Spotlight – Al “Trunk” Mahoney, Defensive Line

19 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

Tags

Al "Trunk" Mahoney Defensive Line, First & Ten series, Jean C. Joachim

We’ve seen Joachim’s First & Ten series before with Griff Montgomery, Quarterback and Pete Sebastian, Coach. I really regret not signing up to get an advanced copy of this one because I am sooo anxious to get my hands on this story. I’ve seen a few tidbits from the book and I’m ready to find out how Trunk’s story plays out!

*****

Al “Trunk” Mahoney, Defensive Line

First & Ten Series

by Jean C. Joachim

Contemporary/Sports Romance

PUBLICATION DATE – Jan. 9, 2016

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 68,156 words

PUBLISHER – Moonlight Books

COVER ARTIST – Dawné Dominique

Blurb:

When his wife walked out on him, Al “Trunk” Mahoney’s plans for the family he’d never had went up in smoke. A top-ranked defenseman in the NFL, Trunk’s success on the gridiron didn’t translate to the rest of his life. Hooking up with women was easy for the sexy lineman, but Trunk’s secret closed the door to marriage. Would the happiness he yearned for always be just beyond his reach?

Beautiful Carla Ricci, bar owner and independent woman had her choice of men. A love-‘em and leave-‘em lady, she’d made a decision that ruled out 99.9% of men for marriage. She didn’t care. Then Trunk Mahoney came along. Carla resolved to remain true to herself. Could her willpower hold indefinitely, or would she settle for an affair that would break her heart?

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019R4YS0W?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Amazon U.K. – http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B019R4YS0W?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Amazon Canada – http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B019R4YS0W?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sly-bullhorn-brodsky-jean-joachim/1122954279;jsessionid=F631E440B19D15973AABF0407031B876.prodny_store02-atgap09?ean=2940152747386

iTunes/Apple – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1059206728

Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=sly+%22bullhorn%22+brodsky%2C+offensive+line

All Romance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-altrunkmahoneydefensiveline-1964617-153.html

Amazon Paperback – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1522923160?keywords=Al%20%26%2334%3Btrunk%26%2334%3B%20mahoney&qid=1451474824&ref_=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2&sr=8-1

Scribd – https://www.scribd.com/book/294572908/Al-Trunk-Mahoney-Defensive-Line-First-Ten-6

Page Foundry – http://www.inktera.com/store/title/3c0a329c-57f0-4937-94c9-373302ca4a0b

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/603119

*****

Excerpt:

Carla hoped Trunk hadn’t noticed the flush she’d sensed in her face when he said he’d move in. Thankfully, new customers arrived, giving her the chance to escape. She made her way to the three tables, took their orders, and scurried back to the kitchen to slap burgers on the grill.

The heat from the cooking food was nothing compared to the heat in her body from Trunk’s news. He was like a magnet, drawing her to him for the past two years. The way his shirt pulled over his wide shoulders, his lean waist, powerful biceps, and what she guessed were tight abs, invaded her dreams at night. Of course, he had a cute butt, which she tried not to notice. A couple of times he’d caught her checking him out. She always had a snappy retort that made him laugh. But she saw the lusty light in his eyes, and it made her shiver.

She remembered the first day he’d come in. She’d been joking with Griff Montgomery that he never brought his good-looking teammates in for a beer. Then, Trunk Mahoney had walked through the door, and Carla hadn’t been able to speak. Her mouth had gotten dry while other parts had gotten damp. His powerful body, barely concealed in tight jeans and T-shirt, coupled with his confident swagger, had made her knees weak.

He’d flashed a sexy grin and raked her body with a smoldering gaze from beautiful, light blue eyes. If he had ripped the clothing from her, she couldn’t have felt more naked. Trunk Mahoney was sex on wheels, and she’d wanted him, until she’d checked out his left hand. There it had been, the colossal mood killer—his wedding ring. So, Carla had locked up her feelings and swallowed the key. Her ‘no touch’ policy applied to all married men, no matter how attractive they were. And that included Al Mahoney.

*****

Snippets:

In the locker room, Trunk noticed Griff slapping something on his face.

“You’re married. Still use that stuff?”

“Drives Lauren wild. Not that she’s in any condition to be wild, right now,” Griff said, chuckling. “But she likes it, so I use it.”

“What’s it called?”

