Spotlight – The Ultimate Betrayal

22 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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I’m always excited to have Kat Martin drop by to share a little about her newest book!

*****

I love to read novels set in interesting places. Currently I’m reading an historical romance that takes place in Nazi-occupied Paris during WWII. I’ve always loved Paris, which makes the book even more fun to read. Being able recognize the settings where the action takes place, as well as the names of restaurants and streets I have visited.

As a writer, going to the place your book is set, or choosing a place you have actually been, is the best way to make your book seem real.

In THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL, the novel takes place in Colorado, a state I love to visit. After I’d concluded my second Maximum Security novel, THE DECEPTION, which was set in Texas, I was looking for someplace different for book number three. Colorado, with its wide variety of landscapes and extreme climate conditions seemed perfect.

Having been to Denver a number of times, street names were familiar, parks and airports, locations of smaller towns and rural mountain communities.

Since this was a Maximum Security novel, a romantic thriller, I began by researching crime in the state. I had digging and digging and finally stumbled onto an article about the U.S. Army chemical weapons depot near Colorado Springs. As Brandon Garrett, the hero of my story, was a former army officer, I loved the idea of Bran interacting with his military past.

The idea of stealing chemical weapons from a storage depot gave me all sorts of plot ideas. In THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL, when investigative journalist Jessie Kegan’s father, a colonel in the army, is accused of treason, she’s determined to clear his name. Afraid for her life, Jessie turns to former Special Ops soldier, Brandon Garrett. But time is running out and the game being played is deadly. Working together, Bran and Jessie risk everything to solve the riddle and stop the threat–before it’s too late.

Because of the military setting, this was one of the hardest books I’ve ever written. I think it turned out to be one of my best. I particularly love the interaction between Bran and Jessie and I hope readers will, too.

I hope you’ll watch for THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL and that you enjoy Bran and Jessie’s story. Till next time, all best wishes and happy reading, Kat

*****

The Ultimate Betrayal

by Kat Martin

Blurb:

When investigative journalist Jessie Kegan’s father, a colonel in the army, is accused of treason, Jessie is determined to clear his name. Reluctantly, she turns to former Special Ops soldier, Brandon Garrett, her late brother’s best friend–a true heartbreaker, according to her brother.

With danger coming from every angle, time is running out and the game being played is deadly. Working together, Bran and Jessie must risk everything to solve the riddle and confront the threat–before it’s too late.

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Betrayal-Maximum-Security/dp/1335080600

B&N – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ultimate-betrayal-dwayne-t-martin/1125832346?ean=9781488056048

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-ultimate-betrayal-26

Google – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kat_Martin_The_Ultimate_Betrayal?id=GqmqDwAAQBAJ

Itunes – https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-ultimate-betrayal/id1477473206

*****

Excerpt:

Too much downtime always made him nervous, kind of edgy as he waited for the other shoe to drop. It had been a week since his last client had headed back to Nashville, a week of peace and quiet he should have enjoyed.

Instead, he had this nagging feeling that something bad was coming down the line.

Lounging back in the chair behind his desk at Maximum Security, Brandon Garrett looked up at the sound of the front door swinging open. A gust of cool, late October winds swept in, along with a petite, whirlwind of a woman with the prettiest strawberry blond hair Bran had ever seen.

She had a sweet little body to match her fiery curls, he noticed, outlined by the dark blue stretch jeans curving over her sexy little ass and the peach knit top that hugged her breasts.

It wasn’t tough to read the anxiety in her big green eyes as she surveyed the room, but instead of heading for the receptionist’s desk, those big green eyes landed on Bran and as she started toward him, there was something about her that rang a distant bell. Interest piqued, he rose from his chair. “Can I help you?”

“You’re Brandon Garrett, right? You were a friend of my brother’s. Danny Kegan? I recognize you from the photos Danny sent home.”

Bran stared down at the girl, who was maybe five-foot-four. “You’re Jessie,” he said, remembering the younger sister Daniel Kegan had talked so much about. “You look like him. Same color hair and eyes.”

She nervously wet her lips, which were plump and pink and fit her delicate features perfectly.

“My brother said if I ever needed help, I should come to you. He said you’d help me no matter what.” She glanced back toward the door and his mind shifted away from the physical jolt he felt as he looked at her to the worry in her eyes.

“I’ll help you. Danny was my closest friend. Whatever you need, I’ll help. Come on. Let’s go into the conference room and you can tell me what’s going on.” When her gaze shot back to the door, his senses went on alert.

“I didn’t mean I needed your help later,” Jessie said nervously. “I meant I need your help right now.”

Gunshots exploded through the windows. “Get down!” Bran shouted to the other guys in the office as he shoved Jessie down behind his desk and covered her with his body. Glass shattered and a stream of bullets sprayed across the room.

Jaxon Ryker popped up, gun drawn, and ran for the door. Hawk Maddox and Lissa Blayne were shuffling through their desks, arming themselves. Jonas Wolfe drew his ankle gun and ran for the rear entrance, ready for any threat that might come from there.

“Black SUV with tinted windows,” Ryker reported. Six feet of solid muscle, dark hair and eyes, Jax was a former Navy SEAL, currently a PI and occasional bounty hunter. “Couldn’t get a plate number.” Jax’s gaze swung to the front of the room. “Mindy, you okay?”

The little receptionist eased up from beneath her desk. “I-I’m okay. Should I call the police?” Around here, it was never good to jump to conclusions.

Bran hauled Jessie to her feet. He could feel her trembling. Her eyes looked even bigger and greener than they had before. “Are they coming back?” he asked.

“I-I don’t know. It could have just been a warning.”

Bran turned to Mindy. “Unless someone’s already phoned it in, let’s wait to call the cops till we know what’s going on.” His attention returned to Jessie. “We need to talk.”

