Category Archives: Contest

Spotlight – Tempted by Love

01 Saturday Sep 2018

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Who else just loves a sexy cowboy?!?

*****

Tempted by Love

Montana Heat series

by Jennifer Ryan

Genre Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher Avon Books

Publication Date August 21, 2018

Blurb:

She was this Montana Man’s greatest temptation . . .

Alina Cooke—little sister of his two best friends—is the last woman DEA agent Jay Bennett should be waking up next to on the day of her brother’s wedding. But their powerful attraction ignited a powder keg of desire, and their once simple friendship has just become impossibly complicated.

Alina’s always been steady, focused, and lived on the safe side of life. Jay is totally devoted to his dangerous job. She knows a future with him will be filled with worry that one day he won’t come home. She’s done it with her brothers. She’s not sure she can face that uncertainty with the man she loves. Yet being in his arms is a bad idea they keep repeating, again and again.

When Alina is run off the road, Jay fears his job has made her a target. But the threat in Alina’s life is closer than they think. As the enemy gets more ruthless, Alina proves she’s no easy target and Jay will do anything to bring them down. Because surviving and being together is the only thing that matters.

Amazon   https://amzn.to/2Lnlcjk

Avon Romance https://goo.gl/pA1chR

Barnes & Noble https://goo.gl/tCZauK

Google Play https://goo.gl/J6vd2N

iBooks https://apple.co/2Jzj8iZ

*****

Excerpt:

He woke up feeling…happy. The feeling felt strange because he’d gotten used to content. He wanted more of that surge of bliss that filled him when he woke up with this particular beauty in his arms.

Clearly not going to happen, his emotions sank past content to weary resignation.

She raked her fingers through her long hair. “I’m sorry, Jay. This is the last thing I expected to happen.”

“Me, too. Believe me.” While he had a lot of regrets locked away in his soul, this wasn’t one of them. Memories of her he’d pull out and savor for a long time to come. Unforgettable, Alina, and what they shared last night, took up residence in the front of his mind and hunkered down for a long stay. He didn’t mind. He had too many bad things from his job that often peeked out and demanded his attention. Now, he had something really worth ruminating about day and night.

An odd look came over Alina. One he couldn’t read, and he’d made a close study of her the last 24 hours. “I have to go.”

“I already scouted it out. Your parents, the aunts, and most of the other guests are downstairs in the atrium and restaurant. Your brothers are probably in their rooms, Caden with his bride, Beck getting ready for later today. Hug the wall and they won’t see you walking past the overlooks. Take the stairs up to the next floor. There’s a small window in the exit door. Make sure no one is in the hallway before you step out. Your door is very close. No one should see you.”

“I guess you’ve got practice sneaking women out of your room.”

The flippant, bitter remark stung and left a painful pinch in his chest. “They usually stay for more, and I’m happy to give it to them,” he shot back. Though none of them ever stayed long, they didn’t sneak out in the morning like nothing happened and didn’t want to be seen with him.

Maybe that last part wasn’t fair, but he didn’t like her making him feel that way. He got they needed to be discreet. He thought they’d be in on it together. This felt very much like she wanted to erase last night and him from her life.

She stood perfectly still, her face blank, but her mind working behind her gray eyes that hinted toward blue unlike her two brothers. He couldn’t imagine what she was thinking, but she shifted from one foot to the next like she couldn’t wait to get out of here.

He gave her an out because the need to touch her again grew with every second she stayed. “You’re late, sweetheart. Better get going before someone misses you.”

He missed her already and didn’t like it one damn bit.

Her full lips pressed together a split second before she turned for the door. If she meant to say something, she thought better of it. Unable to watch her leave, he turned to the windows and stared out at nothing but another lonely day and empty bed ahead of him.

The door opened. He felt her hesitate and prayed she changed her mind and came back to him. For what, he didn’t know. She wasn’t for him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets so he didn’t turn and reach for her in some vain attempt to hold onto something neither of them were willing to bring into the light of day. He had no intention of ruining Beck’s wedding by giving him a reason to kill Jay today of all days.

When the door closed and the emptiness of the room suffocated him, he told himself it was over, maybe not easy, but done. For the best. Right?

*****

Author Info:

JENNIFER RYAN is the New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted, McBride, and Montana Men series. She writes suspenseful contemporary romances with outrageous plot twists, deeply emotional love stories, high stakes and higher drama. Her stories are filled with 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.

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

Amazon http://amzn.to/2xBr7GG

*****

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of TEMPTED BY LOVE by Jennifer Ryan, we’re giving away one paperback set of the Montana Heat series!

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback set of the Montana Heat series by Jennifer Ryan.  This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance. Giveaway ends 9/3/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address.  Duplicates will be deleted.

http://bit.ly/2uPmgSM

*****

Book Review – Going Down Easy

31 Friday Aug 2018

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

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I’m so thrilled to have Erin Nicholas stop by today to share a little about her newest book.  I’ve read it and I think it’s fantabulous!

*****

Wooing a Woman: New Orleans Edition with Erin Nicholas

My newest book, Going Down Easy, is a hot, contemporary romance set in one of the sexiest cities in the country: New Orleans. I’ve loved New Orleans since my first visit there in 2011 and have been back multiple times. I fall more in love with the place every time I’m there. There’s just something about the city that I can’t explain but that keeps me coming back. The music, the history, the laid-back attitude, the food…there’s just so much to love. So finally, the right characters and stories came along and it was time to write a series set there. Here’s a little bit about my characters and book…

Gabe Trahan: dirty-talking, charming, and a little bit sweet bar owner in the French Quarter. Has lots of friends and close to his family. Has a slow, sexy drawl, panty-melting grin. And a son, Cooper, who is five years old.

Addison Sloan: restoration architect who comes to New Orleans from New York City once a month to consult on a new project with a local firm. Confident, independent (very), smart, sassy. Loves dirty-talk in a slow Louisiana drawl. And jazz. And beignets. And pralines. And pretty much anything related to New Orleans. She’s also a single mom to five-year-old Stella.

How they meet: Addison comes into Gabe’s bar with a friend. The chemistry is immediate. And Addison’s love for New Orleans is obvious. Even the mention of beignets makes her eyes sparkle, she melts when she hears jazz, she loves the café au lait, the horse-drawn carriages—just everything. Gabe’s never been much of a romantic, but suddenly he wants to get that sexy, sweet look on her face as often as possible. (You can actually read all about this in “Easy Going”, the prequel novella! Check out Goodreads to find it 🙂

So whenever Addison is in town they go to jazz clubs, eat all the traditional New Orleans dishes—gumbo, crawfish, pralines—and they take in everything about the city. And Addison gives him a new appreciation for his home town. Though, their favorite place is definitely the balcony on the apartment above Gabe’s bar. For lots of reasons 😉 (Did I mention the prequel novella? “Easy Going”. Goodreads).

Then, everything changes. Addison is moving to New Orleans to take a permanent job with the firm…and she has no time or energy or interest in a full-blown, all-the-time, same-city relationship.

But Gabe’s not giving up.

He has every intention of using Addison’s weakness for New Orleans and the south “against” her in a huge play for her heart. So how does he do it? Read on for hero Gabe Trahan’s Seven EASY(ish) Steps To Woo A Woman in New Orleans:

Step #1

Start off with reminding her of the sweet stuff about being with you in New Orleans. Send a basket of pralines and Magnolias. Be romantic. Do not mention dirty stuff on the card. Probably. 

Step #2

Turn up the heat. Send her some beignets and an extra bag of powdered sugar to remind her of the night on your balcony where lots of other things ended up with sugar on them. Maybe mention the dirty stuff on the card now. Or again.

Step #3

Invite her on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Quarter. Make it impossible for her to say no by sending the invite with a bottle of Pimm’s No. 1 and tell her that there’s going to be a parade at the end. She can’t resist a parade.

Step #4

Have your mutual friends suggest a night out on the town to her and then surprise her by joining them at Preservation Hall for the jazz show. Make sure you show up just before it starts. There’s no way she’ll yell at you when she can be listening to jazz. She’ll very likely let you stand really close and wrap your arms around her like you’ve done all the other times she’s heard a jazz trumpet. You can say some dirty things in her ear here. For sure.

