His body is giving out, his family is bleeding him dry, and he never prepared for life after football. When the Dallas Bulldogs offer him a coaching position instead of a returning roster spot, only two things keep him going—staying fit in case another football team picks him up, and spending time with a gray-faced Boxer at the Unlovabulls Dog Rescue.
Olive Russo is a woman who can walk through a kennel in a white pantsuit without getting a spot on her. The always organized PR pro will need her cool control when she’s forced to plan a fundraising gala for the Unlovabulls with the college boyfriend who turned her inside out. A decade ago, Hayes Walker broke her heart and sent Olive into a spiral of bad decisions that she’d rather her clients not know about. Now she is determined to keep the completely lickable Hayes off her to-do list—even if their chemistry is stronger than ever.
Dumping Olive was the worst decision Hayes ever made. When the amazing girl walks back into his life a full-fledged woman, he makes a play for her heart. But when Olive’s secrets are exposed and the NFL knocks on Hayes’s door, they’ll both need to leave their past where it belongs if they’re going to make it work the second time around.
I feel bad for Hayes, he’s been abused by his mother for pretty much his entire life. And now he’s facing the end of his football career with nothing to show for it except a broken body, an empty bank account, and a whole lot of guilt. Meeting Olive again has him looking to the future a little differently, if only he can break free of his past.
Olive hit bottom and has spent years working to overcome it, so coming face to face with the man responsible is quite a shock. Letting Hayes back in could only mean trouble … or it could mean learning what it is to enjoy life.
I love how much Hayes and Olive support each other. Hayes understands that Olive is strong and can handle most things on her own, but she also needs someone who will remind her to relax. Olive does her best to make sure that Hayes realizes that he’s so much more than just a football player.
Both Hayes and Olive had childhoods that left scars they are struggling to overcome but it’s not easy and it leads to quite a few difficult moments and bad decisions. Model Behavior is not necessarily as refined as what I’m used to – the writing is a little rough and the story development was rushed in spots & slow in others – but it’s an enjoyable read. Lynne knows how to bring the heat and the angst so if that’s your kinda thing then I highly recommend Hayes & Olive’s story.
(Can be read as a stand alone but probably enjoyed a little bit more with some context provided in the first book.)
*****
Author Info:
Tricia Lynne is fluent in both sarcasm and cuss words—a combination that tends to embarrass her husband at corporate functions. A tomboy at heart, she loves hard rock, Irish whiskey, dogs, and Vans shoes. She’s drawn to strong, flawed heroines. Tricia believes writing isn’t a decision one makes, but a calling one can’t resist. She lives in the Dallas area with her husband, the world’s sweetest rescued Cane Corso, and a completely terrifying Clumber Spaniel pupper.
He’s always strong, always faithful…but will he be always hers?
Pregnant, alone and temporarily staying at her family’s cabin in northern Minnesota, Clara Olafson is determined to overcome the hurt of her recent past and build a good life for herself and her child. The last thing she expects to find on her morning walk through the state forest nearby is an unconscious and injured former Marine.
Colin ‘Fitz’ Fitzhugh might have initially joined the Corps to prove that he was more than just a wealthy playboy, but he grew to love the brotherhood and purpose he found there—until his last mission in Afghanistan cost the life of one of his men and left him badly scarred in body and mind. Hoping to shed some of his pain and guilt alone in the wilderness, instead he finds a feisty, pregnant angel.
Sparks fly as sassy Clara nurses the gruff and mysterious Fitz back to health, but the happiness and peace they both begin to find in the little cabin is shattered when Clara faces a health emergency. When Fitz reluctantly chooses to return to the wealth and privilege of his family in order to save her and the baby, he plunges them all into a glittering society that Clara doesn’t know if she likes. But Fitz might just prove to her that, whether he’s being a billionaire philanthropist or a sudden stand-in dad, he’s always hers.
Reader advisory: This book contains a mention of attempted murder.
Clara Olafson hummed a little to herself as she walked heavily down the overgrown trail. This far out into the forest, the trails weren’t maintained as regularly as the ones closer to the visitor center. The morning air was crisp—northern Minnesota in late August could feel like October or November in the rest of the country—but she liked it that way. The cool air buffeting her felt like a familiar, albeit chilly, blanket. Like home. Plus, it quickened her steps, which was good for her and the baby. A couple of times lately, she’d had the oddest sensation, almost like a trickle of ice-water down her spine, that she was being watched or followed, but she blamed the crazy pregnancy hormonal imbalance. This morning, though, she felt nothing but the fresh breeze behind her.
She’d started the habit of an early-morning walk when she’d moved out to the cabin two months earlier, and she intended to keep it up until the day she went into labor—which actually could be pretty soon. The OB she’d been seeing in St. Paul—before—had said to stay active, and she wanted to do everything she could to make sure that the little life she carried had the best possible start. She’d read several books, along with what felt like a couple of thousand websites, and she was avoiding lunchmeat, green tea, fake sweeteners, caffeine—even chocolate. Goodness, chocolate had been the hardest to give up, with coffee a close second. She now had a recurring dream where she walked into a dimly lit coffee house and ordered a massive frozen-mocha-latte-smoothie with curls of dark chocolate and mounds of whipped cream on top, but she always woke up before she could take a sip. Her mouth watered just thinking about it.
“No,” she chided, half speaking to herself and also to the baby. “No chocolate for the baby, no matter how much Mama wants it.” She reached down to rub her swollen belly, as she did so often these days, and smiled at the firm kick she got in response, right under her palm. A rush of affection and protectiveness so intense that it almost frightened her swept through, taking her by surprise. It was amazing to hold a tiny, growing human inside her, but also terrifying to be so totally and solely responsible for someone else.