She just nodded. Her face had gone pale, making a fine line of freckles stand out across her forehead and the bridge of her nose.

Jessie sank unsteadily down in one of the rolling chairs around the long oak conference table. The man she had come to see, Brandon Garrett, sat down beside her.

“Okay, let’s hear it,” he said. “What’s going on?”

She thought of the men who had just shot up his office and her pulse started thumping again. “Danny said if I ever needed help–“

“Yeah, I get that. Your brother knew he could count on me. Like I said, I’ll help you any way I can, but I need to know what’s going on.”

Bran was taller than Danny, around six-three, with a soldier’s lean, hard body, vee-shaped, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. Powerful biceps bulged beneath the sleeve of his dark blue T-shirt. With his slightly too-long mink brown hair, straight nose and masculine features, he was ridiculously handsome, except for the hard line of his jaw and the darkness in his eyes that contrasted sharply with their beautiful shade of cobalt blue.

“Start at the beginning,” he demanded.

Since she wasn’t sure exactly where to begin, Jessie dragged in a shaky breath and slowly released it.

“I’m here because of my father—Colonel James Kegan, Commander U.S. Army Alamo Chemical Depot. Just before he died a little over two months ago, my father was removed from active duty. He was charged with larceny–specifically the theft of chemical weapons stored at the Depot. Because the Army believed he was selling the weapons to a foreign entity, he was also charged with espionage and treason. I need you to help me prove his innocence.”

*****

Author Info:

New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. Currently residing in Missoula, Montana with her Western-author husband, L. J. Martin, Kat has written sixty-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. More than sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries. Kat is currently at work on her next Romantic Suspense.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatMartinAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katmartinauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52293322-the-ultimate-betrayal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KatMartinAuthor

Website: https://www.katmartin.com/

*****

Giveaway:

Be sure to enter Kat’s monthly contest!

www.katmartin.com/monthly-contest

Book Review – Puppy Kisses

14 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Book Review, Forever Home series, Lucy Gilmore, Puppy Kisses

More puppies!

*****

Puppy Kisses

Forever Home #3

by Lucy Gilmore

Blurb:

These adorable service puppies are matchmakers in the making…

Dawn Vasquez never takes life too seriously. But when she rescues a golden retriever named Gigi, Dawn begins to imagine what it’d be like to settle down and let someone rely on her for a change. Unfortunately, Adam Dearborn—a handsome, hopelessly buttoned-up cattle rancher in need of a guide dog—has also fallen in love with the little ball of fluff and stubbornly insists that no other animal will do.

Adam isn’t sure what drives him to fight to keep Gigi for himself, but he suspects it has something to do with his growing—and unfortunate—attachment to Dawn. Her whirlwind spirit and sunny disposition might make her a delight to be around, but they also make her unsuited for the difficult life of a rancher. He should be able to put her out of his head. But what’s a love-struck cowboy to do when what he wants and what he needs have never seemed so far apart? And can he allow himself to take a chance on everything Dawn has to offer: puppy kisses, puppy love…and her.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2tlanHp

B&N: http://bit.ly/2FVYKJM

Apple: https://apple.co/36B0gNL

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3d9JQ1l

BAM: https://bit.ly/2X57K8C

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/36B6rkS

*****

Excerpt:

Mentioning her lips had to have been some kind of tactic. Just the word—lips—had him remembering their shape and size, the way the bottom one was so much plumper than the top, how good they felt when pressed against his bare skin. She always warned him to scrub hard before he met up with any other women, since she left a trail of lipstick all over his body.

He wasn’t seeing any other women, but there was no way he was telling her that. She already had him under her spell. He didn’t need to be under her power as well.

“Thank you for the offer,” he said tightly. “But I already like—”

“—the one you can’t have,” Dawn finished for him. She was definitely closer now, the unmistakable nonscent of her mixing with the hay and dirt to whirl his senses. “That seems to be a sort of thing with you, doesn’t it?”

He ran his hands through his hair, since it seemed suddenly important that he do something with them. It was also important to do something with this situation. If he let her continue like this, unchecked and uninhibited, there was good chance neither one of them was getting any work done today.

“As I recall, I’ve had you plenty of times already,” he said, a challenge in his voice. “In fact, I bet I could have you right here and now.”

Adam didn’t know if he was the one who’d drawn closer to her or if she’d stepped up to him, but there was no longer anything between them. Not a puppy, not air, definitely not common sense. The jut of her breasts pressed softly against his chest, the toes of her shoes touching the tips of his work boots.

His hands suddenly decided they had minds of their own. Moving forward to clasp her around the waist, they touched silky fabric and heat and a patch of skin where her shirt didn’t quite reach her waistband. That alone should have been enough to stop him—what kind of a person wore a tiny, silken shirt to a working ranch?—but of course he didn’t. That touch of skin set off something inexplicable inside him.

It always did. That was the problem. Words could be ignored and the sound of her laughter pressed deep down inside him, but one graze of his fingertips on her body and he was lost.

“I’ve always wanted to have sex on a pile of hay,” Dawn said, calling his bluff. She arched into his touch, allowing his hand to slide up her back. He encountered nothing but soft skin and the gentle curve of her spine, both of which promised more of the same, should he give in and really cop a feel. Which was tempting for a lot of reasons, including the fact that Dawn was stacked in ways that seemed wholly against nature. “Surely there must be one or two of those in the barn we could try?”

“There are.” He brought his lips close to her ear, though he was careful not to press against the gently pounding pulse below it. The moment the kissing started, all other bets were off—including the one that had a Great Dane puppy at their feet and a golden retriever puppy napping under Phoebe’s desk. That was the one thing he knew for sure. Dawn had come out here with the sole intention of luring him into lowering his defenses, in using her incredible body and the promise of what it could do to get her own way. She wanted Methuselah, and she’d stop at nothing to get her.