“Midnight for Men. Now that you’re single again, better get used to using this shit. Women love it. Try it.” He passed it to Al.

Trunk finished shaving, wiped the shaving cream remnants from his face, and opened the bottle. He took a whiff. “Nice. Okay. I’ll give it a shot.”

“Just stay away from my wife, will ya?”

Orphaned at thirteen, he had turned to football to deal with his anger at his parents’ death. Shuffled from one relative to the next, he had learned to stomach insecurity. He had succeeded at the sport, making a name for himself in every town he called home at one time or another. Being a football star meant a big welcome from each new school he’d attended.

Having nothing, Al had gone to work young, doing odd jobs—raking leaves, mowing lawns, running errands. Sports had anchored him. His coaches had helped him stay on a good path, avoiding drugs and crime. Being a hero fed his heart, but he never outgrew the yearning for someone to care about him. He thought he’d found it in Mary, but he had been wrong.

*****

Author Info:

Jean Joachim is a best-selling romance fiction author, with books hitting the Amazon Top 100 list since 2012. She writes mostly contemporary romance, which includes sports romance and romantic suspense.

Dangerous Love Lost & Found, First Place winner in the 2015 Oklahoma Romance Writers of America, International Digital Award contest. The Renovated Heart won Best Novel of the Year from Love Romances Café. Lovers & Liars was a RomCon finalist in 2013. And The Marriage List tied for third place as Best Contemporary Romance from the Gulf Coast RWA. To Love or Not to Love tied for second place in the 2014 New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America Reader’s Choice contest. She was chosen Author of the Year in 2012 by the New York City chapter of RWA.

Married and the mother of two sons, Jean lives in New York City. Early in the morning, you’ll find her at her computer, writing, with a cup of tea, her rescued pug, Homer, by her side and a secret stash of black licorice.

Jean has 30+ books, novellas and short stories published. Find them here: http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com. Sign up for her newsletter, on her website, and be eligible for her private paperback sales.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Joachim-Author/221092234568929?sk=app_100265896690345

*****

Spotlight – The Bride Wore Starlight

18 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 3 Comments

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Lizbeth Selvig, Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys, The Bride Wore Starlight

I haven’t read anything in this series just yet, but I did add this one to my TBR pile … and I’m thinking I need to get the first two books too 🙂

*****

The Bride Wore Starlight

Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys #3

by Lizbeth Selvig

Releasing February 9. 2016

Avon Impulse

Blurb:

Once comfortable on stage in front of thousands, Joely Crockett is now mortified at the thought of walking—or rolling—down the aisle at her sisters’ wedding. Scarred and wheelchair-bound, the former beauty queen has lost more than the ability to walk—she’s lost her fire. But when one handsome, arrogant guest accuses her of milking her injuries and ignites her ire, Joely finally starts to feel truly alive again, and soon it’s impossible for her to resist her heart’s desire.

Alec Morrissey knows a little something about loss. A famous rodeo cowboy before he was injured in Iraq, he’s managed to create something of a normal life, even if it’s not the one he always imagined. Encountering stunning but damaged Joely, he sees a kindred spirit who can learn from his mistakes.

As these two healing souls begin to fall in love under the Wyoming stars, they must discover if they are willing to give in to the tragedies of life or fight for a future together.

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

The contact with Alec’s strong, long-fingered hand didn’t do anything to quell the annoyance dancing in her stomach. Or was it attraction? Or just a very long time since a man had taken her hand?

He tugged gently and braced his feet so she could stand and get her solid leg beneath her.

Her eyes came level with his tie. That put him at roughly six feet, she thought inanely, although, in truth, no thoughts but inane ones filled her head. Up close his eyes shone a dark, rich amber, and his full, upturned lips made him appear prone to smiling. His hat looked so natural on him he might well have been born with it on.

He held out his right elbow. “Just think of me as a human hiking stick.”

He hadn’t said “cane.” He hadn’t said “crutch.” She offered a tentative, grateful smile, took a deep breath, and nodded.

What could have been horribly awkward turned out to be an easy partnership. Alec seemed to know instinctively how to step where she needed him for support, and his arm offered a perfect grip that she could lean into as firmly as she wanted. It took a dozen or so strides to get the coordination right, but slowly she figured out how to step firmly with her right leg and use Alec’s weight to help swing and step quickly with her left. She’d walked like this with crutches, but this felt so quasi normal—she almost enjoyed it.

