end. What a ride, indeed! ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
The soft crunch of gravel jerked her upright as headlights bathed the interior of her car in white light, blinding her. Reports of women being carjacked, kidnapped, or murdered filled her mind, and she hurried to snap the buckle of Bella’s seat again. Dropping the bottle, she lunged forward, attempting to climb over the console into the driver’s seat to get the hell away from whatever killer might be approaching her car.
It took only a few seconds to realize how big a mistake she’d made. Gia had always been well endowed, but she’d never expected her curves to get her stuck partway between her front and back seats. She wiggled, trying to twist sideways to make it easier to pull her forward. Gripping the edge of the steering wheel, Gia used it for leverage, tucking one knee under her as she tried to force herself through. It was no use. She was hopelessly stuck, now unable to move forward or back. She was a miserable excuse for a guardian and prayed her stupidity wasn’t about to end with her and Bella on tomorrow’s news, murdered on the side of the highway, mere minutes from their destination. She craned her neck to see the flash of red and blue lights washing through the back window for the car as a thin white beam of light slashed through the window, into her eyes. She held up a hand, trying to make out any of the features of who she prayed was really a cop, even if it meant someone would witness her embarrassing predicament. The back door opened and Gia heard a deep rumble of laughter. “What brings you back to town, Gia?” Gia closed her eyes, wishing she could crawl under her car. How was it possible that after nearly ten years of avoiding him, she was now caught in this position by the one man she never wanted to see again, the same one who’d broken her stupidly naïve heart at nineteen? “Andrew McQuaid,” she muttered to herself. He shone the light on her rear end, and irritation welled. “You think instead of ogling my ass you might actually help me?” She felt the hands that had carried her to her first heights of ecstasy reach for either side of her hips. The same hands she’d sworn would never touch her again after she found out about that bastard’s cheating ways. “Hey,” she squealed, trying to squirm away from his touch, willing herself to ignore the way her heart leapt into her throat. “What the hell are you doing?” “Exactly what you asked me to do. I’m helping you.” “Not like that!” She swung a hand at him, slapping her own butt in the process, but at least he let go of her. “How exactly do you propose I help, then?” “I don’t know. You’re the cop.” Andrew laughed, still leaning into her car, bent over awkwardly behind her. “Honey, I really don’t see any other way.” She glared at him over her shoulder. “Don’t call me that.” “Fine.” Andrew moved into the car, practically sitting in the back seat, and slid one hand through an opening by her waist, in front of her bent knee. The other slid around her calf and managed to pull it out from under her. “There. I’m going to tip your right hip down, but you’re going to have to manage to twist your shoulders to fit… um…” He searched for a polite term he could call her boobs. “… the girls through,” he finished with a chuckle. Gia felt the rush of heat flood her face. “Let’s just get this over with.” Andrew’s hands closed on her hips again, practically cupping her right butt cheek in his palm. “Bend your right knee and I’m going to pull on three. One… two… three.” Gia managed to twist her body as Andrew pulled her backward, and she slid through the space as if she’d never been stuck at all. Andrew dropped into the seat, carrying her with him. Gia landed in his lap with one of his muscular forearms under her breasts, the other hand cupping her inner thigh, sending a blast of heat between her legs. It was the worst reaction she could have ever imagine having. Until she realized that hard ridge beneath her rear wasn’t his gun.
T. J. Kline was bitten by the horse bug early and began training horses at fourteen—as well as competing in rodeos and winning several rodeo queen competitions—but has always known writing was her first love. She also writes under the name Tina Klinesmith. In her spare time, she can be found spending as many hours as possible laughing hysterically with her husband, teens, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California. That is, when she isn't running around the California Gold Country researching new stories.
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
Trying It All
Naked Men #4 By: Christi Barth Releasing May 16, 2017 Loveswept
Order. Attention to detail. Never leaving anything to chance. These are the qualities that make Riley Ness such a terrific federal agent . . . and a pain in the ass to everyone else. The only time Riley lets loose is when he’s hanging out with his closest pals. So when he’s thrown together with gorgeous, flighty Summer Sheridan, Riley’s brain tells him she’s a ticking time bomb—but his body doesn’t want to play by the rules.