Well, two could play that way. In fact, he was becoming something of an expert at this particular game.

“We could slip in there right now, and no one would know where we are,” he murmured. Dawn arched her neck to give him better access, but he didn’t kiss, didn’t touch. Only teased. “I could throw you into the biggest stack of hay and rip this tiny scrap of a shirt from your body.”

A slight, guttural sound indicated how much she liked the direction this conversation was going. Typical. With Dawn, the anticipation, the clandestine nature of their meetings, was half the fun.

Who was he kidding? Where that woman was concerned, it was probably all the fun.

“No one will think to look for us for hours,” he added, still in that low, crooning voice. “It’ll just be me and you, our bodies slick with sweat.”

Dawn’s hips pressed against his, her arms coiling around his neck so that her entire body could melt against him. This was how she always struck, coiled and soft and yielding.

So he struck back.

“Well, that and the snakes.”

Instead of pulling back, Dawn only laughed and clasped her hands tighter around his neck. “Good thing I happen to like snakes,” she said. Her mouth brushed lightly against his, fluttering like a pair of butterfly wings. “Like the alligators, they make such nice shoes. Purses too.”

Even though Adam’s body thrummed with anticipation, burning hot in all the places it touched hers, he kept his tone level. “We also get the occasional badger, even though they’re pretty rare in these parts. Rats are almost a certainty.”

“Why, Adam Dearborn, are you trying to sweet-talk me?”

No, dammit. He was trying to do the exact opposite. Why did this woman refuse to act like a normal human being? She should run at the mention of rats, not press her hips against his until he ached.

“I’m just making sure you know what you’re getting into, that’s all,” he said. His voice sounded strained to his own ears. “Things can get pretty nasty out here in the wilderness.”

“That’s funny,” she purred. “So can I.”

*****

Review:

Adam & Dawn have apparently been dancing around each other for months, although it’s mostly happened off page. We still get the humor, heat, and liveliness that a romance involving Dawn is guaranteed to bring but I felt like I missed out on something important, something that could impact their current & future relationship. It’s not a deal breaker, though, because this author definitely knows how to give you characters to care about.

I loved how well Adam has adapted to his situation. He’s had a lot of years to find things that allow him to be head of the family and run the farm. I do wonder if Gilmore glossed over his limitations a bit – you wouldn’t know that he was blind excerpt for a couple of throw away moments. I get that he isn’t defined by his disability and is very competent in many aspects of his life, but I would think some consideration needs to be made as well because it is a factor in many situations. Having said that, Adam is a very appealing hero. He cares about his family, wants to make sure that the family business can support his brother and sister into the future, and contributes to his community. He’s also got a sense of humor, even if his siblings thinks he’s a bit hard, and a special understanding of the real Dawn.

Dawn is fun and caring but she’s definitely a very big personality that can be a little intimidating for some. While I enjoyed her as a character for how she does her best to be true to herself, although there were a few times where I felt she didn’t think things through too much. Overall though I found her to be appealing and with a good heart that can easily get hurt when people blow her off as shallow and impetuous.

In addition to an appealing couple, Gilmore also gives her readers enjoyable secondary characters, of the two AND four legged kind. The Dearborn’s neighbor Bea is a special treat and I’m hoping Adam’s siblings get their own stories. There’s plenty of potential with those two (and getting more Bea would be a bonus!).

*****

Author Info:

Lucy Gilmore is a contemporary romance author with a love of puppies, rainbows, and happily ever afters. She began her reading (and writing) career as an English literature major and ended as a die-hard fan of romance in all forms. When she’s not rolling around with her two Akitas, she can be found hiking, biking, or with her nose buried in a book. Visit her online at http://lucygilmore.com. She lives in the Spokane, WA area.

*****

Giveaway:

5 sets of Puppy Love and Puppy Christmas

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7916/

Spotlight – Sisters and Secrets

25 Thursday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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Jennifer Ryan, Sisters and Secrets

If you love Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery, then you won’t want to miss this newest novel by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ryan.

*****

Sisters and Secrets

by Jennifer Ryan

Genre Adult Women’s Fiction

Publisher William Morrow

Publication Date June 16, 2020

Blurb:

There’s nothing more complicated than the relationship among family…Especially when the Silva Sisters are keeping secrets.

For Sierra it means returning home with her two little boys after a devastating Napa wildfire takes her home, her job, and even the last mementos of her late husband, David. Determined to start over, how can she ever reveal the truth—that her husband may have led a double life?

To the world, Amy’s world is perfect: handsome husband, delightful children, an Instagram-worthy home. But behind this facade lies an awful truth: her marriage is rocky, her children resentful, her home on the verge of breaking up.

Heather, impulsive, free-spirited, and single mom to an adorable little girl, lives for the moment wearing a carefree smile. But she refuses to reveal the truth about her daughter’s father, and his identity remains a mystery even to her family.

As the Silva Sisters secrets are revealed, each realizes that there is more to their family than meets the eyes…and forgiveness may be the only way to move forward and reclaim true happiness at last.

Sisters and Secrets is a moving novel of sisterhood, second chances, and the secrets that have the power to break or bond families—and alter destinies.

Amazon https://amzn.to/2ySiwpw

Barnes & Noble https://bit.ly/303M1QB

Kobo https://bit.ly/3gLtz4Q

iBooks https://apple.co/3gKnZQs

Goodreads https://bit.ly/36NzXEn

BookBub https://bit.ly/3dq4SsD

*****

Author Info:

NY Times & USA Today bestselling author JENNIFER RYAN writes suspenseful contemporary romances about everyday people who do extraordinary things. Her deeply emotional love stories are filled with high stakes and higher drama, love, family, friendship, and the happily-ever-after we all hope to find. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper. For information about her upcoming releases, sign up for her newsletter: www.jennifer-ryan.com/newsletter.