Step #5

A few days later, send her a book about alligators. Make sure it’s something her five-year-old daughter will be interested in. A coloring book with alligator trivia would be perfect. Insert a brochure for a swamp boat tour in the book. Text her the next day and suggest you all go on the swamp boat tour together.

Step #6

After a day in the sun on the bayou with your kids, invite her to a masquerade ball. Be sure to mention it’s at a plantation. And that she gets to wear a ball gown. And a mask, of course. And that there will be mint juleps. She’ll be putty in your hands. This is your chance to do a few dirty things.

Step #7

In the end, even if some of the other stuff has failed, use the Ace up your sleeve. Show up on her doorstep with a pot of your grandma’s gumbo and tell her that you’re madly in love with her and that if she’ll let you in, she’ll be able to have that gumbo regularly for the rest of her life. No one can say no to grandma’s gumbo.

*****

Going Down Easy

Boys of the Big Easy #1

by Erin Nicholas

Release Date: August 28, 2018

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Blurb:

As far as flings go, single dad Gabe Trahan is pretty sure that Addison Sloan is his best bet. Once a month, Addison comes to New Orleans and then…It. Is. On. Until Addison returns to New York, it’s just hot, happily-no-strings-attached sex. And beignets. And jazz. But lately for Gabe, it isn’t nearly enough.

Sure, maybe Addison’s gotten a bit hooked on Gabe. After all, who can resist a guy who’s so sexy, so charming, and so…available? But maybe he’s too available for her right now. Addison’s just moved to New Orleans, and relationships are definitely off the table. Besides, guys always bail when they learn her secret: she’s a single mom.

Only Gabe’s not running. Worse, he’s thrilled. But Addison never signed up for ever-after romance, and Gabe won’t settle for anything less. Now it’s a battle of wills—and when it comes to the woman he’s falling for, Gabe isn’t above playing a little dirty.

*****

Excerpt:

Gabe had sent her flowers.

Addison stood staring at the gigantic bouquet of white flowers sitting on the desk she was using for the day.

“These are magnolias, right?” she asked Elena.

“They are. The state flower of Louisiana.” Elena stroked the petal of one of the gorgeous flowers. “Someone knows your weakness for all things New Orleans.”

He definitely did. Addison hadn’t even needed to read the card to know who the flowers were from. Gabe knew she was a sucker for anything that was traditionally associated with the city. Beignets, bourbon, masks, beads, gas lanterns, and balconies with looping wrought iron railings. For six months he’d been taking her out on the Sunday she was in town and letting her soak up the city. And now she’d gone from associating those things with New Orleans and the unique spirit of the city to associating them with him.

But why was he sending her flowers? That was new. So far, their routine was she showed up at the bar on Saturday night, they spent the weekend together, she left on Monday morning, and then thirty days later, they repeated it all over again. There was no contact in between times. No texts or calls—they didn’t have each other’s number. No letters or gifts—he didn’t have her address. And definitely no flowers.

“See you soon, Gabe,” Elena read from the card. She lifted her eyes, meeting Addison’s. “Gabe? Who’s Gabe?” Then her eyes widened. “Wait. These aren’t from Gabe Trahan, are they?”

Oh, crap. Addison took a deep breath, thought briefly about lying, and then realized there was no real reason to not tell her friend the truth. “Yes.”

Elena’s eyes widened, almost as if she hadn’t expected that answer. “Really? You’ve seen him since that first night?”

Addison rounded the desk and set the folder she was carrying on top of the nearest stack, straightening the pile of already straight files. “Yes,” she said simply. The fewer details she offered, the better, probably.

“When?” Elena asked. “I had no idea you’d seen him again.”

And then it hit Addison . . . Elena wasn’t just her friend anymore. She was Addison’s boss. Was this going to reflect badly on her? Was a just-when-she-was-in-town affair something Elena would frown upon?

“I didn’t think it was important to mention. We just . . . went out a couple of times.” They had. They’d gone out to Preservation Hall for jazz. They’d gone to Café du Monde for coffee and beignets. They’d gone to the French Market. They’d gone to Gabe’s bedroom. And his shower. And his kitchen table. And his balcony . . .

“You’re dating Gabe Trahan?” Elena asked, planting her hands on her hips.

“No,” Addison said quickly. “Not dating. We’ve had . . . drinks when I’ve been in town.” And many, many orgasms. And laughs. And fun.

“Which time?” Elena asked.

“Which time what?”

“Which time that you were in town did you have drinks?”

Addison sighed. “Each time.”

“You’ve seen him every time you’ve been in town since you met him?” Elena asked, clearly shocked.

“Yes. But,” Addison added before Elena could go on, “it’s nothing serious. It’s been . . . a fling. Just a little fun. No big deal. And”—she took a deep breath—“this weekend was the last time. Now that I’ve moved here, I won’t be seeing him anymore.”

Saying it out loud made her heart clench even harder than it had when she’d driven away from him that morning.

*****

Review:

I just love how realistic this story was – not too much melodrama, just believable issues around people trying to mesh their lives.  Gabe and Addison have different approaches to a lot in their lives but they are differences that could mesh together very well.  If only they’d let them 🙂

Both are appealing – Gabe a little more so because Addison can be a big prickly but once you understand her it is so easy to see why.  Together they do a good job of propping each other up when they need it and that’s pretty much what any of us could hope for in a relationship I think.

Their issues are believable and they handle them rationally, with a good deal of understanding.  I appreciate how nothing gets blown out of proportion.  Instead everything is addressed in a very satisfying manner, so that by the end you are delighted with the fact that they could figure out their HEA like a couple of adults.

Sexy, charming, real and fun, Going Down Easy showcases why Nicholas is a bestselling author.  If you are looking for real and touching and hot, this should definitely be your next read!

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Website: http://www.erinnicholas.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinNicholas

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3155383.Erin_Nicholas

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card and Digital Copy of Erin Nicholas’ GOING DOWN EASY

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f199/

*****

Book Review – Making Chase

30 Thursday Aug 2018

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

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The Chase boys are seriously hot and falling in love one by one … now there’s just one left!

*****

Making Chase

Chase Brothers series

by Lauren Dane

Genre Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher Carina Press

Publication Date August 28, 2018

Blurb:

The Chase boys. Ridiculously hot and notoriously single.

All of Petal, Georgia, is waiting for the last Chase brother to fall. At least, that’s how it feels to firefighter Matt Chase, who’s getting a little anxious himself. His brothers have all found love—why hasn’t he? But fate, in the form of a curvaceous hairdresser, is about to change that.

Salon owner Tate Murphy has come a long way from her trailer-park roots, taking care of her seven siblings along the way. Even though she’s put the past behind her, she knows someone like Matt Chase is way out of her league. But that doesn’t stop her from getting a good eyeful every chance she gets.

When a car accident throws them together, Tate gets more than an eyeful—she gets the whole package. Not that she’s complaining. But when small-town bias and her own insecurities get in the way of their relationship, Matt will have to prove he doesn’t care where she came from…only where she goes.

The Chase is on. One small town. Four hot brothers. And enough heat to burn up anyone who dares to get close. Don’t miss the other books in the series: Taking Chase, Giving Chase and Chased.

Amazon  https://amzn.to/2O6ordy

Kobo  https://goo.gl/oBDCiK

Barnes & Noble  https://goo.gl/MY2Zt3

Google Play  https://goo.gl/bMWYA3

iBooks  https://apple.co/2NwlotO

*****

Excerpt:

Matt opened up the box and the heady scent of cookies greeted his senses. Mouth watering, he read the note, ascertained the cookies were from Tate, the woman he’d helped out earlier in the week after the car accident. He vaguely remembered her from school. Perhaps a year or so behind him, definitely not from his circle though.