Riley has to be the most irritating man Summer has ever met. The brooding hunk thinks he needs to teach her a few lessons about real life, while she’d rather show him how to enjoy it. But her BFF’s all but engaged to Riley’s best friend, and besides, their intense physical chemistry is all too real. Summer just needs Riley to try to meet her halfway and take a chance with the one thing that matters: his heart “Living forever’s only fun if you truly live.” That jab stung. Because it was the same riff the guys threw at him, over and over again. “I live. I just follow the rules. Obey the speed limit. Turn off my phone before the plane starts to taxi.” Summer tossed her cloud of hair back. Gave him a knowing look. No, a knowing smirk. “Oh, I get it now.” “What?” “You’re not uptight. You’re chicken.” The woman had crossed a line. He’d gone through wilderness training and survival training. He’d climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Become a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He’d pushed himself to physical and mental limits most men wouldn’t be able to attain. Being sensible? In no fucking way was it comparable to being scared. Riley’s long strides ate up the distance between them. Furious, he spat out, “You want me to try something risky?” “Yes. Just once. But I don’t think you’ve got the balls,” she taunted. Riley grabbed her face with both hands. Her lips parted in surprise. And he swooped right onto them. Her lips were soft. So soft and pliable it almost deterred him. But then . . . they were so soft and pliable that he couldn’t possibly stop. Instead of holding her still, his hands curved to cup the back of her head, his thumbs caressing those impossibly high cheekbones that gave her the look of someone made to walk a runway. Riley nipped at her wide bottom lip. Soothed it with a stroke of his tongue that savored the sweet, lingering tang of the orange cream cheese icing on the cinnamon rolls from brunch. He wanted to keep going. To nip and bite and lick down her neck, over the side of the breasts she flashed at him all day. To gobble down her sweetness and spice just like he had those rolls. Her moan refocused him. This wasn’t just following through on a dare anymore. This was a real kiss. A real moment of pure, physical pleasure. So he dropped his hands to the small of her back and hauled Summer tight against him. Thanks to her ridiculous—and ridiculously sexy—high heels, everything lined up right. The notch between her thighs ground right against his dick behind the suddenly too-tight fly of his shorts. Breasts plumped against his chest. Breasts he was pretty sure he could fit entirely into his mouth . . . since he might have pictured them a time or ten since meeting her in the spring. Tight nipples insistently poked at his pecs. The kiss kept going. Ry slipped his tongue in as she let out a kittenish purr. God, it was the sexiest sound he’d ever heard. The soft, tiny mewl fired through his blood. Fired him up. His tongue tangled with hers. Like they were two swords, fencing for the win. Because there would damn sure be a winner. The way they were grappling at each other? It wasn’t just fun. It was about proving something. Her mouth—made for kissing. And more. His tongue slid deep. Felt her wetness. And Riley couldn’t help imagining how all that warm wetness would feel locked around another part of his body. Summer’s hands came up to fist in his shirt. Shit—for a second, he worried she’d push him away. But then those fists pulled him even closer. One smooth calf twined around his. He wanted to walk her back ten steps to the nearest tree and just sink into her. Which was crazy. Riley didn’t even like this woman. He’d kissed her to save his pride. To defend his honor. To get her off his back. And now he wanted to put Summer on hers, spread her thighs, and-- That was it. Riley let go. Let go of the sweet ass he didn’t even remember moving down to squeeze. Let go of those luscious lips. Yanked his head back and deliberately stepped out of the semicircle of her curved leg. “You and I both know that was the riskiest damn thing I could possibly do today.” Riley looked at her still unfocused eyes, her kiss-swollen lips. Proof that she’d enjoyed it every bit as much as he had. “Oh, and you also know now that I’ve got the balls. I’ve got the whole package.”