Website http://jennifer-ryan.com/index.html

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Ryan/520021168037391?ref=hl

Twitter http://twitter.com/JenRyan_author

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4693347.Jennifer_Ryan

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-ryan

Amazon http://amzn.to/2xBr7GG

*****

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of SISTERS AND SECRETS by Jennifer Ryan, we’re giving away a paperback set of Sisters and Secrets and The Me I Used to Be to one lucky winner!

LINK: https://bit.ly/2TZxzF7

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback set of Sisters and Secrets and The Me I Used to Be by Jennifer Ryan. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Books. Giveaway ends 7/31/2020 @ 11:59pm EST.

*****

Book Review – Promise

24 Wednesday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Book Review, Promise, RJ Scott, Single Dads series

It’s a first for me – an audiobook – but I loved Single & Today so I had to make sure I got to enjoy Promise as well.

*****

Promise

Single Dads #3

by RJ Scott

Narrated By: Sean Crisden

Length: 4hrs 42mins

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Blurb:

Leo Byrne is a cop, Jason Banks is an ex-con. Even after one stolen kiss, something has to give before Leo can convince Jason that falling in love is even an option.

Adopted at a young age, Leo is part of the sprawling Byrnes family. With his dog Cap, three siblings and a whole mess of nieces and nephews, he is never lonely, and his life is full. Love is the last item on his to-do list, but seeing his best friends Sean and Eric happy and making new families makes him want things he doesn’t think is possible. Kissing Jason at an event to honor his bravery was one thing, but anything other than that is off limits. Until Jason has no one left to turn to, and it’s Leo who helps him at his lowest. Taking Jason and his daughter into his home is one thing, but falling for the ex-con is something else altogether.

Jason made a deal to keep his daughter safe and spent years behind bars as a result. Volunteering as a convict firefighter was as much about helping the community as saving his sanity, but now that he’s out, he doesn’t even have that. He’s lost his future, his self-respect, and has no friends or a place to call home. Worst of all, even after rescuing his daughter he still can’t keep her safe from the man who wants to use her as a bargaining chip for money. Meeting Leo might give Jason a way to keep Daisy safe, but falling for the stubborn cop means the truth has to be revealed, and he could lose everything all over again.

Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK

Single Dads Series

Single (Book #1) – Audible US | Audible UK

Today (Book #2) – Audible US | Audible UK

*****

Review:

This is my first audiobook review and I’m not really sure how to cover it 🙂

For the audiobook side, I really liked the narrator’s voice. He does a good job of giving each of the male characters a distinctive sound so you could tell which character was which. (His little girl voice was pretty … interesting, but I think I can forgive that one. I can’t imagine that was very easy for a grown man to do.) I did have a little issue with his pacing at times. It seemed like it was a little too fast and he blended sentences & paragraphs together. I did get used to his rhythm after a while and it stopped having an impact on my enjoyment of the story.

I chose to do this audiobook review because I somehow managed to miss this one in book form when it came out and I loved the rest of the series so much that I couldn’t pass it up. Leo was pretty awesome, like I knew he should be, and I really liked getting to know Jason a bit more. I think I expected a little bit more action out of a story with a cop and an ex-con on the run, but I will say that Scott delivered a satisfying story once again. Most of the story is Leo and Jason getting closer, with Leo trying everything he can to get Jason to open up to him so he can provide him the help he needs … and keeping him from bolting. There’s a lot of angst, secrecy, and a doubt, but eventually Leo wins Jason over and Scott gives us one of the sweetest epilogues yet.

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

*****

Giveaway:

Audio of either Single/Today/Promise

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43761/

*****

Spotlight – A Little Bit Wicked

23 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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A Little Bit Wicked, Bayside Summers, Dark Knights at Bayside, Melissa Foster

A captivatingly funny and deeply emotional new standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. When the Dark Knights at Bayside and the cast of Bayside Summers collide, sparks fly, and trouble—or maybe love—is not far behind.

Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven’t met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. Their stories are told in the same loving, passionate voice readers have come to adore from Melissa. Some of the Wickeds’ love stories will be hilariously fun, others will tear at your heartstrings with injections of humor, but they will all leave you wishing you could climb between the pages and join them!

*****

A Little Bit Wicked

by Melissa Foster

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

What do a cocky biker and a businesswoman who has sworn off dating bad boys have in common? According to Chloe Mallery, not much.

Justin came into the Wicked family after a harsh upbringing by a thieving father. He’s gone through a lot to become a true Wicked, and he’s made them proud. Now he’s ready to show the woman he loves exactly what type of man he is. But Chloe Mallery has worked hard to move past her difficult upbringing, and she’s wary of getting involved with a man who looks like he’s walked right out of it. When tragedy strikes, will their trying pasts draw them together, or will Justin’s protective nature be too much for Chloe’s independent heart to accept?

*****

Excerpt:

UNDERCOVER WAS THE only nightclub in Truro, a small beach town, and like on most summer nights, it was packed. Justin’s eyes swept over the crowded dance floor as he made his way toward the bar. Colored lights rained over scantily clad women and testosterone-laden men, who were bumping and grinding to a seductive beat. He’d seen Chloe dance plenty of times when they were out with friends. She had moves that could make a dead man come. As he wove past the last few tables and joined Blaine and the others at the bar, he was relieved not to have spotted her on the dance floor with another guy.

Blaine ordered a round of beers and motioned across the room. Justin followed his gaze to Chloe, looking sexy as sin in a black sleeveless dress as she entered the room from the hallway that led to the ladies’ room. Her hair was like spun gold. It brushed her shoulders and framed her gorgeous face as she moved gracefully through the crowd. She stood out like a diamond in a sea of rocks. Chloe didn’t rely on low-cut tops or short skirts like other women did. She was confident and smart, and she had a sharp mouth. A mouth Justin had fantasized about so many times, he was sure he knew exactly how it would taste the first time they kissed, how it would feel the first time she wrapped her luscious lips around his cock, and the way that mouth would look when she cried out his name as his face was buried between her legs.