Knowing she wasn’t a terrorist, he gave in and shoved a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth. And moaned. Holy shit, that was the best thing he’d ever eaten, even better than Maggie or his momma’s cookies though he’d never admit it to them. An oatmeal cookie followed. Nope, that was the best cookie he’d ever eaten. Peanut butter chips in oatmeal cookies? Fabulous. Thank goodness she’d been okay after she’d gotten whacked by that car. The world couldn’t live without this cookie-baking goddess.

Looking at the outside of the box, he realized the address was the beauty salon just across the way. He’d have to go and thank her in person.

He’d saved some folks, helped at quite a few accidents and emergencies and fought fires in and around Petal for the last decade. Still, he could count the number of times he’d received a thank you note on one hand. It felt good to be appreciated.

Finishing up in the late afternoon, Matt grabbed what was left of the cookies, knowing he’d have to work out extra after the dozen or so he’d scarfed down since the mail came. He’d had to hide them from the rest of the weenies at the station who’d have swiped them if they’d known. And with cookies as good as the last five in the box, he wasn’t gonna share.

He’d never been inside the beauty salon though he’d seen it just about every day for years. He had a vague idea that the women in his life got their hair done there, but that was the extent of it.

When he opened the door, the jingle of pretty wind chimes greeted him first, followed by the pleasing sound of feminine laughter. Oh how he loved the sound of a woman’s laugh.

Smiling, he headed toward it. He saw her before she saw him. Her hair was the prettiest blonde he’d seen on a woman and unless he was mistaken, she came by it naturally. It hung in a high ponytail and still cascaded down her back in a long spiral curl. Those wide blue eyes of hers were set off by some floaty-looking blouse that was a sort of pinkish-orange. He was sure they had a name for it, women always had names for colors like that. He’d say that Nicholas had light green walls in his room but Maggie had told him they were sea-foam green. He’d just looked at his brother over her head and Kyle rolled his eyes back at him.

She was short. Like really short. And all curves. Her musical laughter cut off when she caught sight of him and then began to choke.

Dropping his things on a nearby counter he rushed to her, concerned as she waved him off, her eyes widening as she backed away.

“She’s all right,” one of the other women said.

Tate recovered and turned a shade of red he was sure they had a name for too, but it was clear she’d either injured herself or was mortified.

“Fuckety fuck,” she muttered as she tried to catch her breath.

“Are you all right?” He touched her arm.

Her blush deepened as she nodded, sending her ponytail swaying. “Fine. Um, can’t breathe and swallow at the same time. Apparently I forgot that.”

He grinned. “I’m Matt Chase. I just wanted to come by to thank you for the cookies.”

“Oh…oh, I’m glad you got them. I should have just brought them over but I didn’t know when I’d get the chance to get away and my family was sort of trying to steal them and if I hadn’t wrapped them up they’d have ended up at the University of Georgia with my kid brother and sister.”

He couldn’t stop grinning. The woman was like one of those little dogs with all the energy. “It’s fine. They’re really good. Like criminally good. In fact, and if you repeat this, I’ll deny it, they’re the best cookies I’ve ever eaten. You missed your calling you know. You should have opened a bakery.”

“Her cookies are a drop in the bucket. She makes a peach cobbler that’ll bring tears to your eyes and the most perfect scratch biscuit you ever tasted. That’s until you try her chicken paprika,” one of the women, clearly a relative, told him proudly.

“Stop it now. I already said you could have Saturday off.” Tate winked and the other woman laughed. “Oh, my manners! I’m Tate Murphy. Aside from bleeding all over you the other day, I figure we haven’t been formally introduced.”

He shook her hand, still wearing a stupid grin.

“This is my sister Anne and the sister just younger than her, Beth.”

He nodded to all of them and noted they all had the same nose but they were redheads with green eyes while Tate had blue eyes and blonde hair. She was also a lot shorter than the other sisters, who were at least five-seven or so.

“Nice to meet you all. I think I know your brother Tim. He and I were just a year apart in school. We had a few classes together. Redhead right? Green eyes? Freckles?”

“That’s our brother.” Tate grinned.

“He’s a nice guy. Tell him I said hello. Well, I don’t want to keep you all. I just wanted to thank you for the cookies.”

“Well, thank you for helping me. A few cookies are nothing in comparison.”

He liked her smile. Wide, open.

“I’ll see you around then.” And he realized that he’d never bumped into her at all around town. Which was sort of silly considering they worked right across the street from each other.

“Night, Matt. Nice to meet you. Your mother talks about you all the time.”

He stopped as he’d reached the door and heard her laugh. “You knew that’d get me, didn’t you?” he said, looking back over his shoulder at her.

Her eyes widened in mock surprise. “Me? I have seen you naked though. With a cowboy hat on even.”

He groaned, knowing the picture. His momma did love to show that picture of him at about eighteen months old, naked as a jaybird wearing a cowboy hat.

“Are you imagining me naked now?” he teased back and she blushed bright red again. He toyed with asking her what women would call that shade of red but decided against it. He winked and waved. “See you around, Tate Murphy.”

He whistled all the way to his truck.

*****

Review:

I think Matt might be my favorite brother … but don’t tell the others 🙂  He’s patient, caring, and smart enough to realize what a great thing he could have with Tate.  I love how he takes his time wooing her, in a way that she doesn’t even realize what is happening until she’s too far gone over him.

Tate may have a few insecurities thanks to the way she grew up but I love her grit and spunk.  She’s a little prickly but it is totally understandable,  Not too much for the Chase charm to overcome, of course.  And the closeness of the Murphy family is awesome to behold, enough to rival the Chases, and I do think Dane handled their issues really well.  It was realistic and gave a believable drama moment between Matt and Tate that worked well with the relationship they’d created.

I do wish a little more time had been spent resolving the issues with how Tate is viewed by people in the town.  There are “mean girls” who make trouble for her and for the most part they handle them really well.  I just needed one more scene, I think.  I felt like it wasn’t quite wrapped up as much as it could have been, especially with how well the family portion was done.

Realistic characters with real world troubles and believable reactions, Dane does a fabulous job giving her readers an awesomely emotional finale to her Chase Brothers series.

*****

Author Info:

The story goes like this – While on pregnancy bed rest, LAUREN DANE had plenty of down time so her husband took her comments about “giving that writing thing a serious go” to heart and brought home a secondhand laptop. She wrote her first book on it before it gave up the ghost. Even better, she sold that book and never looked back.

Today Lauren is a New York Times bestselling author of over fifty novels and novellas across several genres.

Website http://www.laurendane.com/

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenDane

Twitter https://twitter.com/laurendane

Goodreads https://goo.gl/pg3R22

Amazon https://amzn.to/2uDfIHF

*****

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of MAKING CHASE by Lauren Dane, we’re giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner!

http://bit.ly/2Lujyw8

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to internationally. One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Carina Press.  Giveaway ends 9/3/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Limit one entry per reader. Duplicates will be deleted.

*****

Book Review – Come Back to Me

28 Tuesday Aug 2018

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

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I absolutely LOVE this series and I get so excited when a new book comes out!!

*****

Come Back to Me

Blessings, Georgia series

by Sharon Sala

Blurb:

Love always endures the test of time

After a devastating fire pitted their families against each other, high school sweethearts Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne were torn apart. Twenty years later, Aidan is called back to Blessings, nervous about confronting his painful past. And that’s BEFORE he knows about the nineteen-year-old secret Phoebe has been harboring all this time.

As Aidan tries to make up for lost time with the family he didn’t know he had, Phoebe and Aidan rediscover long-suppressed feelings. But the past won’t lie buried, and old enemies threaten to destroy the peace they’ve fought so hard to find.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2J3i0UJ

B&N: http://bit.ly/2KRrnvO

Apple: https://apple.co/2JuiY0x

“Sharon Sala’s Blessings, Georgia series is filled with unforgettable charm and delight!”— ROBYN CARR, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

*****

Excerpt:

Seeing the porch light on as she pulled up to the house was just like old times. He’d done that since he’d been old enough to stay home alone, and she’d missed it. She grabbed her things, ran up the steps, and let herself into the house.

“I’m home,” she yelled.

“Me, too,” he yelled back.