Tasty Q&A
If you had a theme song, what would it be? “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy” from the musical South Pacific. Name one thing you won’t leave home without. Lipstick. Seriously. Even to go to the gym. Even when I used to leave at 5 a.m. to drive for 8 hours across the desert to get to college (while my BFF made fun of me all the way), I’d be fully made up. You never know who you might run into. Looking good makes me feel good. Oh, and the brighter color, the better! If you could trade places with anyone for just one day, who would you be? The Duchess of Cambridge. Because in actuality, I don’t want to have my most important contribution in life to be birthing an heir. But I do want to wear a tiara for a day and have someone at my beck and call. I think it’d be fabulous. Or at least, the clothes would be…. A la Twitter style, please describe your book in 140 characters or less. Sexy. Sassy. Funny. Heartfelt. You'll fall in love with the characters while watching them do it. True love makes everything better. What types of scenes are your most favorite to write? I love, love, love the flirt scenes. If I could write a book that is 100% witty banter and zero drama, I’d be thrilled. Oh, wait. I also love bromance scenes. The depth of friendship (or, in my next series, Bad Boys Gone Good, actual brotherly love) that shines through ordinary exchanges can be so magical and heartwarming. Tell us all about your main characters—who are they? What makes them tick? Most importantly, what one thing would they need to have with them if stranded on a desert isle? ;) Summer lives in the moment – to a crazy extent. It’d be a spoiler to tell you why, but let’s just say she has a reason to appreciate every second more than the average person. She’d need to take an absolutely fabulous sun dress to the island. Riley is uber-careful, thanks to a horrific experience in high school with his best friends. He’s willing to try lots of things, from climbing glaciers to scuba-diving, but only after taking every possible precaution and calculating every possible bad outcome. So he’d probably take water purification tablets. Unless he knew that Summer would be on the island with him. Then he’d take condoms. Where did the inspiration for this book come from? Here’s the flat out truth – I was more than a little tipsy when the idea for my Naked Men series originated. I was at a wine tasting at Fleming’s Steakhouse (twenty-five wines in two hours – hence the tipsiness!). The idea of a series revolving around five guys who share a blog seemed like a winner. Okay, lots of hysterical things seemed like a winner that night, but this one really had legs. Like the wine (that’s a joke only for wine snobs, but I promise they’ll be ROFL over it). Obviously the guys all had to be different. I still have the paper with the original scribbled ideas: the jock, the jerk, the manwhore, the smooth talker, the big business tycoon. Then I drank more cabernet. You know – to celebrate having an awesome idea! So the next day – after much water was consumed – I had to figure out how to turn a fun idea into a book. Because five guys typing a blog post on their laptops is, in fact, not a viable idea. The incredibly talented Sue Grafton said, “Ideas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.” Now, I’m not sure what makes being a sheep that much better than a goat, seeing as how I could eat goat cheese all day long. But you get the point. The hard part is the execution. There had to be drama (don’t worry – there is lots of sex, too). So I turned the five guys into high school friends who survived a near-fatal accident. The three days they spent struggling to survive turned them into the men who became my heroes. It turned Riley Ness, the hero of Trying It All, into a safety-obsessed NTSB agent. Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? They say ‘write what you know’. And I did that. I used to be an actress, and I wrote a backstage romance. I used to be a wedding planner, so I wrote a four book wedding planning series. But I’m on book #24 now – readers would be bored to tears if I kept writing only what I know. Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers? OMG, yes – you almost can’t shut me up when I get near an aspiring writer! Treat it like a job, not a hobby. You’ve had your entire life to write your first book – but your publisher may want your second book in only four months. You need to set that discipline now. Remember the old saying ‘dress for the job you want, not the job you have’? Well, write for the job you want. Write as though you already have three contracts. Set a daily or weekly word count and force yourself to stick to it. You can still have fun, but you need to take writing seriously to turn it into a career. If you watch Twitter and Facebook, most romance authors are writing 6-7 days a week. Despite illness, kid drama, broken air-conditioning, you name it. The words do not write themselves. Can you tell us about your upcoming book? My next release after Trying It All is Bad For Her, book 1 in the Bad Boys Gone Good series. Three big city, bad boy brothers hiding from their mobster pasts struggle to fit into a small town but danger follows, putting their new futures - and their new relationships - at risk. There is a lot of sexy fun to be had with WITSEC (not that the US Marshals service puts it that way) and fish out of water scenarios…not to mention the angst of lying to everyone you know about everything 24/7. That, um, complicates a burgeoning romantic relationship, I promise you!
USA Today bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.
Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world. Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
Just One Touch
Slow Burn #5 By: Maya Banks Releasing May 9, 2017 Avon Books
Multiple #1 New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks continues her Slow Burn series with a suspenseful and sizzling story of a young woman who escapes a terrifying past… into a more uncertain future.
Raised in a strict religious cult since she was a young girl, Jenna has no connection to the outside world beyond vague flashes of memory that seem to be from another life. Memories she clings to when the cult leaders discover her extraordinary ability to heal-and punish her. Years held captive and forced to do the cult's bidding have turned Jenna into a meek, timid woman…or so they think. In truth, she is merely biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to escape. When a terrified young woman tries to steal the SUV of Devereaux Security's toughest recruit, Isaac's anger quickly turns into a strange sort of protectiveness for the beautiful, bruised stranger. But when they are caught in a firestorm of bullets and Isaac is hit, he's sure the end is near, until Jenna touches him and closes his wounds. As he tries to bring Jenna to safety, she refuses to tell him what danger haunts her or how she healed him, but Isaac vows to do whatever it takes to gain her trust…and her heart. Because with just one touch, Isaac knows he wants Jenna to be his--forever.
A riveting and intense story filled with high emotions, non-stop threats, and danger, with intriguing characters and otherworldly paranormal powers.