“Damn, bro,” Zander said, tearing Justin from his reverie. “I don’t care if you smash my face. She’d be worth every bruise.”

Justin shot him a dark stare, then turned his attention back to Chloe as she lowered herself to a chair across from another fucking clean-cut Ken doll wearing a button-down shirt and tie.

“Looks like a date to me,” Blaine said, handing Justin a beer.

Justin took a swig, his eyes trained on Chloe.

As though she could feel him watching her, she looked over. Their eyes collided with the scorching flames of a blowtorch. Her lips tipped up at the edges, and Justin felt a tug deep in his chest. There it was, the moment that burned past the heat to the something more he couldn’t name but knew existed.

In pure Chloe fashion, she narrowed her eyes and shifted in her chair, crossing her long legs. He fucking loved her legs and she knew it. She lifted her chin in that defiant way she’d been taunting him with since the day they’d met and turned her beautiful eyes on the geek sitting across from her.

Justin ground out a curse. He tried to focus on the shit his brothers and cousin were saying, but like metal to magnet, his attention was drawn back to Chloe. She looked bored, and her eyes skirted back to him. That’s it, baby, you know you want me.

*****

Author Info:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa’s fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, and the Wild Boys After Dark. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented.

Melissa also writes sweet and clean romance under the pen name Addison Cole.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website.

Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.

*****

Giveaway:

2 ecopies of Bayside Desires

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb904/

*****

Spotlight – Catching the Cowboy

19 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Catching the Cowboy, Shanna Hatfield, Summer Creek series

Summer Creek is one of those small towns—the kind brimming with quirky inhabitants, pets with personalities (like a meandering goat named Ethel), meddling matchmakers, tumbling-down old buildings, and dreams. So many dreams. These sweet, uplifting romances explore the ties that bind a community together when they unite for a common purpose and open their hearts to unexpected possibilities. Heart, humor, and hope weave through each story, touching the lives of those who call Summer Creek home.

Readers who love Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series and RaeAnne Thayne’s Haven Point series will enjoy coming home to Summer Creek.

The first three books in the series release this summer.

Catching the Cowboy (read more below)

Rescuing the Rancher

Protecting the Princess

*****

Catching the Cowboy

Summer Creek (Book 1)

by Shanna Hatfield

Publisher: Wholesome Hearts Publishing

Release: Date: June 9, 2020

Genre: Contemporary Romance (Western / Clean and Wholesome)

Blurb:

She’s fresh out of jail . . .

He’s fresh out of luck.

Spoiled heiress Emery Brighton indulges in one mimosa too many, attempts to steal a horse, and winds up in jail. A sentence of community service leaves her at the mercy of strangers on a remote ranch near a small town in Oregon. Adjusting to country life is hard enough, but she has no idea how to handle her growing affection for a surly cowboy and his adorable daughter.

Steady and dependable as the day is long, rancher Hudson Cole just wants to raise his little girl and be left alone. When his grandmother invites a lawbreaker dressed in Louis Vuitton to Summer Creek Ranch, Hud is convinced Grammy has lost her ever-loving mind. Determined to detest Emery, he instead finds himself doing the one thing he vowed would never happen again: falling in love.

With one foot out the door, will love be enough to convince Emery to stay?

“When I feel the need for inspiration and comfort I reach for a book by Shanna Hatfield.”

Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

The book includes a Reader’s Guide, perfect for book club discussions.

For a limited time, the ebook is available at the discounted price of just $1.99.

Purchase today on

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Apple | Kobo

Add to Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

When she bent closer to study the bruise, her hair brushed across his neck. A soft, floral fragrance ensnared his senses while the warmth of her breath fanning his skin made him teeter on the edge of combusting. He glanced heavenward, praying for divine intervention before he lost the tenuous hold he had on his self-control.

“I knew we should have taken you into the clinic. Is anything broken?” Emery asked, taking a step back and carefully placing the ice pack on his shoulder. At least it helped cool the fire created by her touch.

“Nah. It’s not even dislocated.” Hud made light of the injury, even if he knew he’d be stiff and sore for several days. “No big deal.”

“It looks like a big deal to me.” Although Emery backed away another step, her gaze melded to his.

The hypnotic, electric sizzle he’d done his best to ignore danced between them. Awed by the sheer strength of it, he wouldn’t have been surprised if whatever snapped between them illuminated the entire kitchen.

He wanted to take Emery in his arms, hold her close, and kiss her until he forgot about everything but loving a beautiful woman.

Instead, he gulped from the glass of milk in front of him.

“See you in the morning,” Emery said, then quietly left the room.

Hud released his breath and rubbed the throbbing pain that suddenly began pounding in his temples. The longer Emery stayed at Summer Creek Ranch, the harder it was to overlook the feelings, undeniable, deep feelings, he held for her.

And that was something he flat-out refused to allow.

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

*****

Giveaway:

One (1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card
and a digital copy of Catching the Cowboy

For a chance to win, fill out this form.

The giveaway will begin June 9, 2020 and last through June 25, 2020. The winner will be notified within two weeks of the giveaway ending and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics. The giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

*****

Follow along for a full list of stops on the Summer Creek Blog Tour June 2020

Spotlight – Honor Avenged

15 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Honor Avenged, Hornet Series, Tonya Burrows

I don’t know how I let it happen but I’m a couple of books behind in the HORNET series. I’m about halfway thru Book 5 and remembering again how much I love them! (And I’ll definitely be moving right into this one & letting you know what I think of both of them.)