She laughed. Just like old times. She left her purse on a table as she hurried into the kitchen, and found Lee at the stove, heating up food.

He gave her a big hug.

“I waited for you,” he said. “Go change and get comfy. I’ll set the table while you’re gone.”

“Wonderful!” Phoebe said, and hurried down the hall to her room.

She changed out of work clothes into a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt, and changed work shoes for sandals, washed up and hurried back to the kitchen.

“You cooked,” she said, eyeing the table and the inviting food.

“I just added some baked beans and fries to the ribs and slaw. Sit, Mom. Let me wait on you tonight.”

“I won’t argue,” Phoebe said, and smiled at him when he brought glasses of sweet iced tea to the table, followed by the food.

After filling their plates, they began to talk as they ate.

“My grade point for the year is 4.0 and I was accepted into an accelerated Physics program next semester,” Lee said.

Phoebe beamed. “Oh, Lee, congratulations. I’m so proud of you. I know you didn’t get that from me.”

Lee took a deep breath. “Did I get it from my father?”

Phoebe’s smile slipped a little. The sorrow she lived with was once again, evident on her face.

“Yes. He was very smart.”

Lee ate a few more bites, then took his phone from his pocket, pulled up the picture, and pushed it toward her.

Phoebe smiled. “A new girlfriend?”

He shook his head, then waited as she looked down.

Her fork clattered onto the table. She pressed a hand over her mouth, but it didn’t muffle the moan.

He grabbed her arm. “Mom. Are you okay?”

“Where did you…oh my God. That’s the store parking lot.”

She looked up. “You took this today.”

He nodded. “I saw him by accident. Wasn’t for sure, so I took a picture, then came home and compared it to yours. He’s older, but it’s him, isn’t it, Mom? That’s my father.”

She nodded, then started to cry.

~

Across town, Aidan was already asleep, more at ease in this old house in Blessings, than he was in his New Orleans home, sleeping with the best security system money could buy. But there was no way to control where sleep took him, or enough locks on a door to keep Phoebe out of his dreams.

He saw Phoebe running toward him. He’d been waiting for days and days for her to come but she had not. She’d been part of the people who’d shunned them, and seeing her now, the pain in his heart hurt so much it was hard to draw breath.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

He hardened his heart and turned away.

“Don’t leave,” she cried. “I’m sorry, so sorry.”

He remembered how soft her lips were against his mouth, and how her body curled into his when they embraced, and kept walking.

“Aidan, please,” she begged.

He wanted to bury his face against her hair and cry, but he didn’t, and then the dream hit fast-forward and they were driving away and she was running behind them, but this time she didn’t stop. She was behind their car as they drove out of town. She was running right behind their car all the way to the interstate, and then all of a sudden she was gone. He turned around in the seat, searching for sight of her, but she had disappeared.

He was screaming at his Dad, “turn around, turn around. We can’t leave Phoebe behind.”

*****

Review:

While I love Aidan & Phoebe together and how he completely embraced his son, I did have just a teeny issue with how easily Aidan accepts how Lee’s existence was kept from him.  Yes, they were young when everything went wrong but he wasn’t necessarily wrong with how he left town.  Things were seriously bad for him & his dad and I really have no problem with them packing up and leaving without looking back.  But really someone should have really let him know about his son before this.

Sala’s down-home writing is always a treat to read and everything else made up for any issues I had with how quickly Aidan got over his hurt.  Once the two of them reconnect all of their past feelings come back and deepen even more.  It’s sweet and heartwarming and, as always with Sala, a feel-good read that made me happy every page until the end.

If you love quirky small-town characters, a touching romance, and emotions galore, Sala is your girl!

*****

Giveaway:

First 3 books in the Blessings, Georgia series!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7673/

*****

Spotlight – Catch Him If You Can

23 Thursday Aug 2018

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A sexy man who loves animals … where can I find one?!?

*****

In Jennifer Shirk’s newest installment in her Accidentally Yours series, town widower Wade Roberts is being bombarded by Cape Harmony’s matchmaking mamas. His only way to stop them: pretend to be in a relationship with his sister’s best friend, Arden Pearson. But when what started as an act begins to shift into something more, it might take a village to convince Wade that Arden’s his perfect match.

Catch Him If You Can

Accidentally Yours series

by Jennifer Shirk

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 13, 2018

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Format: Digital eBook

Digital ISBN: 9781640636156

Blurb:

Veterinarian Wade Roberts is done with love. But try convincing the elderly folk of Cape Harmony who are determined to play matchmaker. Now the young single women in town are bombarding him with baked goods and love notes, and being “taken” is the only way to stop the meddling grannies—which is why he needs a fake fiancée. Fast.

Arden Pearson loves planning weddings. Other people’s weddings, that is. After her own engagement ended in disaster, she prefers to live vicariously through her work. But when she needs to persuade a big client that she’s capable of planning the celebrity wedding of the year, she’s willing to go as far as pretending to be engaged herself to her best friend’s older brother.

Soon their ruse has everyone in town believing they make the perfect couple—including Arden. She’s always been nothing more than a kid sister to Wade, and it might take a village to convince him otherwise…

Add to your TBR list:  Goodreads

Available:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

*****

Excerpt:

Wade stood in line at the Drip N Sip, about seven people back, mentally warming up to let good old matchmaking Judy Tavish have an earful. What a friggin’ exhausting morning he’d had at work on Saturday, combating the flirting, the date requests, and the come-ons. Becky was right. His office had served more like a singles bar than a veterinary clinic. Well, no more. He was done with that, but mostly he was done with the meddling gray-haired coffee barista, looking over at him now and shooting him that wide, cheery-assed smile of hers.

“Oh, hello, Wade!” Judy waved, all sunny and good-natured, which ironically had the direct opposite effect on his already foul mood. He gritted his teeth and didn’t wave back.

“And what animal peed on your parade?” a feminine voice asked beside him.

He glanced to his right. Arden Pearson stood next to him with arms folded and an amused grin on her glistening pink-glossed lips. Arden was his sister’s best friend and all-around town sass-mouth—at least to him. He’d known her since high school when she had braces and blond hair down to her butt. Her mouth was still as sassy—maybe more so—but the braces were gone and her straight hair was cut shoulder length in a mature, professional style now. He’d always thought she was a cute girl back then, but as an adult, she was pretty damn stunning—when she wasn’t ribbing him. She had moved back to Cape Harmony about five years ago to open up her wedding planning business. Wade rarely ran into her in town unless she was with Kinsley, which made this day all the more agitating.

He turned away. “Right now, I’d actually welcome being peed on,” he muttered.

She made a tsk tsk sound. “Wow, you are having a bad day. Well, join the club.”

“Join the club?” Wade turned back to her and blinked. Damn, she had the prettiest eyes. The most unique kind of blue he’d ever seen. He immediately looked away. “Are you being bombarded at work and at home by hordes of single marriage-minded women?”

“Well, no— Wait.” She laughed. “Hold on. Are you?”

“Yes. And it’s all Judy Tavish’s fault,” he said, jerking his thumb in Judy’s direction. “She’s taken it upon herself to become my own personal walking, talking Tinder account.”

“Hmm…” Arden’s delicate brows drew together. “So, does this mean you want to book me ahead of schedule for a discount, or do you want to wait until the actual wedding proposal?” she said with a chuckle.

“I knew you wouldn’t see the seriousness in the situation.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” She shrugged. “I mean, so what if Judy thought you should get out and have some fun and gave your number to a few nice women. Oh, boo-hoo.”

He looked her dead in the eye. “Twenty-six women, Arden. Twenty-six. Not including the crowd that showed up at the clinic on Saturday with their fake sick pets. And did you know that when I got home from work there were brownies and half a baked chicken left on my doorstep.”

Arden whistled. “Damn. Remind me to use Judy when I’m looking for a date. Or need a snack.”