The storyline took hold of my curiosity with the puzzling powers Jenna has - the very reason the cult had held her captive for a lifetime, and the reason for the connection that form between Isaac and Jenna immediately, with just one touch. That touch was supposed to heal 'just a gun wound', but it touched Isaac to the deep dark corners of his soul and brought him to life like never before. The fascination with the gift, the power in Jenna's hands held through the story. The suspense is tight and terrifying, the fear palpable and real, with the special powers, Jenna would never be safe as long as the people after her were alive. Isaac's feelings for her were deep, high, and wide. There was no question about his intentions towards her, or what he desired, the declarations of his feelings were detailed and wordy. The stoic man Isaac used to be was gone, his emotions towards Jenna nearly visible force in the air. His possessiveness and protectiveness of her went beyond my limits, but thankfully Jenna found her strength and ability to stand up for herself and demand what she wanted, needed, and desired, as well. Jenna's development from the chary and timorous lost girl to the woman of her own mind and capability was a beautiful thing to witness. The spunk and will she showed as the story developed was admirable. Through her lifetime she has suffered more violence and negligent than anyone deserves and my heart ached for her on several occasions. (There are moments of raw violence in the story, that can be a trigger to some.) I acknowledge that not everyone has a habit of reading books in one sitting so to mention that the story has a quite a bit of repetition, in my opinion, and to me, might be a blessing to those who read a couple of chapters here and there. Regardless, the story was engaging and mesmerizing, the characters were charismatic and provocative. Nothing in the story was 'ready chewed and easy to swallow', but I, as a reader, had to form my own mind, an opinion of the events and the people in them, and even change it frequently, as the twists and development in the plot required it. It is an emotion-filled journey, rather wild and filled with danger, as well as passion, love, and deep adoration. Just One Touch makes an impact and it is a story that requires a bit digesting, as it mesmerizes the mind with its allure. ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
Isaac lay quietly in the dark, staring up at the ceiling, his thoughts consumed by the blue-eyed angel in the next room.
Would she be able to sleep? And if she was, did nightmares plague her dreams? What was it about her that called to a part of his heart and soul that had never been breached before? He could come up with plenty of reasonable explanations, like the fact that she’d saved his life. Or that he’d made it his life’s work to protect the innocent. Or the fact that she was lost in a world of which she had little understanding or knowledge. Or the fact that she needed him. But the simple truth was that he needed her every bit as much as she needed him, and he couldn’t come up with a reason that made any sense to him. He’d come across plenty of victimized women who’d desperately needed help, his protection, DSS’s protection, but never had he been even remotely possessive of them. He’d done his job, and it never failed to enrage him and rile his protective instincts. It was who and what he was; he’d never be a man to stand idly by while a woman was in danger or being abused. But his angel wasn’t just any victim. She wasn’t just any woman in trouble and in need of protecting. And he had no idea what to do with that realization. He couldn’t even call it a realization, as if he’d just been struck by an epiphany as he lay there with no hope of sleeping. He’d known it from the moment she’d touched him, laid her hands on him, and he’d felt her in the very depths of his soul. It wasn’t sexual—wholly—because he’d be a damn liar if he didn’t want her with every breath in his body. It was spiritual, and he felt like some hokey fool mooning over things like destiny and fate, but how could he call it anything else when from the moment she’d touched him he’d felt a connection that transcended any physical want or need? And he was consumed with guilt for having sexual thoughts, lustful, needful thoughts, about a woman child whom he didn’t even know whether she was of an age for him to be having such thoughts about her. She had the innocence of a girl with the body of a desirable woman. Hell, it was obvious that no matter how many years she’d lived in this world, she’d spent the majority of them sheltered, sequestered from the real world. She was either enraptured with or terrified of things that he and others took for granted. She’d been conditioned. He frowned. It appeared that at a very early age she’d been indoctrinated. Brainwashed. Taught an alternate reality that was twisted to fit the agenda of the people who’d kept her under lock and key, and they’d proven they would go to extreme measures to retrieve her. She was a valuable asset to them. Irreplaceable. He wondered when her powers had manifested themselves and as he pondered that question, he wondered if it was what had saved her from a far worse fate. Even the dumbest fucks would realize the enormity of what they possessed in Jenna. He rolled over to retrieve his cell and punched in Eliza’s number, knowing it was late and that Sterling likely wouldn’t be pleased, but Eliza of all people would understand his suspicions. He needed to bounce some ideas off her. “This better be damn good,” Eliza growled into the phone. “Because I was about to be the recipient of the mother of all orgasms, and Wade is just pissed enough to throw my phone in the pool and withhold sex for a week.” Isaac burst out laughing when he heard Sterling in the background. “Jesus fuck, woman, can we keep our sex life and your goddamn job separate?”
Describe yourself in five words or less.