*****

Honor Avenged

HORNET Book 6

by Tonya Burrows

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Blurb:

Leah Giancarelli makes balancing her new role as a single mom look easy, but she’d have crumbled if not for her late husband’s best friend, Marcus. She has her issues with HORNET, an elite hostage rescue team—after all, Danny would still be alive if he’d never accompanied them on their last mission—but Marcus has always been by her side, a strong shoulder to lean on…

Until, after one impulsive kiss, he’s so much more.

Eaten alive by guilt, Marcus takes off, leaving both HORNET and Leah behind. Alone is easier. Safer. Because his feelings for Leah are all kinds of wrong, the worst kind of betrayal, and he can’t trust himself not to act on them.

But Danny’s death was only the beginning. Whoever hired the hitman is looking for something, and they think Leah knows where it is…

Each book in the HORNET series is STANDALONE:

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Books2Read

*****

Excerpt:

Once she reached the pool and garden, she staggered to a halt. She didn’t know where to go. She was trapped inside this villa because someone wanted to hurt her. Just like how someone had hurt Danny. Pulverized his heart. The same heart she had listened to every night for thirteen years.

She jolted when Marcus touched her shoulder. She felt like she’d jump out of her skin if the wind blew in the wrong direction.

“I’m sorry,” Marcus said and turned her toward him, dragging her into his arms. He held her tight and pressed his face against the top of her head. “I shouldn’t have— I’m so sorry.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on until the tremors passed. He felt safe, and she savored it even though she knew it was a false safety. The crash of emotions she felt toward him were anything but safe.

He eased away and gazed down, worry creasing his forehead. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, but when she tried to speak no words came out. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I thought I was ready to know how he died.”

He cradled her face in his hands, and she’d never seen his eyes so kind, so tender. “Danny’s last thought was for you and the kids. He loved you so much, Leah. That’s all you need to know about what happened that day. That’s all you need to hang on to. Let me carry the burden of remembering the hard parts, the ugly parts, for you.”

She brought her hands up to his wrists. “That’s not fair to you.”

“He’s dead and I’m alive. I’d say that’s plenty fair.”

She wasn’t sure what made her do it, but she stood up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his mouth. Maybe it was the emotional upheaval of the last few minutes. Maybe it was the way he looked at her with such tenderness, like she was the most precious thing he’d ever held in his arms. Maybe it was because she’d been yearning for the kind of connection she once shared with Danny. She’d never felt alone when he was alive. Now it was nothing but lonely days followed by even lonelier nights.

It was selfish, but for a moment, she wanted to be selfish.

Right now, she just wanted to feel something other than anger, hurt, fear, and sorrow.

Marcus’s muscles tensed as she slid her hands from his wrists to his shoulders. He wasn’t responding to her kiss.

He just stood there, all statue-like. She drew away, heat flooding into her cheeks.

Dammit, that had been stupid. “I-I shouldn’t have—”

Marcus released a shuddering breath and grabbed her around the waist with his big hands, drawing her flush against his hard body as his mouth descended on hers. He wasn’t gentle, wasn’t asking. He was taking, devouring, and nerve endings she forgot she had sparked to pleasurable life.

Every worry vaporized in the heat of his kiss. Every fear.

Every horrible image filling her mind. Everything. He made it all disappear. She gripped his shoulders, clung to him, feeling anchored for the first time in a year.

But then he released her.

The action was so abrupt she wobbled and nearly fell over. No more anchor. He’d ripped it away and left her drifting again.

Marcus stared at her with hooded eyes, his chest heaving with ragged pants. Since he wore nothing but sweatpants, it was impossible to miss how the kiss had affected him. He was aroused. Very aroused. Her gaze skimmed down to the tent at the front of his pants, and she felt an answering clench of need deep in her belly.

Marcus casually covered his erection with one hand. “I, uh, have work to do before the team gets here.”

He spun away, poised to bolt like she was a dangerous creature he had to escape. She couldn’t let him. If she let him run now, he’d keep running. That was what he always did.

“Marcus, wait.” She caught his hand and he glanced over his shoulder at her. Their gazes clashed, held. In his dark eyes, she saw the heat of desire, but also the blaze of anger. Was he angry at her? Or himself?

She dropped his hand, letting him go. He didn’t move. Just stood there, half turned away, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

“It’s not right,” he finally said so softly she wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

“What?”

“It’s not right.” This time, there was no doubt in his voice. He waved a hand back and forth in the empty space between them. “This. You and me. Can’t happen.”

*****

Author Info:

Tonya Burrows wrote her first romance at age 13 and hasn’t put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. As of now, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with The Boyfriend, a diva schnoodle, a plucky pug-mix, and #writercat.

When she’s not writing about hunky military heroes, Tonya can usually be found kayaking, hiking, or road tripping across the country. She also enjoys painting and B grade disaster movies.

Website * Facebook * ReadersGroup * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * Newsletter

*****

Giveaway:

$50 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a92150/

*****

Spotlight – Trap ‘N’ Trace

11 Thursday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Federal K-9 Series, Tee O'Fallon, Trap 'N' Trace

I don’t know why but I just love these suspense stories with dogs. The authors really know how to make them a central character just as much as their human counterparts.

*****

Trap ‘N’ Trace

Federal K-9 series

by Tee O’Fallon

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Day: June 15th

Blurb:

Secrets leave a deadly trail.

For wealthy socialite Katrina Vandenburg, business meetings and charity galas are all part of her orderly, structured world—one that gets blown to hell after finding two dead bodies in the same day. The police think she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. FBI Special Agent Dayne Andrews thinks otherwise. Dayne and his K-9, Remy, are tracking a cold-blooded killer, and that trail…leads straight to Kat.

Kat and her rescue shelter—the Canine Haven—are the only common denominators between the murders, and Dayne is convinced she’s dead center in the killer’s sights. Protecting her will test every ounce of his steely resolve. She’s the most intriguing woman he’s ever met. And everything he shouldn’t want. Too bad neither of them seem to have gotten the memo.