Even in the midst of her awe, the craving persisted, so intense that she could almost taste the chocolate melting on her tongue. Maybe I’m just longing for something sweet? She wasn’t supposed to have too much sugar, but fruit was definitely still okay. The berries on the blackberry and raspberry bushes a little farther down the path were just starting to ripen again. They would be tart and juicy. She licked her lips at the thought and smiled at her own eagerness. Anyone who gets between a pregnant woman and her desired food deserves whatever happens to him. She quickened her pace, thankful she’d worn long pants and sleeves to avoid the prickly bushes. If there were enough berries, maybe she’d even come back later with a pail and pick enough for a pie. Oh, good Lord, the idea of a piece of pie, even just a tiny sliver, warm from the oven with a flaky crust, was so wonderful that she almost groaned aloud.
Practically trotting and out of breath by the time she reached the bushes, she was thrilled to see a few ripe berries straight away, which she snapped off their thin branches and popped into her mouth. Cold juice exploded on her tongue, and she sighed with pleasure. The ripe berries were few and far between, though. Most of them were still hard and green. Even so, there were enough on each bush to take her deep into the thicket as she sought out every last berry that was ready to eat, crunching them with gusto. It could have been some crazy sensory thing, but she didn’t know if she’d ever tasted anything more delicious.
At first, she thought the moaning might be coming from her stomach. Heaven knew it made all sorts of noises these days—gurgles, churns and growls so loud they woke her up at night. But this sound was too loud and too deep. She froze and tilted her head, listening. When the low moan came again, her heart seemed to jump right up into her throat. What the heck? Taking a slow, calming breath and narrowing her eyes, she scanned the thicket. Probably a deer in distress, she reassured herself. At least she hoped it was a deer, because if it were a moose or a bear, she could be in real trouble. She couldn’t make out much of anything through the thick leaf-cover at first, but finally a slight shaking in the bushes ahead and to her right signaled the location of whatever injured creature was there.
She hesitated. A prudent woman would go back to the cabin and call for help. She knew this. She should be careful and not her usual impulsive self. But then the noise came again, so sad and filled with pain that it made her throat tighten and her eyes fill with tears. Pure, uncontrollable sympathy made her step one foot forward, and her distinctly un-prudent decision was made. If the animal can make a noise like that, she reasoned, it’s unlikely to be able to move enough to hurt me if I stay back. And I won’t get too close.
The stand of bushes was situated in a small valley with steep inclines that were blanketed with pine trees rising high on either side. As she got nearer to the wounded creature, she could see a faint trail of crushed and broken foliage leading to it from the opposite direction, and she guessed that the poor animal had probably fallen from the higher ground. Her heart squeezed with compassion. It must be in so much pain. She slowed her steps, carefully placing her weight on the balls of her feet instead of the heels and trying to breathe silently to avoid startling the mystery animal.
She braced herself for a very ugly scene, but what she found instead made her suck in a surprised breath. Two huge, black boots stood out dark against the green undergrowth, and her eyes followed their forms to two blue-jeans-clad legs, one of which looked somewhat twisted. Her gaze trailed up farther, to where the form was more obscured by leaves, but she could still make out an enormous hand and the weave of a thick green sweater, shifting slightly with the man’s breathing. She hurried forward.
“Oh, my goodness, you poor man! Where’s the worst pain?” she asked, trying to keep her voice quiet so as not to startle him. There was no answer, apart from another piteous groan, and when his face finally came into full view, she saw why. His eyes were closed, and an ugly lump had formed at his temple, already dark with a hint of the bad bruising to come. The blow must have also knocked him unconscious.
She lowered herself to the ground awkwardly, her movements hampered by the clumsiness of late-pregnancy and the ever-present swelling that made her fingers and toes feel like little sausages stuffed into casings that were too small. She wanted to assess where his injuries might be, though, and to do that, she needed to get closer. She’d taken several first-aid classes as a young teenager, practically a requirement as a doctor’s daughter in a rural area, so she felt reasonably optimistic she could stabilize the worst of whatever his injuries were before she ran back to the cabin to call 9-1-1. Why in the world did I choose today of all days not to bring my cell phone? She cursed under her breath, immediately murmuring an apology to her baby.
As her movements brought her closer to him, she couldn’t help but notice that, apart from his injuries, the man appeared to be in extremely good shape. His leg muscles bulged, even through the thick denim of his jeans, and his broad shoulders and chest looked solid and strong. She glanced at his face, noticing that his hair was cropped close to his skull—the length a lot of military and ex-military men keep it, she thought absently. Even if she couldn’t see his eyes, he was undeniably handsome with high cheekbones, dark brows and eyelashes, a strong chin and nose, and soft-looking lips. He was younger than she’d initially thought, too. Maybe in his early thirties.
Running carefully light hands over his legs, she felt the spot where one of his knees was twisted and swollen, but she was relieved that she didn’t feel anything else that seemed out of place on his lower extremities. There were a few areas that were uneven, but she guessed it could be fabric bunching or debris from the fall. She skimmed her fingers over his hips to his chest, which were just as hard and muscular as she’d guessed, to his bulky arms. To her dismay, one of his wrists also felt slightly enlarged. Finally, she moved a tentative hand to his head. She rose onto her knees, leaning over for a better view to see how large and swollen the area was, which should be pretty visible through his ultra-short hair. Head wounds could be tricky, bleeding internally as well as externally. The swelling there was almost certainly what was causing his unconsciousness.
Just as the tips of her fingers made contact with the most swollen spot, without a breath of warning one of the man’s mammoth hands clamped around her wrist, stopping her from moving. She squeaked and tried to take her arm away, but his grip held her firm. When her gaze flashed to his face, he was staring back at her with bright blue eyes that were filled with a mix of suspicion and confusion.