Unorganized, melt-down prone, laid back, despise drama & conflict! If you had a theme song, what would it be? My Give A Damn is Broken Name one thing you won’t leave home without. A cup of crushed ice What do you like to do when you aren't writing? I’m a complete homebody & enjoy hanging out at home with my family every chance I get. It’s rare for me to leave my house! What types of scenes are your most favorite to write? I love revealing information about various characters personalities and the closeness between them through dialogue. I also always look forward to writing the dark moment as I love me some angst! What are your favorite types of stories to read? I love stories that don’t feature a couple who spend the entire book apart or that focus on internal conflict. I much prefer to see the hero and heroine together on the page and to see them working together to overcome external conflict. Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with? I absolutely love following up with characters from a previous story whether it’s including them as secondary characters in a newer book or writing a short novella that revisits them so readers can see them after the HEA Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans? I absolutely credit my readers with my success and my career. They, not me, are why I’ve been able to write close to 80 stories in the 11 years I’ve been writing
Maya Banks is a multiple #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, Scottish historical romances. She is the author of the Breathless Trilogy, the Surrender Trilogy, the KGI novels, the Sweet series, and the Colters Legacy novels. She lives in Southeast Texas.
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
EIGHT DAYS IN THE SUN
by MK Schiller
Pub. Date: 5/2/2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Love needs only one chance to shine . . .
He followed in his family’s footsteps and just graduated Marine boot camp. Now Mason Cutler’s personal mission is to get plenty of sun, surf, and no-strings romance in his favorite laid-back Florida beach town before shipping out. But a chance encounter with reserved Kiran Shenoy becomes a golden day of conversation, connection—and an intense attraction Mason can't walk away from. They make an agreement—eight sensuous days together without regrets or promises. Yet soon Mason is longing to convince the spirited woman behind Kiran's sad beautiful eyes to take a chance on even more . . .
All Kiran dared hope for was a chance to heal after a tragic accident and a devastating loss. Mason's freewheeling energy and head-on courage warms her scarred body and soul—and ignites her heart. But with their lives going in different directions, the only commitment they can make is a pact to meet again. Can what they feel survive Mason’s military duty, and Kiran’s second chance to restart her life? And can a desire sparked one summer night be enough for forever?
Swinging my suitcase, I speed walk toward the elevator bank.
One of the cars is out of service. The other one is incredibly slow. By the time the doors finally open, I’ve silently sung the whole soundtrack of Rent, all five hundred twenty-five minutes and six hundred seconds of it. “Hold it, please,” says the guy behind me as the doors begin to close. I press the open button, but the doors keep closing. I jab it. The metal doors don’t stop. “Sorry,” I say. “Can’t get it to open.” I throw my hand in the gap between the doors. Nope. Still moving shut. Guess it doesn’t have a safety. I pull my hand back before the doors slam. He rushes toward me, a duffle bag slung across his shoulder. It’s too late, dude. They close. Well almost close. I gasp as a very large sneaker wedges between the doors. “Ouch,” he says as the doors part. “Are you all right?” He smiles. “I’ll live.” He presses the button for the tenth floor. The air in the elevator suddenly becomes heavier. It’s the same guy who held the front door for me, the one with the smoky southern flare in his voice. “I swear I was trying to hold it open.” “You were?” He looks straight into my eyes. For some reason, I don’t shift my head down like I normally do. I’m not sure if this makes it worse or better. He’s a nice looking boy…man. Who the hell am I kidding? He’s hot, like you-might-mistake-me-for-anunderwear- model hot. He’s tall with defined, but not over-the-top, muscles. His jeans are ripped in all the right places and his faded gray T-shirt reads free shrugs in all caps. He’s got a strong square jaw that’s a day or two past a shave. His eyes are an intense light blue, my favorite color. The T-shirt might as well say my superpower is being beautiful. The doors close, trapping us in a space that seems to get exponentially smaller now that he’s sharing it with me. He runs his fingers through brownish hair. Umm…not exactly brown. I’d call the color milk chocolate spiced with threads of cinnamon and honey. Get a grip. So what if he’s good-looking? This is freaking Beach Town, Florida. Next to seashells and citrus, cute boys are the largest produced crop. Wait. He asked me something, didn’t he? Oh yeah, it was about the stupid elevator. “I pushed the open door button.” “It just closed anyway, huh?” He quirks an eyebrow, an amused expression on his face. “It did. I swear. It isn’t working,” I say, pointing to the button with the picture of the triangles next to it. “That’s the button you pushed?” “Yeah.” “You realize it’s the close door