And they need to focus on catching a killer now more than ever. Because if Dayne and Remy fail in their mission, nothing will stand between Kat and the killer’s deadly blade.

Pre-Order Your Copy Today:

Catch Up On the Series!

*****

Excerpt:

“Dayne, really,” Kat admonished, but from the hint of a smile spreading on her face, she wasn’t offended in the slightest. “Hmm.” She tapped her finger on her chin and began circling him, eventually stopping behind him. When she tugged at the hem of his jacket, her fingers grazed the top of his ass. A lightning bolt of sensation shot down the backs of his legs, then up the front to— Dammit all to hell, they had an audience.

Her hands released his jacket and he exhaled a breath of relief. That was until she came to stand directly in front of him. Things were about to get worse. Even her flowery perfume was making him hornier than a rhinoceros in a rose garden.

He tried focusing on anything besides the way she smelled. Or the way her dress dipped torturously low toward her softly mounded breasts.

Tiny pink gemstones sparkled at her ears and from a thin gold chain around her neck. The tips of her toes— painted light pink—peeked out from delicate gold sandals. Yeah, focus on her toes.

Again, not working. Even the woman’s toes were sexy. Kat rested her hands on his shoulders then smoothed them down the front of his jacket. “This looks good.” He swallowed, hard, as his slacks tightened painfully over his dick. Luckily, she blocked everyone else’s view.

When her hands parted the sides of his jacket and her eyes dipped to his waist, a bead of sweat trickled between his shoulder blades. As she skimmed the tips of her fingers along the front of his cummerbund, flames licked at his balls.

“Kat, no!” He grabbed her wrists, holding them away. “The tux is fine.” He could barely choke out the words as he struggled for control. Of his libido and his emotions. Where she was concerned, both were inextricably entwined.

Her eyes were questioning at first then she looked down—at his giant, throbbing boner.

Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes flared with awareness of what she’d unwittingly initiated.

“Yeah. We’re done here.” Releasing her wrists, he spun and stalked away to cool his jets in the bathroom.

When the door shut behind him, he went straight to the sink and cranked on the tap. He cupped his hands and splashed cold water in his face.

Time to face undeniable, scary-as-shit facts.

He wanted her like nobody’s business, and it wasn’t just about sex. It was about—more. She was getting to him. Hell, she’d already gotten to him. But getting involved with her could have dire consequences and not just because being around her messed with his head.

His feelings for her went way beyond a one-night stand or even a brief fling. What worried him was the long run. Could they really fit into each other’s worlds?

His guts twisted at the thought of never seeing her again when this was over. If he didn’t stay clear of the trigger that would set them off they could both wind up burned and bleeding with their hearts cut into tiny pieces.

*****

Author Info:

Tee O’Fallon is the author of the Federal K-9 Series and the NYPD Blue & Gold Series. Tee has been a federal agent for twenty-three years and is now a police investigator, giving her hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement that she combines with her love of romantic suspense. When not writing, Tee enjoys cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and spending time with her Belgian Sheepdogs, Loki and Kyrie. Tee loves hearing from readers and can be contacted via her website https://teeofallon.com where you can also sign up for Tee’s newsletters.

*****

Giveaway:

5 ecopies of FEDERAL K-9 series title, winner’s choice.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb902/

*****

Spotlight – Love According to Liam

10 Wednesday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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According to Liam series, Love According to Liam, V.L. Locey

I’m just getting into this one and I can’t wait to tell you what I think! The first one was just too cute (and hawt) and I’m hoping for more of the same.

*****

Love According to Liam

by V.L. Locey

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Length: 55,000 words approx.

Blurb:

Sometimes it takes a child to remind us that love and family are rarely perfect but an accepting heart can smooth out the imperfections.

Mike Kneller-Mettler’s life has certainly been on the fast track upward since he met his husband, Bryn. Now married for nearly a year to the starting goalie for the Pittsburgh Ravens, Mike’s found himself propelled into a new home, a new career, and a new role as loving spouse. As his baby sister’s wedding approaches, Mike is going to be faced with a couple of monumental decisions that will affect not only his future, but the everyone he holds close to his heart.

Bryn Mettler and his team haven’t had the best ending to their season. Nursing a recurring groin injury, Bryn isn’t quite sure he’s ready for wedding chaos. But, the nuptials are going to go off whether he’s able to dance with the bride or not. Amid the usual insanity that every wedding brings, unexpected guests show up to throw the beautifully planned affair into turmoil. As the adults slip into childish behavior, it might be up to Liam to be the voice of reason.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

According To Liam Series

Life According To Liam – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Christmas According To Liam – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

*****

Author Info:

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Ebook of Life According To Liam

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43760/

*****

Spotlight – If You Must Know

05 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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If You Must Know, Jamie Beck

I always love to have Jamie Beck here to share a new book. Her stories never fail to deliver a ton of heart.

*****

How do you describe your newest novel If You Must Know?

This book is a “beach book” in the best sense. It’s not angsty, yet it has a page-turning plot and a bunch of interesting, relatable characters. I think it’s entertaining and heartfelt at the same time, which is exactly what many enjoy reading while on vacation.

What inspired the novel?

The external plot came to me as a result of the influence of two people in my life. My dear friend’s husband is a forensic accountant, so some of his stories about how people hide money and flee their families provided one point of inspiration. The second is my mother’s best friend who, in her seventies, sold her house and bought a boat, which she and her husband live on full-time. The impetus for the oil-and-water sisters was to provide myself an opportunity to explore the sibling-rivalry dynamic.

Tell us about the two main characters in the story—sisters Amanda and Erin.

Amanda is the middle child. She’s diligent, earnest, hard-working, and generous. She wants the people she loves to be happy and feel her love. Her weakness is a deep-seated insecurity—a sense that she is not interesting enough to be lovable. This leads her to overlook when she is being taken for granted because her need to be pleasing is omnipresent.