*****
Review:
Clara is a kind person who fell for the wrong man and is now spending some time on her own, regrouping and waiting for her baby to arrive. A few days spent with Fitz while he recovers finds her growing attached to the strong, troubled, caring former marine.
Fitz is struggling with his guilt, pain, and feelings of unworthiness. Being rescued by Clara, with all her spunk and goodness, makes him dream of something more. But he’s not sure that he can be the man she deserves.
While there was a bit of insta-love, I really enjoyed watching the two of them fall in love. It’s well-paced, with enjoyable characters, and smoothly leads from their first meeting, thru their potential issues, and straight to a satisfying HEA. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Russell has in store for the rest of the Fitzhugh family.
(I’m giving this one 4+ stars because I really enjoyed the characters and their journey but I wasn’t all that happy with the intrigue side of things. I didn’t feel like it was needed and it left me with more questions than answers. Just a warning in case that kind of thing might be a deal breaker.)
*****
Author Info:
Aurora is originally from the frozen tundra of the upper-Midwest (ok, not frozen all the time!) but now loves living in New England with her real-life hero/husband, two wonderfully silly sons, and one of the most extraordinary cats she has ever had the pleasure to meet. But she still goes back to the Midwest to visit, just never in January.
She doesn’t remember a time that she didn’t love to read, and has been writing stories since she learned how to hold a pencil. She has always liked the romantic scenes best in every book, story, and movie, so one day she decided to try her hand at writing her own romantic fiction, which changed her life in all the best ways.You can find out more about Aurora at her website here – https://aurorarussellauthor.wordpress.com/
The probation officer caring for his dead brother’s baby. The wounded gentle giant with the biggest softest heart.
Rami: Sweet Fen Hawthorne is my favourite thing about working in the prison. His broad shoulders and sunny grin. His twinkly flirtation. And he likes me as much as I like him. More seems inevitable until life happens.
One day I’m there, then I’m not, and second chances don’t really happen when your car breaks down halfway up a snowy mountain, do they?
Besides, I don’t remember flirting with a bearded lumbersexual, only dreaming about one.
Fen: Do dreams come true?
Christmas Mountain is my home. But it’s the one place on earth I never imagined seeing Rami Stone again, and now I’m snowed in with him. Trapped, with only a roaring fire for company, and it’s a fantasy come true. The air is thick with more than snow and the eighteen months we’ve been apart fades away.
As the snow clears, though, so does the haze. Rami says he comes with baggage.
But so do I, and I’m here for the heavy lifting.
I’m here for forever.
A Christmas MM romance from Garrett Leigh. Expect: Long lost friends-to-lovers, heart-warming found family, and the swooniest second chance at love with a healthy dose of sweet hurt/comfort. Gorging on mince pies and cinnamon-spiced doughnuts is optional, but deeply encouraged.
*****
Review:
Chance may have brought Rami and Fen together again but they have to decide if they are brave enough to follow their hearts. Both have been through a lot since the last time they saw each other but one thing hasn’t changed – the connection drawing them together. Time, meddling family, and a touch of fate just might show them a way to HEA.
Fen has come a long way since the events that chased him up the mountain in the first place but he hasn’t quite been ready to put himself out there completely. Running into Rami again has him thinking about what he’s willing to risk. Rami has his own complications to consider. His life has pretty much been on hold since he became responsible for his nephew. And while Fen may be amazing with kids, can he take a gamble with both their hearts?
I really enjoyed Leigh’s newest – emotional, heartwarming, minimal angst, plenty of heat, sweetness, and familial bonds all wrapped together with a big holiday bow. Both main characters are enjoyable & complement quite well and Rami’s family, with their rapscallion children, are just as awesome. I love how well everyone fit together, and the scenes with Rami & Fen with the kids are some of the best moments in the book. It’s a slow burn but full of so much heart it’ll have you wanting more. Definitely looking forward to reading other books from this author.
*****
Author Info:
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.
Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.
When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.
Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.
The trouble with lies is they have a tendency to catch a man out.
The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, wants is a wife.
But since the only way to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay is the promise of impending nuptials, Hugh takes the most logical action: he invents a fake fiancée.
It’s the perfect plan – until Hugh learns that his mother is on a ship bound for England to meet his ‘beloved’. He needs a solution fast, and when he collides with a mysterious beauty, he might just have found the answer to his prayers.
Minerva Merriwell is desperate for money to support her sisters, and although she knows that posing as the Earl’s fiancée might seem nonsensical, it’s just too good an offer to refuse.
As the Merriwells descend upon Hugh’s estate, the household is thrown into turmoil as everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight. And with Hugh and Minerva’s romantic ruse turning into the real thing, is true love just one complication too many?
‘Filled with fabulously British banter, wit, and heart, this delightful book is one of my must-read rom-coms of the year’
Based on the blurb, you know going in there will be hijinks, mixed with a good amount of humor. And while I enjoyed the farce that Hugh manages to drag everyone into, it probably won’t be for everyone. It’s not exactly a believable story line but I found myself just sitting back, relaxing, and letting myself enjoy it.
Hugh has more than his fair share of charm, handsome, and funny. But he’s also tormented by secrets and convinced that he’ll never be good husband material. As with most of the book, a little straightforward communication would solve pretty much all of his problems.
Poor and desperate, Minerva has different problems brought on by her agreement to help Hugh in exchange for enough money to take care of her family. She quickly finds herself over her head and juggling too many things, watching as everything quickly goes sideways.
Full of great supporting characters (a couple of whom I hope will be get their own HEA in the next book), comedy, and lots of drama, Never Fall for Your Fiancée is lighthearted and fun, not to be taken too seriously but enjoyable all the same.
*****
Author Info:
When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty-two books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.