button, right?” I stare at it and the one next to it. The placement seems wrong, but the pictures don’t lie. “I do now.” The elevator jolts before the car stops completely. I stumble back. “You all right?” he asks. “What happened?” “Looks like we’re stuck.” I press the button for my floor. Nothing happens. So I start pressing the other buttons. Still nothing. No… This can’t be real. Getting stuck in an elevator with a super hot guy? This is the stuff of corny rom-coms. “There’s no need to panic.” “Not panicking,” I say as I hit a few more buttons. “Are you claustrophobic?” “No.” I sigh and lean back against the railing. I can still feel his gaze on me. “A little.” “Heard it helps to think about something else.” “Like what?” I curl my fingers around the steel railing at the back of the elevator. He tilts his head, studying me. “Have we met?” he asks. I replay the question in my head wondering if I heard correctly. When I laugh, the sound bounces off the walls and echoes inside the small elevator car. “Seriously?” He does a face palm. “Crap, that sounds like a pick-up line. I swear it’s not.” As if I’d think he was trying to pick me up. “I’m sure you’d remember if you knew me.” “That’s true. How could I forget?” For a second, I thought he might be making fun of me on some level. But there isn’t anything malicious in his voice. Taking a deep breath, I force myself to relax. “Kiran Shenoy, right?” I lift my head, wondering if I did know him. I think back to all the boys I went to high school with, but his face doesn’t register at all. It’s the kind of face that would register in triplicate. “How do we know each other?” “No idea. I overheard the lady behind the front desk say your name.” He holds out his hand…his very large hand. “Mason Cutler.” I’ve been curling my fingers around the railing so tightly that I have to shake out my hand before taking his. His handshake is firm. I’m about to let go when he flips my wrist over. He presses his thumb against the ruby red mark there. Very few people notice it against my brown skin. His thumb slides back and forth in a short caress. The stain disappears against the pressure. It comes back slowly, deepening in color for a moment. My pulse spikes ten notches…maybe twenty. After an eternity, he finally lets go. It’s really only been two seconds, but it feels much longer, or maybe not long enough. “It’s not a tattoo?” “It’s a birthmark. They call it a port wine stain.” “A fire stain.” “Right.” “I thought this was inked on since it’s shaped like a heart.” The car starts up with a jolt. He gestures to the screen that signals we are moving. “See? No reason to panic.” The doors open, ending the weirdest elevator ride in the history of the world. “This is me,” I say, my fingers clutching the handle of my suitcase. He holds one of the doors by leaning against it while I get out. I catch a hint of spicy, manly cologne and delicious boy. “Thank you.” “We made it unscathed.” “So we did.” I nod, accepting what happened. He was just being nice and trying to distract me with an introduction. “Maybe I’ll see you around, Shenoy,” he says. “Maybe.” I turn just in time to see the doors close.
MK Schiller is a hopeless romantic in a hopelessly pragmatic world. In the dark of night, she sits by the warm glow of her computer monitor, reading or writing, usually with some tasty Italian…the food that is! She started imagining stories in her head at a very young age. In fact, she got so good at it that friends asked her to create plots featuring them as the heroine and the object of their affection as the hero. She hopes you enjoy her stories and find The Happily Ever After in every endeavor. M.K. Schiller loves hearing from readers.
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Someone like You
Oxford #3 By: Lauren Layne Loveswept
Lauren Layne’s bestselling Oxford Series continues with the poignant, heartwarming story of New York’s most eligible bachelor, Lincoln Mathis, a man who’s living a lie—until his dream woman takes away the pain.
Lincoln Mathis doesn’t hide his reputation as Manhattan’s ultimate playboy. In fact, he cultivates it. But behind every flirtatious smile, each provocative quip, there’s a secret that Lincoln’s hiding from even his closest friends—a tragedy from his past that holds his heart quietly captive. Lincoln knows what he wants: someone like Daisy Sinclair, the sassy, off-limits bridesmaid he can’t take his eyes off at his best friend’s wedding. He also knows that she’s everything he can never have. After a devastating divorce, Daisy doesn’t need anyone to warn her off the charming best man at her sister’s wedding. One look at the breathtakingly hot Lincoln Mathis and she knows that he’s exactly the type of man she should avoid. But when Daisy stumbles upon Lincoln’s secret, she realizes there’s more to the charming playboy than meets the eye. And suddenly Daisy and Lincoln find their lives helplessly entwined in a journey that will either heal their damaged souls . . . or destroy them forever. Advance praise for Someone Like You “Fun and flirty, sassy and steamy, with a deep emotional pull that will keep you turning the pages.”—Kelly Jamieson, author of Top Shelf “An unsung hero with a story that touched my heart. Emotional and gripping. A top favorite of 2016 for me.”--New York Times bestselling author Melanie Moreland
“Lincoln, you know that I love you like a brother, but if you make a move on my sister, I will end you.”