Erin is the baby of the family and her late-father’s pet. She is outgoing, fun-loving, and views her average intelligence as a blessing (rather than lamenting that her siblings are smarter). She is willful and has her own way of moving through the world. The big weakness she has is her impulsiveness, whether with jobs or relationships. As she approaches her 30th birthday, she’s looking to mature and create a more stable life for herself.

What kind of relationship do the sisters have?

I think they share a typical relationship insofar as their differences cause many misunderstandings and instill in each a sense of being judged by the other, and yet they do care about and love each other, too. They simply do not know how to be true friends and trust the other—at least not at the outset of this tale.

This book focused on the main female characters growing and learning about themselves. What prompted this ‘women’s fiction’ approach to the story?

Partly market forces and partly my own need to stretch. At 53, it was becoming more difficult to write a 20-something woman facing the challenges of dating. The shift to women’s fiction allows me to write late-30 and early 40-something characters, which comes more naturally to me. I also enjoy exploring family and friendship dynamics, and absolutely love having endless options for story arcs (as opposed to having to follow a traditional romance arc).

What does your new Potomac Point series have in common with your previous books?

All my books to date have focused on critical relationships and some type of redemption theme. I find damaged people to be very interesting and believe that there is good in most everyone, so I prefer to populate my stories with flawed people who must confront their inner demons in order to be happy. My new books will also focus on relationships and redemption, but the non-romantic relationships (or even the relationship with one’s self) will be more central.

*****

If You Must Know

by Jamie Beck

Release Date: June 1, 2020

Publisher: Montlake

Blurb:

Sisters Amanda Foster and Erin Turner have little in common except the childhood bedroom they once shared and the certainty each feels that her way of life is best. Amanda follows the rules—at the school where she works; in her community; and as a picture-perfect daughter, wife, and mother-to-be. Erin follows her heart—in love and otherwise—living a bohemian lifestyle on a shoestring budget and honoring her late father’s memory with a passion for music and her fledgling bath-products business.

The sisters are content leading separate but happy lives in their hometown of Potomac Point until everything is upended by lies that force them to confront unsettling truths about their family, themselves, and each other. For sisters as different as these two, building trust doesn’t come easily—especially with one secret still between them—but it may be the only way to save their family.

*****

Excerpt:

I rolled onto my side with a groan, coming face-to-face with one of my favorite family photos. We’d taken our annual family summer trip to Hilton Head—the one real splurge my dad had made sure we enjoyed every year. We had a tradition of having lunch at a little open-air cabana bar and restaurant called Coco’s on the Beach.

Between the deck and the volleyball court in the sand stood a tall pole with colorful arrow-shaped signs pointing in different directions. Each one was painted with the name of a different city somewhere on the globe, along with the mileage to get there. We’d dream about all the places we might go, and after high school I’d had the chance to see many. In this picture, our whole family is standing around that sign, smiling at the camera. My dad has his hand on my shoulder, and if you look closely, you can see Amanda holding my hand. I must’ve been only five or six—young enough that she hadn’t given up trying to be my second mother. At the time, I’d felt smothered by her attention, but looking back, I’d also felt loved.

I grabbed my phone and called my sister, but it went to voice mail. A heaviness pressed on me, but I couldn’t tell if it was from looking at that picture of our family that would never again be whole or from the fact that I’d disappointed my mom and sister today.

They loved me in their way even if they couldn’t love and accept me as I am. My dad had, though, and to honor his memory and wishes for our family, I couldn’t continue to drift out of their lives as I’d been doing.

After the beep, I said, “Hey, it’s moi. Surprise! My plans have changed and I’ve got a little time. If you get this message, let me know where you are and I’ll try to catch up.”

I hit “End,” my feet restlessly kicking the foot of my bed. The small bedroom seemed claustrophobic, but I didn’t want to talk to Max. Not that I could avoid him in here, either, where his dirty laundry, sandals, and other items lay about. Rather than take a match to it all, I decided to organize some of his things to help with his packing. Hauling myself off the bed, I then went to the armoire to get to the vintage albums my dad had left me in his will.

Some were fairly valuable, like the Beatles collection box set from 1982, valued at roughly a thousand bucks. Or the Led Zeppelin first pressing with the turquoise label, which should net around eight hundred or so dollars. U2’s Joshua Tree collection box set from 1987—maybe worth six or seven hundred. Then there were others worth less than one hundred dollars. But each one had infinite sentimental value.

Every song resurrected a specific memory of time spent with my father playing cards, washing cars, grilling hot dogs … anything. Whatever he’d wanted to do, I’d done with him, and he’d always chosen the perfect background soundtrack for every activity. Those stolen moments had also been a great way to escape my mom’s endless lectures and demands. She’d never yelled at me for skipping out on chores or being messy when I’d been spending that time with him. Probably because he wouldn’t let her.

At present, my restlessness matched the mood of a typical Bob Seger song, so I grabbed Beautiful Loser and slipped the record from its sleeve, resisting the urge to hug it as if it were my dad. I set it on the old turntable he’d also left me. As the few first drumbeats clangored, my heart kicked an extra beat or two—partly happy, partly sad. I glanced toward the bedroom door, picturing Max on the sofa, and then got to work.

It didn’t matter where life led me next. I had faith because my own personal angel was looking out for me now.

Que será, será.

*****

Author Info:

Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than two million copies. She is a two-time Booksellers’ Best Award finalist and a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah and dancing around the kitchen while cooking. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. Fans can get exclusive excerpts, inside scoops, and be eligible for birthday gift drawings by subscribing to her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b7k7G5. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.

Website – https://jamiebeck.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/writerjamiebeck

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8020971.Jamie_Beck

*****

Giveaway:

$50 Amazon Gift Card and Digital Copy of Jamie Beck’s IF YOU MUST KNOW

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f261/

*****