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After they’ve opened gifts, maybe he’ll unwrap her heart…
Instead of his winter wonderland wedding, Riley Stewart has been jilted. This rodeo champ needs an understanding shoulder, so Riley invites his best friend, Lucy Snyder, her son and their scruffy pooch on his “honeymoon.” But moonlit doggy walks, romantic fires, the glow of Christmas lights—everything is conspiring against their “just friends” resolve. Will this fake honeymoon ignite the real spark Riley and Lucy have denied for so long?
Welcome to Moonlight Ridge, Tennessee, home to the Top Dog Dude Ranch, renowned for family-friendly rustic retreats that heal broken hearts. Some say it’s the majestic mountain vistas. Others vow there’s magic in the hot springs. All agree, there’s something special about the four-legged creatures at the Top Dog Dude Ranch that give guests a “new leash on love.”
First book in the series:
Last-Chance Marriage Rescue (Top Dog Dude Ranch #1) by Catherine Mann
“They’re about to step into a parent trap of their twins’ making!”
Her gaze shot up from the screen to look at him and she could have sworn an awareness crackled between them.
Surely only because they were both alone, treated poorly by someone who’d vowed to love them forever. As she knew all too well from her ugly breakup, the last thing he needed was anything muddling the recovery.
“No worries, Riley assured her, as if reading her thoughts, those brown eyes of his wise and knowing. “The ranch is family friendly and friend friendly, not just romance. And we are friends, Lucy. You’re my best friend.”
“And you’re mine.” She sighed, sagging back onto her heels just as Pickles curled up to sleep beside her. “So, say we’re discussing – just discussing – the possibility of me coming with you to spend Christmas at the Top Dog Dude Ranch. It seems unfair to take the trip without contributing. But I can hardly afford a trip to the corner store, much less a two-week vacation. And there’s missing work…”
A poor excuse at best, since most of the clients for her dog walking business we teachers who would be on Christmas break. She could see that he knew her excuse was thin.
She tried again, unsure why she was resisting when she’d taken so much help from him in the past. Lucy clasped her wrist over where he’d rubbed with his thumb…
Copyright Catherine Mann 2021
*****
Review:
Riley and Lucy have been friends forever, supporting each other through life’s ups and downs. A kiss in high school hinted at the possibility of something more but the timing wasn’t right. Now, for the first time, they are in the same place and single at the same time. While they may tell everyone that there is nothing romantic between them, some long buried feelings are starting to surface. And spending time together at a romantic getaway, even with a small chaperone, is only making things more complicated.
Neither Riley nor Lucy has had the greatest history, and trusting in their emotions is hard, so taking a chance on losing a friendship that means so much to both of them is scary. But I felt like Mann does a good job of having them work through their feelings, understanding the seriousness of risking what they have for something more, and making sure that their attraction is real.
Blending together tender moments, holiday charm, and just a smidge of spice to heat things up a bit, Mann’s latest is the perfect read for those looking for a feel-good story to curl up with and while away a few hours. A delightful mix of friends-to-lovers and Christmas enchantment, it’ll leave you happy and satisfied, maybe even wanting a little more of the magic the Top Dog Dude Ranch can bring.
*****
Author Info:
USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann writes contemporary romance for Harlequin, Tule, Berkley, and Sourcebooks. With over seventy-five books released in more than twenty countries, she has won a RITA Award, the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the Bookseller’s Best Award. She’s also celebrated six RITA finals, an RT Reviewer’s Award finalist, three Maggie Award of Excellence finals and a Bookseller’s Best win. After years moving around the country bringing up four children, Catherine has settled back in her home state of South Carolina where she lives with her husband. The nest didn’t stay empty long though as they are both active in animal rescue. Catherine enjoys hearing from her readers and can be found online frequently on Facebook. She can also be reached via mail at: PO Box 290762, Columbia SC 29229. (For a free bookmark, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.)
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat. Three winners win a copy of Last Chance Marriage Rescue (Top Dog #1) with a PAW-tograph (autograph) from the author’s dog Biscuit. – US Only.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of one of her books yet, just know that Sawyer Bennett knows how to deliver a fantastic read … especially when her hero is a hockey player!
*****
Jett
Arizona Vengeance series
by Sawyer Bennett
Blurb:
Jett Olsson isn’t looking for anything serious and she’s not looking for anything at all, so why does it seem so hard to keep it professional?
I love my life—the thrill of being on the ice as part of the Arizona Vengeance, the rush of winning, the adoration of the fans. And if that adoration means I don’t have to spend the night alone, well even better. I’m content being single and always ready to mingle.
But the day Emory Holland walks into a Vengeance team meeting my attention is caught like never before. I can tell right away she’s full of smarts and sass, and the fact that she’s hot as hell sure doesn’t hurt either. She immediately shuts down my advances, so I opt for the road less traveled—straight to the friend zone.
My approach works like a charm, and when she invites me into her bed for a no-strings, friends-with-benefits arrangement, I vow to give her everything I have. She’s been hurt before, and if I’m able to help her heal while giving her a spectacularly satisfying time *pats self on back*, then I’ll be happy.
Or at least that’s the lie I keep telling myself as the time ticks down on the final buzzer of our “relationship”. Now the real question is, can I score the winning goal in a game neither of us realized we were playing?
Shaking my head, I clear my throat and lift my chin to show my authority over him. “Mr. Olsson—”
“Jett—”
“Mr. Olsson,” I repeat. “Your IG account should reflect who you are as a person. It has to be genuine and it has to be true to yourself.”
“I am being true to myself,” he says, and I understand his message. He’s being relentless in his pursuit and that is who he is. He doesn’t take “no” for an answer very easily.
“I am never going to go on a date with you,” I say firmly, deciding to just cut to the chase. “So if you will just accept that and start tailoring your account to reflect—”
“I’ll make a deal with you,” he interrupts me with a roguish grin, and I’m so caught off guard by the dimple I can see poking out through the scruff on his face, I don’t shut him down.