Copyright© 2018 Catch Him If You Can

Jennifer Shirk

*****

Author Info:

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of sweet (and sometimes even funny) romances for Montlake Romance and Entangled Publishing. Her novel, FIANCE BY FATE—a 2015 Readers’ Crown Finalist—became an Amazon #1 best seller for Series Romance. And recently, Wrong Brother, Right Match, WON the Sweet Traditional category of the 2017 Golden Quill Contest and became a #1 Amazon bestseller for Holiday Romance.

She resides in a beach resort in NJ, so when she’s not writing or working on her tan, she’s taking care of her most treasured possessions: her husband, daughter and puppy (Sox).

Check out her website for News and Links: www.jennifershirk.com

And don’t forget to join her mailing list for a chance to win monthly giveaways and free ARCs: eepurl.com/Q6TH1

Connect with Jennifer:  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  BookBub

Giveaway:

Jennifer is offering one lucky grand prize winner a $10 Amazon Gift Card and five Runner-ups an eCopy of Bargaining with the Boss, book #1 in her Accidentally Yours series! To enter for your chance to win one of these exciting prizes, please fill out the Rafflecopter link below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29560

*****

Book Review – Through the Fire

21 Tuesday Aug 2018

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Awkward, geeky, sexy Wes is my new book boyfriend!

*****

Through the Fire

Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series

by Katie Ruggle

Blurb:

He’s tall.

He’s dark.

He’s brutally handsome…

And he may be her only hope.

Kit Jernigan despairs of ever fitting in with her new tight-knit K9 unit—they’ve been through too much to welcome a stranger. So when a killer strikes, it’s a fight to convince her fellow officers to trust her long enough to catch the woman she knows is responsible.

She can’t do it on her own. What she needs most is a partner: local fire spotter Wesley March.

Wes knows in his heart that Kit is right, and he’s willing to leave his lonely tower to help her prove it. But the more time they spend together, the hotter the fire smolders…and the more danger they’re in. A member of the K9 unit’s inner circle is determined to have her revenge—no matter who gets burned in the process.

This time, it’s personal.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KPMej7

B&N: http://bit.ly/2KPMeQ9

Apple: https://apple.co/2NwGUiW

*****

Excerpt:

The snow crunched under Wes’s boots as he climbed. It was a beautiful day, with the late-afternoon sun shading to orange as it approached the mountain peaks it was about to hide behind, but Wes didn’t pay much attention to the scenery. He was intent on reaching the bat cave.

Despite its name, the bat cave was more of a rock overhang than a cave, but the bat part was true enough—it housed a good-sized colony of silver-haired bats. Researchers and animal-loving hikers frequently visited the location. Although Wes had gotten some striking photos at the bat cave, he hadn’t even brought his camera with him this time. He was more interested in the cell reception.

When the trail evened out, leading to a large, flat rock overhang, he pulled out his cell phone. Sure enough, he had reception. Finding his sister’s name in his short list of contacts, he called her. As he waited for her to answer, pacing back and forth across the granite ledge, he made a mental note to set up a cell-signal booster at the tower. He should’ve done it before, but he hadn’t missed phone service. Having to mindfully go somewhere with cell reception allowed him to control when and whom he called. It wasn’t enough now, though, not when there was someone he was hoping to call—as soon as he got her number.

“Wes!” Leila sounded winded. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Well, nothing except his social skills when women—not including his sister—were around.

“Oh.” There was a pause. “I thought there was an emergency. You never call except for every other Sunday afternoon.”

“No emergency.” He tried to mentally plan out his question. “I need some advice.”

“Advice?” Another silence fell, and Wes could almost hear the gears in her brain turning. He smiled. Leila was even smarter than he was, and she was a whole lot more intuitive and perceptive. That’s why he was calling her. “Does this have something to do with a woman?”

“Yes.”

She squealed, the sound so excited that he smiled wider even as he winced and pulled the phone slightly away from his ear. “Are you dating someone? What’s her name? When do I get to meet her? What does she do? Is she funny? Pretty? Smart? A badass? Tell me details, Wes!”

“Answering most of your questions might be premature.” As much as he wanted to talk about Kit, Wes knew it could be dangerous. The more he said, the more real the possibility of something happening with her felt, and he didn’t want to build up hopes too high. After all, the more excited he got, the harder the disappointment would hit if she never wanted to talk to him again.

“Fine.” Although Leila was obviously trying to sound calm, Wes could tell that she was thrilled, and it made him wonder if he’d done the right thing by calling his sister. Now there might be two extremely disappointed people if nothing happened between him and Kit. “Just answer the basic ones, then. Are you dating?”

“No. We’ve only met three times.” He didn’t think their radio conversation counted.

“But you like her?”

“Yes. I like her.” It seemed like a barely adequate phrase to encompass the fizzing excitement he’d felt around her—and even later, when he was alone and thinking about her. “I’m…interested in her.” That didn’t seem much more accurate.

Leila let out another small squeal, and Wes looked up at the sky, even as he felt his face heat. “Sorry,” she said as if she could see his long-suffering expression. “That’s out of my system now. Back to basic questions. Is she interested in you?”

“I don’t know.” Crouching down, he absently picked up a few small pebbles, his brain fully occupied with the mystery that was K9 Officer Kit Jernigan. “That’s what I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Hang on. I think I need to get comfortable for this conversation.” There were a few rustling noises, and then Leila spoke again. “Okay. I’m ready. Let’s start with the first time you met. Tell me what happened.”

“I needed propane, so I refilled my tank at the station on the southeast side of town. I wanted to be back home before things got busy—”

“Wesley,” she interrupted. “I’ve been to your Podunk town, remember? It never gets busy. There are, like, ten buildings and eight people total.”

“The population of Monroe—”

“Nope. Don’t care. Tell me the story.”

It never hurt his feelings when Leila cut him off like that. In fact, he appreciated her directness. It was easier than trying to guess what a person was thinking by their body language or tactful words. “Four days ago, I was driving west on Mule Drive at six fifty-four, but I was forced to stop due to an SUV backing a small utility trailer into a driveway.” He frowned at the memory. “Attempting to back a small utility trailer into a driveway.”

“Go on. No, wait! Let me guess. Did you save this woman from getting run over?”

“No.”

“Oh.” She sounded disappointed. “Go on, then. What did happen?”

Wes smiled slightly. His sister was terrible at listening to stories. She didn’t have any patience, wanting to rush right to the conclusion instead. “After talking with the driver, I didn’t think she’d move the trailer into the driveway efficiently—which meant I’d be late—so I got out of my truck in order to help.”

“She was the driver?” Her voice was hushed, amusing Wes.

“Yes.”

“That’s so romantic!”

His eyebrows scrunched together. “It is?”

“Well, not really, I guess. I think I’m just anticipating that it’s going to be romantic soon. Go on… Get to the good part!”

He hesitated. “I’m not sure what you’d consider the good part.”

Her gusty sigh was audible. “Just tell me the rest. I’m dying of curiosity here!”

“I helped her get the trailer into her driveway and unhitched it.”

“And then?”

“She drove away.”

There was a long beat of silence. “That’s disappointing.”

“It was.”

“Did she tell you her name, at least?”

Wes found himself smiling. “Yes. Kit Jernigan.”

*****

Review:

I absolutely adored both Kit and Wes.  They are so fun together in all of their awkward cuteness and even though things happen pretty quickly you can feel the connection between the two of them.  Like all of the other couples in the series, they are a good match and have you rooting for them from the start.

Unfortunately there was a point just before the big climax where Ruggle lost me just a little.  Kit had all of the information she needed to make a few connections about what was going on and none of it was ever mentioned, by her or by Ruggle.  It was obvious but when it mattered Kit never even acknowledged the information.  Which was extra disappointing because she’d been so on top of things up to that point.