Almost.

They came to the stairs, and she froze. A flat path was easy. Going up stairs was awkward but doable. But going down threw her weight forward, and she didn’t have the strength or balance to keep from pitching headfirst down the flight.

“We’re doing great,” he said. “There are only six.”

“We’re doing fine,” he’d said. She didn’t know this man from any random person, and yet he knew how to speak as if they’d been doing this forever.

“I really should have a body on the other side, too,” she admitted reluctantly. “I suck at stairs.”

“Here’s the deal.” He removed her hand from his elbow and held it, then wrapped his right arm loosely around her waist. “It’s your balance that’s got you spooked. You haven’t practiced with it, but your left leg is strong enough. Trust yourself. You know the drill: bad leg—”

“First,” she finished. “Yes. But it doesn’t hold my weight.”

“Eventually it will, but for now we’ll step together, and you lean into me when you’re using that leg.”

How did he know so effortlessly what to do? He’d probably had plenty of bangs and bruises when he’d been on the rodeo circuit—maybe this was second nature for him.

They navigated the stairs like they’d been doing it for years. She’d never have made it on her own, and such an exercise had been clunky at best with a physical therapist. When she stood at the bottom without aid of a crutch or two side walkers, her satisfaction had to rival that of any successful mountain climber’s.

“Wow,” she said, unable to keep the pleasure from her voice.

“Why are you surprised? You’re a ranch girl; you’re tough.”

*****

Author Info:

Lizbeth Selvig lives in Minnesota with her best friend (aka her husband), and a gray Arabian gelding. After working as a newspaper journalist and magazine editor, and raising an equine veterinarian daughter and a talented musician son, she won RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® Contest in 2010 with her contemporary romance The Rancher and the Rock Star. In her spare time, she loves to hike, quilt, read, horseback ride, and spend time with her new granddaughter. She also has four-legged grandchildren—more than twenty—including a wallaby, two alpacas, a donkey, a pig, a sugar glider, and many dogs, cats, and horses (pics of all appear on her website http://www.lizbethselvig.com). She loves connecting with readers—contact her any time!

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

a Digital Download copy of THE BRIDE WORE DENIM and THE BRIDE WORE RED BOOTS, books 1 & 2 in the Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys Series

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c8925/

*****

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Tease Me Thursday

18 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Amanda Mackey, Colleen Halverson, Loving the Bears, Marissa Dobson, Pain, Through the Veil

✯ Pain by Amanda Mackey ✯

#TeaseMeThursday #SizzlingPR

#Synopsis:

Life is sweet in The Sanctuary—until Lillian Harris is thrown the curveball of her life.

Lillian is perfectly happy cocooned within the lofty perimeter fence of The Sanctuary. Her Sanctuary—a vast oasis for rescued lions, tigers, and elephants. The animals are her world. So when Lillian’s dad tells her a nineteen-year-old criminal who’s fresh out of prison is coming to The Sanctuary as part of a rehabilitation program, Lillian is more than a little apprehensive. She interacts with animals more than humans—and definitely not criminals.

Justice Armstrong is more arrogant than a Silverback, but something darker lurks behind his eyes…

It isn’t until Justice swaggers toward her from the parole officer’s car—pierced, confident, and more than a little hot—Lillian knows she has her work cut out for her. His stare has the power to rob her of all thoughts. His words, although crude and nefarious, bring a part of her to life she never knew existed. How is this criminal suddenly turning her world upside down?

He has the power to drag her to the dark side….

Pain is his drug of choice, a vice he can’t survive without. Then he meets Lillian Harris. Little miss hellcat. Fiery, strong, and all woman. She challenges him at every damn turn, and watching her tame those fierce big cats makes his need for her that much stronger. He wants to do things to her…wicked things. She makes him crave pain in a whole new way.

When a teen with a dark past bumps heads with a feisty rescue worker, will it be love over lust—or a matter of life and death?

#OneClick Amazon – http://amzn.to/1oHjfiF

________________________________________________________

✯Through the Veil by Colleen Halverson ✯

#TeaseMeThursday #SizzlingPR

#Synopsis:

Where the fairy tale ends, destiny begins.