He takes my momentary silence as permission to proceed. “Let me take you out to dinner. You spend some more time helping me understand how to be genuine in my posts, where I promise to follow your instructions, and I will never ask you out on a date again.”
My eyes narrow. “You’re saying if we go out for a meal—really a business dinner—you’ll legitimately let me teach you how to use your social media and you’ll follow my instructions, then you won’t ever ask me out again?”
Jett nods with a resounding expression of determination. “That’s what I’m saying.”
“You promise you’ll leave me alone,” I press.
“On a personal basis, yes. On a professional basis, I imagine we still have to work together.”
I settle back in my chair a minute, letting my brain search for some sort of loophole.
Some means by which he’s tricking me.
I also remind myself I won’t let myself get charmed by him at this dinner, and that I am going to stick to my absolute policy of not only not dating co-workers, but not dating anyone for that matter.
I’m not interested at this point in my life.
It’s still a little too personal, so I make a counteroffer. “I’ll agree to dinner with you, solely in a business capacity to help you learn more about how to do your social media in an authentic way. But I’m paying for dinner.”
“Deal,” he says quickly.
Too quickly.
Did I miss a loophole?
“Tonight?” he queries hopefully. The Vengeance doesn’t have a game.
I shake my head. “I’m sorry, but I already have plans.”
Jett isn’t dissuaded. “Saturday night.”
I don’t have any reason to say no. My Saturday nights are relatively boring, and I’d just as soon get this over with.
“Fine,” I clip out. “But business only.”
“Business only,” he agrees.
*****
Author Info:
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
Adam and Everly have both experienced their fair share of love and heartbreak, but when the two find themselves consumed by the other, the differences between the two are a constant reminder of how they don’t fit. For these two, is age just a number, or will it be the downfall of a well-deserved happily ever after? Readers will devour this silver fox romance featuring one sexy older dad next door. Fall in love with your next book boyfriend with His Moonflower by TK Cherry, the next book in the Single Dad’s Romance series.
*****
His Moonflower
a Silver Fox romance
Single Dad’s Romance series
by TK Cherry
Blurb:
ADAM
At forty-three,I’ve experienced my fair share of love and even betrayal.
That very same heartbreak gave me the gift of two adolescent boys, and I owe it to them to be a good example.
But the proverbial girl next door has captured my attention and has me craving things I shouldn’t want. Not with Everly. It’s almost shameful how much of my headspace is consumed by someone half my age.
EVERLY
I may be young, but I’m no stranger to failed relationships and heartbreak. In fact, the last time I fell in love, it almost killed me.
But everything about Adam, the sexy and much older man next door, draws me in. I don’t care that he’s nearly twice my age or that he has two young sons. I would do just about anything to make him mine.
Can I convince him that age is just a number, or will he shut me out because he’s also my uncle’s good friend?
Medical school might’ve been a more practical option for me over business school because I’m a very sick man. I should be in therapy, or maybe even prison, for all the despicable thoughts consuming me over the past three years.
Why does she leave the blinds wide open like that at night?
Doesn’t she know I can see right inside her bedroom?
I spot the white wireless earbuds tucked into Everly’s ears, revealing the reason her upper body sways silently as she folds laundry on the bed. She’s dressed in nothing but a borderline translucent white camisole and teeny, pale blue panties. The shadows of dark circles up top and the plump skin teasing me from between her crossed legs below makes me wild inside. Suddenly, she takes a break from folding, rises, and starts dancing on the floor.
Sweet mother of…
It’s a seductive expression of a sound that only she hears. I wish I knew what she was dancing to. For now, my imagination plays “I Touch Myself” by Divinyls in order to occupy the quiet space on my side of the window and drown out my breathing. Even though the song playing inside my head gives the perfect tempo for her sexy little shimmy, something dawns on me.
She wasn’t even born when that song came out.
Shit! Close the fucking window, Holt!
My insides are shouting at me like the viewing audience warning a woman not to trudge through the woods in a horror film. But like her, I don’t listen. I don’t know what it will take for me to stop obsessing over this young girl next door—rather, young woman. But still… She’s young.
I’m old enough to be her father.
Will Dan have to kick my ass?
Having my bedroom window facing hers surpasses cruel and unusual punishment. I could choose to sleep in a different bedroom. I could also stop peeking through the blinds at night, stealing glimpses of her magnificent body. Instead, I’m like an alcoholic taking refuge in a wine cellar. She is Aphrodite, and I’m a eunuch being seduced by her nightly. Touching Everly is simply out of the question.
How old is she now? Twenty-one?
No matter… She’s way too young for me.
I’ve seen young guys from the neighborhood flocking there over the years, mainly to flirt with her and her cousin, Renchel. For me, Everly was the one who always stood out. She’s beautiful, with distinct features that became more refined as she got older. For the life of me, I don’t understand why boys aren’t breaking down her door.
Copyright 2021 TK Cherry
*****
Author Info:
You can take the girl out of Detroit, but you’ll never take Detroit out of this girl.
For TK Cherry, it’s pop—not soda, and Tim Hortons over everything else.
Born and raised in The Motor City, TK now enjoys little or no winters in the Carolinas. By day, she’s a spreadsheet whiz and frequent flyer. By night, she lives for keeping her loyal readers on the edge of their seats with steamy tales of happily ever after.
Seven single dads, all from different walks of life and doing the best they can to raise their children – are ready to make you fall in love.
From the celebrity dad just trying to protect the ones he loves from the spotlight…to the silver fox who’s out to prove it’s never too late to have a family of your own – this single dads collection guarantees to bring you a whole lot of love and of course, a happily ever after.
Look no further, your next book boyfriend is here!