It’s a minor complaint, though, in an otherwise fun and exciting story.  There’s the danger and suspense that we’ve come to expect from this series, along with the right amount of camaraderie and romance to give you the feels to go with the thrills.  And while we may know who the bad guy is from the first but I will admit that the why totally surprised me.  (I was enjoying Wes & Kit too much to even want to guess 🙂 )

*****

Author Info:

A graduate of the Police Academy, Katie received her ice-rescue certification and can attest that the reservoirs in the Colorado mountains really are that cold. A fan of anything that makes her feel like a bad-ass, she has trained in Krav Maga, boxing and gymnastics, has lived in an off-grid, solar- and wind-powered house in the Rocky Mountains, rides horses, trains dogs, cross-country skis and travels to warm places to scuba dive. In addition to her romantic suspense books, she also writes spicier romances under the pen name Katie Allen. Connect with Katie at http://katieruggle.com/, https://www.facebook.com/katierugglebooks, or on Twitter @KatieRuggle

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win a Katie Ruggle Prize Pack!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7674/

*****

Spotlight – The Lawman’s Secret Vow

20 Monday Aug 2018

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Who else is a fan of Harlequin books?  They were some of my first romances and have a special place in my heart still.

*****

Note from the Author

…The Lawman’s Secret Vow features Dante Matthews and Eloise Archer. Both are detectives in a local police department, who have been paired up, pretending to be a newly married couple while they infiltrate a car theft ring. Problem is, they discover feelings for each other while undercover. Can they work together and keep their emotions in check as they delve deeper into the case? Or does the real danger come from falling in love?

I hope you enjoy being a part of Dante and Eloise’s journey.

―Tara

*****

The Lawman’s Secret Vow

by Tara Randell

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 Pages

August 1st 2018 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Blurb:

To have and to hold—

until the case is solved?

When an undercover assignment pairs laid-back Florida detective Dante Matthews with by-the-book cop Eloise Archer, he knows it won’t be easy. And not just because they’re competing for the same promotion. Now they’re living together under the same roof, and it’s getting harder to ignore his deepening feelings for his “wife.” Can he convince Eloise to partner up—for life?

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Harlequin│Kobo

*****

Author Info:

USA Today Bestselling Author Tara Randel has enjoyed a lifelong love of books, especially romance and mystery genres, so it didn’t come as a surprise when she began writing with the dream of becoming published. Family values, mystery and, of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets inspire the creation of heartwarming stories, filled with love, laughter and the occasional mystery.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Amazon

*****

Giveaway:

Prize #1: Beach/pool tote and water bottle, signed print copies of The Bridal Bouquet and His One and Only Bride, $25 Amazon Gift Card. (Open to US only)

Prize #2: $25 Amazon e-Gift Card (Open Internationally)

Ends August 22nd

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b9a55db3303/

 *****

Click on the banner below to check out reviews and excerpts!

Book Review – Hometown Girl Again

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

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I have a very strong urge to find a restored vintage trailer now 🙂

*****

Hometown Girl Again

Hometown Series Book 5

by Kirsten Fullmer

Genre: Romance

Blurb:

How did I end up so broken? It’s a question Katherine can’t answer. First, a surprise inheritance tipped her life upside-down, and now her new RV park is a muddy mess of half-restored trailers. To make matters worse, she’s falling for her first crush all over again. The only thing she’s sure of at this point is a full-blown identity crisis.

Alex came home after a life-threatening wound ended his Army career. Now Katie is back too, and she’s building something called a glamping park? He feels like he let her down years ago, can he make it up to her now? Or are his own problems too much to handle?

Fate brought Katherine and Alex back to Smithville, and the town-folk want to see them together again. Will the couple be able to cope with the locals well-intentioned meddling, or did their chance at love disappear a long time ago…

Goodreads * Amazon

Book trailer 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S4LEdxX12s

Other Books in the Series

Hometown Girl at Heart

Hometown Series Book 1

Goodreads * Amazon

Hometown Girl After All

Hometown Series Book 2

Goodreads * Amazon

Hometown Girl Forever

Hometown Series Book 3

Goodreads * Amazon

Christmas in Smithville

The Hometown Series Book 4

Goodreads * Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

Relieved to have found all the items on her list, Katherine offered the clerk a shy smile and collected her bags. The place was really more of a small town mercantile than a hardware store, being the only store in town that offered more than groceries, and she was glad they saw fit to carry a bit of everything.

When she reached the door, lugging her supplies, she was surprised to see Alex through the glass. He was heading across the parking lot toward her, carrying a small black and white dog, and his characteristic swagger looked more like a limp as he wrestled with the puppy.

Jumping back, her head whipped from one side to the other, looking for a place to hide.

Alex marched into the store, and she ducked behind a rack of men’s overalls. Holding her breath, she crouched and peeked between the overall straps. The little black dog had an adorable smiling face, and her heart melted, but then she noticed Alex’s blustery expression. The puppy wriggled in his grip, and he turned her way.

Her arm shot out to grab a straw hat from the rack, and she plopped it on her head, hoping it would hide her sweaty, lopsided bun.

The dog barked and squirmed, and it was obvious that Alex needed help, but Katherine knew she was a sweaty mess, and she probably looked like she’d just rolled out of bed, since she had, not to mention she smelled like gasoline after spilling on her grubby pants when she filled her can at the gas station earlier.

She’d made a big enough fool of herself already, and she wasn’t eager to repeat the disgrace, so she hunched lower behind the rack, watching with only one eye showing from under the hat

Alex was far too busy wrestling the dog to notice her, so she stayed silent, watching as they passed. Before she could make her move toward the door, however, the dog escaped Alex’s arms and bound down the aisle. Alex reached out, scrambling for the puppy, but lost his balance and fell sideways into a rack of garden trowels that clattered and crashed to the floor.

Dropping her bags, Katherine hurried to his side to see if he was okay. When she reached him, his expression was dark as the devil, so she hesitated, pulling her hand back. “Want me to get the dog?” she asked timidly, and he nodded, so she turned away. Worried about Alex, she glanced nervously over her shoulder, but he was already back on his feet, righting the rack, so she hurried after the puppy.

The little dog hadn’t gone far when she spotted him assaulting a display of chips and other snacks. By the time she reached his side, the puppy had a package of jerky in his mouth.

She scooped up the dog, unable to keep from laughing at his antics. “You’re a naughty one, aren’t you!” she chided, watching the puppy chew on jerky. As cute as he was, she had to wonder why Alex had brought him to the store, and without a leash. “I didn’t take Alex for the dog type,” she mumbled to herself.

“I’m not,” Alex growled, from behind her, causing her to whirl around in surprise. He reached for the dog.

She handed over the puppy, appraising Alex’s face and mood. “Can I help?” she asked before her brain clicked into gear. Here she’d been relieved that he hadn’t seen her, and now she couldn’t help but jump square into his business.

“You don’t— need to do that,” he assured her, his words jarred and interrupted by the wriggling dog. Then over the dog, he eyed her in question with one brow raised.

She squared her shoulders. She knew she looked a sight, but he was being flat out rude. “Would he sit in a shopping cart?” she wondered out loud.

Alex glanced toward the front of the store, then back. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll grab you one,” she offered, then hurried away without waiting for his reply. By the time she returned, Alex looked ready to strangle the puppy with his bare hands, so Katherine reached out and took the dog, and put him in the cart.

At first, the little dog seemed confused and frightened, but once he got his bearings and put his front paws on the end of the cart, he seemed happy enough. His oversized ears perked with curiosity and his tongue lolled from the side of his mouth, accentuating his goofy grin.

Alex stared at the dog, obviously unhappy, then his gaze turned to her. “Nice hat.”

Horrified that she was still wearing the stupid straw hat, she yanked it off her head and tossed it onto a shelf. “How old is he?” she asked, motioning toward the dog, hoping to take Alex’s attention away from her.

“Hell if I know,” he grumbled, glaring down at the puppy.

Her questioning glance swung from the puppy back to his face.

“I just got him yesterday. From my nieces.”

“Oh,” she replied, wondering why someone would give a dog to a person who didn’t want one.

For a moment it looked as if Alex would explain, but his mouth clamped closed, and his brows lowered into a glower, so she left it alone. Taking a step back, she motioned toward the door. “I better get moving, but…” she hesitated, then continued. “Feel free to bring him out to the RV park if you need to. I’m sure we can find a place for him to play while you work.”