Lincoln Mathis took a slow sip of his cocktail as he studied the fierce bride-to-be. “I hope Cassidy knows how lucky he is. You’re so delicate and gentle.” Emma Sinclair, soon to be Emma Cassidy as of this time tomorrow, lifted one elegantly manicured fingernail and flicked his chest. “Promise, Lincoln. No hitting on Daisy.” “I don’t hit on women.” Emma gave him a look. He held up his free hand in surrender. “I don’t. They come to me. I’m like the stamen.” Emma stared at him with wide, slightly accusatory brown eyes. “The what?” “The stamen. The pollen-producing part of a flower, Sinclair. Don’t you watch the Discovery Channel? Animal Planet? I just saw a fascinating documentary on bees. See, when the bees land on a flower, their little feet pick up pollen from the stamen— “ “Mathis. Are you talking to my fiancée about semen?” Alex Cassidy asked, coming up beside Emma and setting a possessive hand on her waist. “Stamen,” Lincoln clarified. “Not semen. Honestly, is sex all you people think about?” “Yes.” This came from Riley Compton, a brunette bombshell whose status as New York’s foremost “sexpert” meant she had zero qualms about discussing sex at her best friend’s rehearsal dinner. “And you know, actually, the stamen is rather sexual. I saw that bee documentary too, because these are the sort of things you do when you’re nursing a never-satisfied baby, by the way, and the stamen is a flower’s male reproductive organ. Sexy, right?” Emma inserted the arm not holding her champagne flute between the two of them. “Guys, it’s my wedding weekend. Can we not talk about flower boners?” “Fair enough, Bride,” Lincoln said. “What do you want to talk about? Cassidy’s boner?” Alex Cassidy choked into his champagne. “There will be no boner discussion,” Emma said. “Lincoln and I were just having a chat about how Lincoln will be maintaining his distance from my sister.” “Speaking of flowers, where is Daisy?” Riley asked, scanning the room. “Running late. Knowing my sister, her dress had a slight crease from the suitcase, and she won’t make an appearance until every wrinkle’s banished, every hair’s in place, and there’s not a speck of lint anywhere.” “Gosh, however will I keep my hands to myself?” Lincoln muttered. “Lincoln, I swear to God—” “He’s messing with you, Em,” Cassidy said, carefully tugging his fiancée away from Lincoln. “Don’t let him press your buttons. And Lincoln, man, what is with that drink?” Lincoln glanced down. “It’s called a Jasmine. Gin, lemon, some Campari—” “It’s pink,” Cassidy observed. “Right? You want one?” Cassidy rolled his eyes. “I’ll stick with wine, thanks. Ah shit, there’s my grandma waving us over. Emma, you up for talk about the state of your uterus?” Emma groaned. “Oh no. I thought she’d agreed to wait until after the wedding to talk about my eggs.” “I’ll go with you,” Riley said. “As the only one in our little group of friends who’s ever pushed a human skull out my—” “Okay, I’m going to expand my taboo list,” Emma said. “No talking about boners, flowers, or vaginas.” “Fine,” Riley said, as she entwined her arm in Emma’s and started leading her toward Cassidy’s grandma. “But if Grams starts talking about fertility, just follow my lead . . . ” Lincoln smiled as he watched his friends walk away. He could follow, certainly, help run interference, but new mom Riley was a far better choice for this particular bridal-party duty. Besides, as best man, Lincoln had enough to worry about. The ring, reconfirming transportation to the church tomorrow, the speech that he was going to slay tomorrow, the-- Lincoln’s best man to-do list scattered as his eyes landed on a woman standing in the doorway to the private event room. He did a double take. When had Emma found time to change? Generally speaking, he didn't consider himself particularly in tune with his friends' clothes. Especially the women, because, well . . . he didn’t really give a crap. But he was pretty damn sure Emma had been wearing a white dress just ten seconds ago. Now she was wearing a short yellow dress, with fussy, flowy sleeves, high-necked and a bit demure-- No, not demure, Lincoln amended as she turned. Hot. The dress was backless, showing a smooth expanse of lightly tanned skin from the small of her back all the way up to long dark blond hair. . . . Blond hair. Emma had shoulder-length brown hair. A wardrobe swap, he might be able to buy, but the hair? You idiot. He was looking at none other than Daisy Sinclair, the forbidden fruit, in the flesh. He’d forgotten that Daisy wasn’t just Emma’s sister—she was Emma’s identical twin. Other than the fact that she was, apparently, not to be hit on, Lincoln didn’t know much about her. Well, he supposed he now knew that she dyed her hair blond. Or maybe Emma dyed hers brown? Whatever. Girl stuff he didn’t care about one way or the other. And yet he didn’t look away, captivated somehow. He racked his brain for everything he’d heard about Daisy Sinclair. He knew that she and Emma had grown up in North Carolina. But Emma left for New York City shortly after college, and Daisy had stayed. He thought he remembered