Don’t you just love truth in advertising? Just look at that title and series – Redford believes in telling you exactly what she plans on giving you.
*****
Cowboy Fire
A Smokin’ Hot Cowboys Novel
by Kim Redford
Publication Date: 5/25/2021
Blurb:
This cowboy is more than just a perfect face…
Violet Ashwood arrives in Wildcat Bluff County with one agenda: convince the hunky Mr. July from the Wildcat Bluff Fire Rescue’s annual benefit calendar to be the face—and body—of her new lonely hearts online dating service. She didn’t count on his firm refusal, nor did she count on seeing him again. Until she discovers he’s her new landlord.
Kemp Lander, aka Mr. July, wants nothing to do with Violet’s schemes to make him a model for her Cowboy Chat Corral, particularly once he finds out she fudged the truth on her rental contract by claiming she was a cowgirl. He’s got enough problems trying to keep trespassers off his ranch and doesn’t need the distraction of his sexy renter.
All Violet and Kemp want is to save their livelihoods and have their lifelong dreams realized. But it’ll take joining forces and discovering they’re better together to finally meet their goals.
“I need to get Heart-to-Heart Corral up and running.” Violet Ashwood glanced at Kemp Lander where he sat across from her at the dining table.
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You haven’t given up on me representing your lonely hearts club, have you?”
“No. Your photo in the Wet & Wild Cowboy Firefighters calendar drew me here. That hasn’t changed one bit since I got here. ”
He nodded, then pulled the plate with his piece of pie close to him and dug in with a fork.
She followed his action, but she didn’t feel hungry now.
He ate a couple of bites before he set down his fork. He looked out the windows, then back at her. “Maybe we can compromise.”
“What do you mean?” She felt her taste come back with the advent of sudden hope.
“You’ve invested a lot of time and effort in something you’re obviously passionate about.”
“I am. Everyone deserves true love.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What about you?”
“Me?”
“True love.”
“I’m looking for others…not myself,” she said.
“Why not?”
“It’s just that I’ve never been lucky in love.”
“I can’t imagine why not.”
“Let’s let it go at that.” She forked a bite of pie into her mouth, but she’d lost her taste for it again.
“I don’t see how you can promote something you don’t believe in.”
“I do believe in it.”
“Prove it.” He leaned toward her with a challenging gleam in his green eyes.
“Prove it?” She didn’t trust that gleam. “How?”
“Kiss me.”
She took a deep breath, wanting that very thing and not wanting it at the same time. Mr. July was getting more dangerous to her heart every moment she was in his company.
“You’re not willing to put yourself on the line?”
“I didn’t think you were interested in—”
“I’m not interested in posing for your website, but I am interested in you.”
“Oh.” She felt her face flush at his words as heat rushed through her entire body.
“I thought you might be interested in an experiment, seeing as how you’ve come all this way from San Antonio.”
“Experiment?”
He tossed his napkin on the table, stood up, and held out his hand to her. “Let’s go out on the patio and discuss our options.”
She gestured toward the dirty plates and table full of dishes. “Shouldn’t we clean up?”
“It can wait. I can’t.”
She grasped his hand, palm to palm, as she stood up. She could feel the roughness of his skin, see the stubble of his beard, and smell the soap he’d used in his shower. It was all heady stuff.
He led her into the sunroom, turned on a lamp for soft illumination, and opened the back door so that pale light spilled outside. The scent of roses in bloom filled the night air and moonlight cast a silvery glow over the patio.
“Why don’t you sit on the glider while I go back and get our wine?”
“Okay.” She really couldn’t say more as she watched him go inside because she felt as if her heart were in her throat.
When he returned, he handed her a glass, clinked hers with his, and nodded as if he’d made a decision.
She took a sip and returned his smile. She felt good, happy, contented. It was a mild, sweetscented spring night with a handsome man by her side. If she could convey
this setting, this feeling, to her lonely hearts club, she felt sure people would positively respond in droves.
He leaned toward her. “Now, about your lonely hearts club…”
She leaned toward him. “Yes?”
“Do you really need me?”
“I want you.” She immediately wished she’d chosen different words.
“I want you, too.” He set down his glass. “What are we going to do about it?”
“I meant—”
“I know what you meant, but can’t you mean something more, something personal, something just between us?”
She felt her heart pick up speed. She caught his gaze…and felt as if she’d always belonged here in this moment with this man.
“Something special?” he asked.
She had to respond, but she couldn’t find the words. If he looked at her with any more heat in his eyes, she might spontaneously combust. “I…” And then she threw caution to the wind, leaned forward, and kissed him. It was just a soft, fleeting, tender touch before she moved back.
“I hope that was only an appetizer.” He clasped her shoulders with both hands and gently tugged her toward him.
She leaned into him, feeling his heat, his strength, his power. She wanted it all. She didn’t want to compromise. She raised her face, waiting for his kiss…waiting…waiting…
“I want you to know I don’t do this lightly. I know you really only want me for your lonely hearts club. I know you’ll go back to San Antonio when you get what you want here. I know all that, and I still want to kiss you. I need to kiss you. I plan to kiss you. It’s just that I’m a serious kind of guy.”
“Kemp, I swear if you say one more word, I’m taking the pie and going home.”
He grinned, chuckling. “You’d take the pie? That’s serious.”
“Yes, it is. And I’m serious, too.” She put her palms on each side of his face. “Please, just kiss me.”
And he did…tender at first, then with growing passion until he lifted her up, set her on his lap, leaned her head back against his arm, and held her tightly.
She felt his heat and strength and desire build as one kiss followed another and he delved deeply into her mouth, hugged her closer and closer as if desperate to meld their bodies so they could never be separate again.
Finally, he raised his head, kissed the tip of her nose, gave her a slight smile. “And I thought that fire I just fought was hot.”