“I’m here to get him a leash and a play yard, but,” Alex ‘s gaze came to hers, and her discomfort caused his expression to soften, “I appreciate the offer. I wasn’t sure what to do with him, to be honest.”

She was relieved to see him calm down. “It’s not a problem; I’ll see you in a while then.” With a wave she turned away and headed toward the door, hoping he didn’t see her collect her things from behind the overalls.

*****

Review:

While this is labeled a romance I think that it really leans more as women’s fiction.  The two do dance around their feelings and attraction for a bit but it’s really about each of them individually as they find their footing in a new world.  And I really enjoyed the fact that the two being together was more of a catalyst for them to do a little soul-searching.  They don’t make any changes necessarily for the other but instead start seeing themselves a little differently.  It makes things a little more realistic for me.

Katherine is at a crossroads in her life.  A death in the family and an inheritance has her moving back to the little town her mother left years ago and that Katherine has only visited once.  That summer was a great time for her but it ended in heartache and being back, not only in the town but in Alex’s orbit, has her floundering.  In the years since he broke her heart, she’s isolated herself from the world and pretty much everyone in it.  Being near him again has her emotions taking over and it is shaking her already mixed up world even more.

Alex is back home after an IED killed most of his friends and shattered his career & his leg.  Struggling to find faith in himself and a life that he can accept, he’s dropped into a pretty big funk.  Having Katherine in town again has him re-examining quite a few things.

I think I’m going to have to give this one a solid 3 1/2 stars … it’s a pretty good women’s fiction book, but seemed a little light on both the romance and the personal growth of the characters.  It’s an easy read and enjoyable, but it didn’t seem to have the depth that I was expecting.  (I haven’t read anything else in the series but I don’t know that it made much difference with Katherine moving to the town at the start of the book.  Maybe there was a bit more about Alex but overall I feel like it stands on its own.)

*****

Author Info:

Kirsten grew up in the Western US and graduated from high school in 1984. She married soon there after and quickly built a family. With three young children and number four on the way, she returned to college in 1992. Her career as a draftsman included many settings ranging from a steel fabrication shops to prestigious engineering firms. Balancing family life with the workplace forced her to become the queen of multitasking. In 2001, bored with the cubical life, she moved on to teach drafting in technical college, then to opening her own consulting firm teaching 3D engineering software. Due to health problems, Kirsten retired in 2012 to travel with her husband for his job. She now works writing romance novels and enjoys spoiling her three grandchildren. Since 2017 Kirsten has lived and worked full time in a 40′ travel trailer with her husband and her little dog Bingo.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon gift card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9899/

*****

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Spotlight – Bayside Heat

14 Tuesday Aug 2018

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I love Melissa Fosters books and I get excited any time a new story comes out!

*****

Fall in love at Bayside, where sandy beaches, good friends, and true love come together in the sweet small towns of Cape Cod. Bayside Summers is a series of standalone steamy romance novels featuring alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They’re fun, flirty, flawed, deeply emotional, always passionate, and easy to relate to.

Bayside Heat

Love in Bloom – Bayside Summers

by Melissa Foster

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Drake Savage has always done the right thing, especially where beautiful and fiercely determined Serena Mallery is concerned-even when it means keeping his feelings for her to himself. Serena has always wanted more than what their small town of Wellfleet, Massachusetts has to offer, and Drake’s roots are so deeply entrenched in the Cape, it’s all he can do to watch her pack up her life and move away.

Serena has always had big dreams. As a teenager she dreamed of becoming an interior designer and marrying smart, musically inclined, sexy-as-sin Drake Savage. Now she’s finally landed a killer job with a top interior design firm, but though she has spent the last four years working side by side with Drake, he’s never made a move. Four years is long enough for her to accept reality, and her new job in Boston is the perfect way to move on.

A weak moment leads to sizzling, sensual kisses, opening a door through which they’ve both been aching to walk. But Serena’s determined not to give up her shot at the career she’s always dreamed of, and Drake has loved her for too many years to stand in her way. With true love at their fingertips and a world of unstoppable passion igniting between them, can the two star-crossed lovers find their way to their happily ever after?

BAYSIDE SUMMERS
Bayside Desires
Bayside Passions
Bayside Heat
Bayside Escape

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*****

Excerpt:

By the time they reached Undercover, she was nibbling on her lower lip, and that sexy innocence nearly made him detonate.

The lot was packed. He parked at the far end, beneath an umbrella of trees, and turned toward Serena. She was still staring straight ahead, her face a mask of apprehension, which tore at his gut. Was it him, or was it her leaving that was causing her distress?

He took her small hand in his and brushed his thumb over her warm skin, memorizing it to hold him over when she was gone. The gold chain sparkled against her sun-kissed skin. “Talk to me, Serena.”

She turned to face him with worry in her eyes. He gently pulled her across the seat, close enough that he could almost feel her racing pulse between them.

“Aw, sweetheart, what’s wrong? Are you nervous about leaving?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “And about this.” Her gaze fell to the bracelet. “It’s gorgeous and sweet, but it’s also confusing. What does it mean, Drake? On one hand I feel like you’re sending mixed messages by avoiding me all day and then giving me this…” She ran her finger over the chain on her hand. “But on the other hand, you don’t owe me an explanation about what you’re up to at work, and you’ve given me presents before. This should be no different. But knowing how you feel about me makes it different.”

He touched his forehead to hers and slid his hand to the nape of her neck, holding her there as he said, “I’m sorry. I told you I was fucked up right now. I did avoid you today, but only because I can’t stop thinking about”—making you mine, kissing you, sweeping you naked beneath me and loving you until you can’t remember why you wanted to leave in the first place—“things I shouldn’t.”

“Join the club,” she whispered.

His insides flamed at the secret between them. He brushed his lips over her cheek, and she inhaled a ragged breath. It was so sexy, he did it again, earning another seductive inhalation. He drew back so he could see her face, still holding the back of her neck, and she clutched his forearm. Her breasts rose with each heavy breath, and her tongue slicked over her lips, making his mouth water. There was no denying the calculated, seductive move. Nicely played. Their eyes locked, and hers narrowed ever so slightly, suddenly brimming with confidence, and if he was reading her right, which he was damn sure he was, also ripe with challenge.

“You’re going to make a liar of me if you keep looking at me like that.”

“Sometimes a lie isn’t a lie,” she said breathily.

He couldn’t resist pressing his lips to her cheek in a series of light kisses, telling himself her cheek was safe. If he could just have this little taste, he could get through the night and figure out how to lock his desires away again.

Her skin was warm and temptingly soft. She closed her eyes, barely breathing as he kissed her cheek again and again, so trusting and sweet. Her fingers pressed into his skin with every touch of his lips, fueling the battle raging in his head. Just one more. He kissed the tender dip just below her ear, and she sighed dreamily. Fuuuck.

“Then what is it,” he asked, “if not a lie?”

“It’s a…” she whispered.

She turned her face, and their lips brushed like a breeze passing over too quickly. The tease ignited sparks beneath his skin. He ran his hand along her thigh, aching to make her his, though knowing he shouldn’t even be tempting himself with the kisses he’d already taken.

“A…?” he said as he began kissing her neck.

She arched toward him, holding his head, keeping his mouth on her neck. Oh yeah. That’s it, baby. Show me you want me. He opened his mouth and sealed his teeth over her tender skin, sucking hard enough for her to gasp. He threaded his fingers into her hair, tugging her head to the side so he could take more of her. Her hand fisted in his hair, pulling hard—but not pulling away—causing a deliciously erotic sting and making his cock throb even harder. He needed to break their connection or he wasn’t going to stop. He’d fought to remain on the right side of the invisible line between them for years, and he was fucking that up. Sending her mixed messages only scratched the surface of why he should break their connection.

“It’s a bad idea,” she panted out.

Her words, along with the roar of a motorcycle, crashed through his reverie. He released her like he’d been burned. “Bad idea. Right. Sorry.” I’m a fucking prick.

“No—” She grabbed his hand, leaning closer. “This isn’t a bad idea. That’s what the lie is. We’re not making a liar out of you. You just had a bad idea in the first place.”