talk of a recent divorce, although he didn’t recall the details. Didn’t need to, really. Lincoln knew better than anyone that not all relationships had happy endings. Lincoln watched as Daisy hesitated just inside the doorway, unnoticed yet by the rest of the bridal party and out-of-town guests. Making people comfortable was a particular skill of his. Normally he’d be over there in a heartbeat with a glass of wine and some of his best banter until her shoulders relaxed and he’d coaxed a smile from her pretty face. But he wasn’t entirely convinced Emma wouldn’t make good on her castration threats, so instead Lincoln merely studied Daisy. The woman was beautiful. No surprise there, since Emma was gorgeous. Yet, though their features were identical, they were attractive in entirely different ways. Emma was all polished confidence, stunning in an untouchable sort of way. Daisy was softer somehow. Gentler. She seemed . . . touchable. Lincoln’s cocktail froze on its way to his mouth as the forbidden rocked him back on his heels. Daisy Sinclair was not for him to touch for reasons that had nothing to do with Emma’s threats. As though sensing a man’s brooding thoughts on her, Daisy turned slightly, her eyes locking on his. Eyes that he’d known would be dark brown like Emma’s, and yet eye contact with Emma had never felt like this. Lincoln felt something akin to panic, because for a heart-stopping moment, it felt like Daisy Sinclair was seeing him. Not seeing the Lincoln he wanted everyone to see. The real him. He gave himself a little mental shake. Get it together, Mathis. The woman doesn’t even know you. None of them did. Not really. He saw the moment of answering shock in her own gaze, sensed that for a split second, she considered turning and running. From him, from the party, all of it. Then he saw something else. Something familiar, because he’d done it a thousand times himself. She squared her shoulders, and he watched as a mask slid into place. He knew even before she approached that Daisy was exactly like him—good at being around people only because she chose to be. Knew that perhaps once it had been second nature, and now it was nothing but a deliberate attempt to make sure everyone thought she was okay. Daisy began making her way toward him, and he tensed for reasons he couldn’t identify before ordering himself to chill out. It was just his friend’s sister. The maid of honor to his best man. She stopped in front of him, and he caught just the faintest whiff of her perfume, a surprisingly elegant scent for someone named Daisy, before she extended her hand. “You must be Lincoln Mathis, The Manwhore of Whom I Should Beware?” Her voice was a surprise. It had the same low huskiness as her sister’s, but years in New York had all but erased the Southern from Emma’s whiskey-raspy voice. Daisy’s drawl was very much intact—a mint julep on a hot day. He grinned and took her smaller hand in his. “Which would make you Daisy Sinclair, Delicate Flower to Whom I’m Not to Speak.” She grinned. “Nailed it.”
Lauren Layne is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband (who was her high school sweetheart--cute, right?!) and plus-sized Pomeranian.
In 2011, she ditched her corporate career in Seattle to pursue a full-time writing career in Manhattan, and never looked back. In her ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books. For a list of all her works, please be sure to check out her official website! Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram
THE TROUBLE WITH MURDER
by Kathy Krevat
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: 12/12/17
Single mom and gourmet cat food entrepreneur Colbie Summers thought she’d escaped her tiny California hometown forever. But when her father needs her, she packs up her adolescent son, their finicky feline, Trouble, and her budding business. She knows change is tough—but she doesn’t expect it to be murder . . .
Between dealing with her newly rural life, her grumpy, sports-obsessed father, and preparing to showcase her products in the local Sunnyside Power Mom’s trade show, Colbie has more on her plate than she bargained for. Luckily, she has her official taste-tester, Trouble, by her side to vet her
Meow-io Batali Gourmet Cat Food line. Things look promising—until one of the Power Moms is found dead—with an engraved Meow-io specialty knife buried in her chest.
As the prime suspect, Colbie needs paws on the ground to smoke out who had means, motive, and opportunity among the networking mothers—including a husband-stealing Sofia Vergara lookalike. And the cat’s still not out of the bag when a second violent death rocks the bucolic community. Trouble may have nine lives, but Colbie’s only got one to clear her name and stop a killer from pulling off the purr-fect crime . . .
A California native, Kathy Krevat has written three bestselling books involving one of her favorite things: chocolate. She is looking forward to changing to her next favorite thing—cats—for her new series set in the tranquil town of Sunnyside, CA.
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