Kim Redford is a bestselling author of contemporary Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos. She’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Kim Redford currently divides her time between homes in Oklahoma and Richardson, Texas.
*****
Giveaway:
2 sets of May releases
(Wreckless, Undercover Wolf, You’ve Got Plaid, Cowboy Fire, High Country Justice)
This Highlander is determined to help his enemy’s daughter get safely home, even if it means his own defeat…
*****
You’ve Got Plaid
by Eliza Knight
Publication Date: 5/25/2021
Blurb:
Brogan Grant, a Jacobite soldier and bastard son of the Chief, fought savagely on the battlefield and barely escaped capture. On the run for his life, Brogan comes across what he thinks is a spy—a very bonny lass disguised as a lad, who happens to be the daughter of his clan’s enemy. He admires her bravery, but he knows what can happen to a woman alone in a war-ravaged land.
Lady Fiona MacBean is determined to do her part to ensure there is a Scottish king. Disguised as a healer, she delivers coded messages to rebels throughout the Highlands. There’s only one thing impeding her mission—a striking Highlander who’s determined to send her home.
Unfortunately, Fiona will not be deterred, no matter what the sexy Scot says. Left with little choice, Brogan agrees to join her mission if she agrees to return home when it’s over. Now the two must work together and risk everything to save the life of Bonnie Prince Charlie himself. If only their hearts weren’t at risk as well…
Fiona MacBean, second of four children born to Chief MacBean and his stronghearted bride, turned around to see her three siblings standing obstinately in a line, hands on hips, feet tapping.
Her elder brother had a knowing smirk on his face, as though he’d caught her red-handed. Her younger brother, Ian, was emulating Gus to a T, and sweet Leanna, the youngest of the brood, waggled her brows at Fiona in a way that meant she had a secret and was having a hard time keeping it in.
Fiona pulled her hands away from the gap in the tree and tried to clear her expression of anything other than annoyance.
“I’m just looking for eggs in a quail’s nest.”
“Nay, ye were no’. Just tell us what ye found.” Gus narrowed his eyes, the same way their father often did.
“I told ye, the squirrel ran up the tree. He was running in a circle just here.” Fiona zigzagged in front of the tree, and then hurried behind it before coming around the front and pretending to scurry up the bark.
“We know what ye do when ye come out to the woods,” Ian said, looking up at Gus for approval.
“Aye, we know,” Leanna added, not wanting to be left out.
Fiona crossed her arms and scowled. “The lot of ye are a bunch of storytellers.”
Fiona clenched her hands, forgetting she held the slip of paper that had been folded neatly and shoved into the nook in the tree.
“Who’s it from?” Ian asked.
“Read it to us,” Leanna added.
“Hand it over. If ye dinna, we’ll only be forced to take it from ye.” Gus held out his hand.
At twelve years old herself, Fiona didn’t often take orders from her brother, born just shy of eleven months before her. But if he were threatening to tackle her to the ground, that was something entirely different. Gus was bigger than her, having just shot up another four inches in the past summer. But she was faster…
Fiona took off at a run.
As a little girl, she’d spent a great deal of time running through the forest, her feet slipping on leaves, boots catching on roots. She’d hidden in the hollows of trees, leapt over fallen oaks, slid down embankments. There was no nook or cranny in the forest she’d not claimed as her own. And as much as her siblings tried to find her in every single one, they were not always successful.
Her father didn’t like her traipsing off alone in the forest, especially not with the uprising. The damned loyalists, who she assumed were the English when he said it, had been a nuisance to all their hides for as long as she could remember.
Fiona had been born just a couple of years before the first Jacobite rising in 1715, and in fact, on her second birthday, her da had been away meeting with a war council along with other prominent Scots and titled men from England. Had fought beside old King James, and proudly showed his battle scars whenever he was a bit too deep in his cups. He’d been a sprite man of about twenty-five back then. There’d been a few more battles since, but none won, as yet. That didn’t mean they were going to give up.
Every year, Fiona went with her father to a secret meeting of the lairds and earls and other warriors to discuss their latest plans. They thought she was off gallivanting with her friends and siblings, not paying attention. Which she mostly was, but she was also very good at spying, and so the children often had her listen in on the talks, then bring back the news of what she’d learned.
There was one particular lad who seemed keen on her skills. His name was Aeneas but he asked her to call him Aes, and he had a smile that could melt the heart of even a lass who spent more time than not irritated with lads, namely her brothers.
He’d caught her one of the days listening in on an important conversation.
She didn’t see him in the hall with any of the other children, nor did she see him accompany any of the lairds. Aes was just as much a mystery to her as anyone else.
When she talked with her friends Jenny and Annie about him, they couldn’t figure out who Aes was, either, so they spent their days and evenings searching out the boy with the soot-colored hair and a mischievous grin. But he only seemed to show up when Fiona least expected it, and when her friends weren’t around, to prove he wasn’t a ghost.
Every year she saw Aes, and their fondness for each other grew. Just this past spring, he’d told her he didn’t want to wait until next year to see her again. Fiona suggested he write to her instead, to which he wrinkled his nose. If he was writing her letters, her father would want to know who he was, and he’d want to read them.
Fiona had asked what was wrong with her da knowing who Aes was, but he said it was best no one knew, so they’d sketched a map of the wood surrounding her family’s small lands, and she’d drawn an X on the spot where there was a tree with a secret nook that she often hid pretty rocks in. If Aes could find it and leave her letters there, their friendship was meant to be.
She’d been checking that tree for months, and today was the first time she’d found anything—a piece of folded paper, and she’d be damned if she was going to let one of her sticky-fingered siblings get their hands on it.
ELIZA KNIGHT is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty sizzling historical romances. While not reading, writing, or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping, and visiting with family and friends.