A series of successive taps on the window made them both jump.

“Fuck.” He rolled down his window, and Violet peered in. “Hey,” he ground out.

Violet’s gaze sailed over Serena, and Drake fisted his hands to keep from shifting in his seat and blocking Violet’s view of Serena’s lust-filled eyes, tousled hair, and pert nipples poking against the thin material of her top.

“You guys coming in?” Violet arched a brow. “Or coming out here?”

*****

Author Info:

Melissa 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, Wild Boys and Bad Boys After Dark, and the Montgomerys. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented– perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal, wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex and relatable issues.

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.

NEWSLETTER: http://www.melissafoster.com/newsletter

WEBSITE: http://www.MelissaFoster.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaFosterAuthor

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5 FREE eBOOKS – www.MelissaFoster.com/LIBFREE

*****

Giveaway:

2 Seaside Whisper ebook

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb693/

*****

Spotlight – To Have and To Harley

13 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

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Who’s up for a sexy, bad boy biker?

*****

To Have and To Harley

by Regina Cole

Blurb:

You may now kiss the biker

Bethany Jernigan owes her bestie. Big time. So when wedding planning overburdens the bride-to-be, Bethany steps in to handle the nitty-gritty. But the guy in charge isn’t anything like she imagined. He’s gruff, tattooed, and 100% male. His staff is even rougher around the edges, and it’s not long before she feels as if she’s stepped into some kind of crazy alternate reality.

Are those…bikers? Arguing about wedding favors?

Trey Harding never wanted this to get so out of hand. One little lie somehow snowballed into a world of dresses and flowers and food and holy-hell-he’s-in-over-his-head. But it’s not like he can confess he’s not the wedding planner he’s pretending to be—especially now that he’s falling for the maid of honor! His charade is becoming a farce, and as engines rev and ribbons fly, Trey’s running out of time to figure out how to tell the truth without losing his new family, his crew…or the woman of his dreams.

Amazon:      https://amzn.to/2MS0d5m

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iBooks:         https://apple.co/2JzjH0F

Kobo:            http://bit.ly/2Kakgdd

*****

Excerpt:

He was in way over his head.

Mrs. Yelverton was a freaking saint. All his life he’d been imagining her as an evil, heartless, empty stranger who had abandoned him, and now? Now?

How could he tell her what he’d turned into?

“I, well, I’m in charge of a kind of group.” He paused to clear his throat, his hand rubbing the back of his neck to clear the tensing of the muscles there. “Yeah.”

“A group? Like a business group?”

He coughed, then took a sip of coffee. “Yeah, you could call it that.”

“What kind of business are you in?”

Damn it.

Her stare was too clear, too honest, much too direct. He was struck by a feeling he hadn’t been expecting. Somehow, someway, he was afraid of disappointing her.

Well, if that wasn’t a kick in the teeth.

There wasn’t a way around it. Was there?

Desperate, he looked around the kitchen while he took another long sip of coffee.

What to say? Because the truth—the shakedowns, the Robin Hood–style robberies, the bodyguarding—none of it was exactly on the up and up. There were definite legal and moral gray areas to what he did. And while he had no problem with it personally, he didn’t want to run the risk of disappointing her.

Who was he turning into?

Desperate, his gaze flew about the kitchen.

“Well, we do a little…” Hell, she’d never believe he cooked. Something else. Quick, you dumbass. Keep it vague. Stall. “A little organizing, you might say.”

She nodded, an interested look on her face inviting him to continue. Ah, dammit.

Keep looking. A container of herbs sat on the windowsill above the sink. Gardening? Screw that. He scanned the rest of the kitchen. Nothing. No ideas whatsoever.

“What kind of events do you organize?”

Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit.

He rested his elbow on the tabletop, knocking a magazine to the floor.

“Whoops. Sorry.” He bent down to get it.

A woman in a beautiful white gown was spread across the back of the magazine. The tagline for a bridal boutique advertisement read We help you tie the knot in style.

“Not a problem. So, you were saying?”

His mind was blank. Totally, completely blank. His mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Mrs. Yelverton furrowed her brow in obvious concern. “Are you okay?”

He had to say something. He looked down in desperation. The magazine was still there, facedown beside him, the laughing woman in the white gown like an angel of salvation.

“Weddings,” he blurted out as he straightened in his seat. “We organize weddings.”

What. The. Actual. Fuck. Had. Just. Come. Out. Of. His. Mouth.

“Weddings. Wow, I hadn’t expected that.”

He coughed. “Yeah, me either.”

Mrs. Yelverton laughed. “I can imagine. How did you get into it?”

Wanting nothing more than to jump up and leave the county at a dead run, Trey shrugged, trying to play it off. “I got a chance to do some, enjoyed it, made my own business.”

“That’s really impressive! What’s the business called?”

His hand was lying atop the magazine beside him, his knuckles lining up with the ad copy perfectly. He read the words out together.

“The Iron Knot.”

Mrs. Yelverton laughed, clapping her hands delightedly. “That’s absolutely perfect. Trey, I’m so proud of you.”

Those words should have made him feel amazing. Instead, he felt like a scum-sucking bastard for lying to her.

Just then, the door behind her opened, and Trey’s chest went vise-tight, his heart clambering against his ribs in triple time.

She was long, lean, with bone-straight blond hair and elfin features complementing porcelain skin. Her blue eyes were a bit red, as if she’d been crying recently. But despite the obviously brimming emotion beneath the surface, she wore a bright smile. It was the kind of expression he’d adopted many times over the years. Pretending things were all right when everything had turned to ashes around him was the only option he’d had at times, and seeing the same kind of defense mechanism in her touched him in a way he wasn’t expecting. Physically, she was just his type, and the way she moved into the room, both cautious and confident—strong as hell despite whatever was trying to bring her down—sparked immediate interest and admiration in his gut.

This was…unexpected.

“Oh, Bethy, I didn’t expect you until late this afternoon.” Mrs. Yelverton rose and pulled the girl into her arms.

A wave of nausea overtook Trey. Was this girl…Was she…

Well, so much for that short-lived spark of attraction.

“Trey, I’d like you to meet Bethany.”

“Hi,” the blond said, and Trey stood. She looked a little intimidated as he stood to his full height.

He’d been about to step toward her for the introduction, but he stopped. No need to make her more uncomfortable. But the idea that she found him scary was oddly disappointing.

“I’m Bethany Jernigan,” she said, sticking her hand out for him to shake.

“Trey Harding,” he said, gripping her much smaller hand in his, trying to ignore the softness of her skin, the faint tremble of her touch.

“Bethany, I hope you won’t mind keeping this quiet from Sarah for now. I haven’t had a chance to tell her about it. But this…” Mrs. Yelverton drew Trey’s arm through hers. “This is Samuel.”

Bethany gasped, her hand over her mouth, and Trey looked away. “Samuel? That Samuel?”

Mrs. Yelverton nodded delightedly. “My son. He’s finally home.”

“Oh…oh my God.”

Trey hated this. He felt awkward, like a sideshow freak. His spine prickled, his feet nearly bouncing with the urge to get the hell out of there.

“Trey, Bethany has been part of our family for years now. She’s your sister Sarah’s best friend and lived with us until she went to college. Of course, she’s still got a room here. She’ll always be welcome to come back home.” Mrs. Yelverton’s smile was gentle as she looked at Bethany.

“Wait. So we’re not related?” Trey gestured between himself and Bethany.

Mrs. Yelverton laughed. “No, not by blood. But I hope you’ll be close.”

Something uncurled in his belly then, a knot of anxiety releasing as he looked at Bethany Jernigan—no relation—with new eyes.

“I hope so too,” he said. She blushed a little and glanced away.

*****

Author Info:

Regina Cole, lover of manly muscled arms, chest hair, and mini-marshmallows, has been reading romance since her early teens. When she’s not frantically pounding away at the keyboard, she can be found fishing with her family, snuggling with her hubby and tiny twin boys, or slinging mud in her magical home pottery studio. She lives outside Raleigh, North Carolina.

*****