*****
Giveaway:
2 sets of May releases
(Wreckless, Undercover Wolf, You’ve Got Plaid, Cowboy Fire, High Country Justice)
I’m always thrilled to host Kat Martin when she has a new book to share.
*****
MAKING YOUR STORY BELIEVABLE
Over the years, I’ve found one of the best ways to make your story believable is to use real places to locate the action and real names of restaurants and streets. Actually going there, of course, is the best way to make that happen.
In my new novella, COME MIDNIGHT, Breanna Winters, seated on an airliner next to a good-looking man in an expensive suit, finds herself kidnapped by Honduran terrorists. She doesn’t expect Derek Stiles, a corporate executive, to put his life at risk by volunteering to go along when Bree is dragged from the plane and marched into the jungle.
Unfortunately, I have never been to the jungle in Honduras or any jungle for that matter, aside from a brief visit to a tropical rain forest in Brazil and a stop in Belize.
So for this story, I didn’t go to Honduras, but I did do extensive research, and it wasn’t the first time. Beginning with with an old historical, SAVANNAH HEAT, set in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and more recently, THE CONSPIRACY, which travels from the Caribbean to Columbia, I’ve learned a lot about life in the jungle–and it is far from easy.
In the novella, the good news is Derek Stiles is a former Navy fighter pilot with extensive survival training who has spent time in the jungle before. Still, it’s soon clear they’ll need to depend on each other if they’re going to survive.
I hope you will give COME MIDNIGHT a try and that you will look for Derek again in my full-length novel, THE PERFECT MURDER, out June 22nd, the last book in my Maximum Security Series
Till next time, all best wishes and happy reading, Kat
*****
Come Midnight
Maximum Security series
by Kat Martin
Blurb:
A routine flight turns into a suspenseful race through the remote jungles of Honduras When strangers Breanna Winters and Derek Stiles met on a flight to Colombia, they never imagined they would need to rely on each other for survival. Taken hostage by a group of radical environmental vigilantes, Bree worries her secret identity has been discovered—and her fears are confirmed when she learns a ransom request has been sent to her father. Though she’s the daughter of a prominent tech mogul, Bree’s wealth can’t guarantee her safety, so former Navy fighter pilot Derek pretends to be her fiancé in order to accompany her on a dangerous jungle trek led by the radicals. With chemistry building between the pair, a romance isn’t hard to fake, though they can’t let their attraction distract them. If Bree and Derek ever want to see civilization again, they’ll have to work together and rely on their wits to escape their captors.
The sound of a baby’s high-pitched, incessant crying put his teeth on edge. Derek Stiles forced himself to relax as he settled back in his wide business class seat. The airplane engines hummed outside the window, dulling the noise a little, but the crying only grew louder.
Derek silently cursed. His trip to Colombia had already gotten off to a rocky start when a meeting in the Houston office of Garrett Resources, where he worked as VP of Mergers and Acquisitions, ran overtime and he’d missed his non-stop flight. Now he’d be landing in El Salvador, laying over a couple of hours before changing planes and continuing on to Bogota, not getting to his hotel until well after dark.
He pulled out his laptop and set it on the fold-down table in front of him. He usually worked on a flight. He always had plenty to do, but he’d been staying up late every night so he also needed some sleep. It was important to be at the top of his game first thing in the morning.
The baby’s cries grew louder and his nerves revved up. He hadn’t really noticed the woman sitting in the seat beside him until she stood up and turned toward mother and child in the row behind him.
She jangled her car keys over the back of the seat and smiled. “Look, baby. Look at these. I bet you’d like to play with these, wouldn’t you?” The baby’s crying slowed, turned to whimpers, then sniffles, then stopped altogether. Glancing over his shoulder, Derek watched a little girl bundled in pink, maybe a year old, reach up for the car keys.
“I never thought of that,” the mother said, sounding desperate and making him feel guilty. He didn’t have kids but he could imagine how tough it would be to take a child on an international flight.
The mom, a black-haired woman in her mid-twenties, took out her own set of keys and held them up, but the baby ignored them, fascinated by the glittering heart on the end of the other keychain dangling in front of her.
“I hate to ask you this,” the mother said, “but is it all right if Sophie plays with your keys for a while?”
“Absolutely,” his seatmate said. She was pretty, he realized, with long blond hair and big blue eyes. A little above average height, slender but curvy in all the right places. “Once we’re in the air,” she continued, “if you want me to hold her, give you a little break, I’d be happy to.”
The mother’s smile held relief mixed with gratitude. “I might just take you up on that. My name is Carmen, by the way.”
“Breanna.” Her smile went even brighter and Derek felt an unexpected kick. He was usually able to leave his libido behind when he was away on business.
“You have a darling baby,” Breanna said.
Carmen smiled. “Thank you.”
The flight attendant urged Breanna to sit back down so the flight could get underway, and the engines roared, preparing for take-off.
“So I guess you’re a mom,” Derek heard himself saying, though he made it a habit not to talk on a flight. He always had too much to do.
Breanna shifted toward him. “I’d love to have children someday, but I’m not a mother yet. I work with kids so I know a few tricks.”
“What kind of work do you do?”
“I’m with a non-profit called Shelter the Children. Abrego Los Ninos in Spanish. We support an orphanage in a little village outside San Salvador. That’s where I’m headed.”
He smiled and held out a hand. “Derek Stiles. I know your name is Breanna.”
“Yes. Everyone just calls me Bree.”
They were an hour out of San Salvador International Airport when Derek noticed a commotion at the rear of the cabin.
Then the curtain behind the business class section jerked open and a lean, black-haired man stood in the aisle. Derek’s blood ran cold when he noticed the assault rifle strapped across the intruder’s chest.
*****
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.
Romantic Reads and Such 