Elizabeth Tanner is no Tinkerbell, and her life is no fairy tale. Broke and drowning in student loans, the one thing she wants more than anything is a scholarship from the Trinity Foundation. But after the ancient Irish text she’s studying turns out to be more than just a book, she becomes their prisoner instead. And when Trinity reveals Elizabeth is half-Fae, she finds herself at the center of a plot to save the magical races of Ireland from a brutal civil war.

As Commander of Trinity’s elite warriors, Finn O’Connell isn’t used to having his authority challenged. He doesn’t know whether to punish or protect the infuriating young woman in his custody. When he discovers the Dark Fae want to use Elizabeth’s abilities to control the source of all power in the universe, he’ll risk everything to help her.

At the mercy of Trinity and enslaved to the Dark Fae, Elizabeth finds herself alone on the wrong side of an Irish myth thousands of years in the making. Refusing to be a pawn in their game, Elizabeth has to fight her way back to the man she loves, but to do so, she must wage her own war against the magic that binds her.

#OneClick Amazon – http://amzn.to/1QGDRhv

________________________________________________________

✯ Loving the Bears by Marissa Dobson ✯

#TeaseMeThursday #SizzlingPR

#Synopsis:

Ari Alexander and Kaden O’Malley knew from a young age that they’d share one mate who would complete their unique bond. The problem was they couldn’t find a woman who satisfied both them and their bears. Their thriving security business has kept them both busy, but as their beasts grow more and more impatient, they must find a mate.

After escaping a past she wanted to forget Camellia stayed hidden away in the forest. Working with the children of Crimson Hollow, has given her life new meaning. Until the bears came into her life, she thought she had everything she wanted.

When Ari and Kaden meet the beautiful but reserved Camellia, they know she’s the one. It’s clear she feels the connection too, but she’s fighting it. Can they help their mate fight the demons from her past or will she slip from their grasp before they get the chance?

#OneClick Amazon – http://amzn.to/1Qjl69o

Spotlight – Falling for Prince Charles

17 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Falling for Prince Charles, Lauren Baratz-Logsted

I absolutely LOVE the idea of this one – that a maid from America could somehow meet, & fall in love with!, Prince Charles (post-Diana, of course). It’s just such a fun play on the royal family and I want to get my hands on a copy!

Warning though from what I see below it looks like it is more comedy than love story (I’m thinking kinda Bridget Jones’s Diary) but who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh?!?

*****

Falling for Prince Charles

by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Releasing February 9, 2016

Diversion Books

Blurb:

“Lauren Baratz-Logsted has mastered the real life fairy tale in her explosive and hilarious FALLING FOR PRINCE CHARLES. It’s all here, lovelorn Daisy Silverman flush with cash and high hopes, Prince Charles who can’t resist her, and London in all its splendor. Curl up and get ready to laugh long into the foggy night.” —Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of THE SHOEMAKER’S WIFE

Daisy Silverman has always been obsessed with His Royal Highness, Prince Charles. When the underachieving 30-something cleaning lady wins a million dollars, she follows her lifelong dream to go to London. Once there, she meets Prince Charles—the real Prince Charles. Through a series of misunderstandings, the Royal Family doesn’t realize that Daisy’s Jewish or that she’s spent her life up to the elbows in the wrong kind of toilet water. By the time they do, Daisy is in love with Charles, Charles is in love with Daisy, and the Queen’s white gloves are off.

FALLING FOR PRINCE CHARLES is an offbeat alternate-universe romantic comedy showing the heir to the British throne in a light quite unlike any he’s been seen in before.

“Daisy’s madcap adventure is more comedy than romance, and her most unusual and unlikely relationship with Prince Charles will appeal to reads looking for lots of giggles.” —Publishers Weekly

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

As Daisy Silverman squatted in front of the toilet bowl, first depressing the flush lever and then watching as the milky outgoing spiral removed the mildew and replaced it with fresh water, the thought occurred to her for at least the thousandth time that if the fickle hand of fate hadn’t cast her as a cleaning lady, working in wealthy households and offices in Westport, Connecticut, she would most certainly have made a perfectly lovely Princess of Wales.

This was a fantasy that Daisy had entertained off and on since 1981, the same year that the late Princess Diana had first become Princess Diana. And to this day, eighteen years later, whenever she thought about it, Daisy still thought that she could have done the job better.

Oh, sure, Daisy had loved the late Princess, would have said that she loved her more than anybody. Well, actually even Daisy was aware enough not to say that; she did know that Diana’s family and friends had surely loved her more. But Daisy could legitimately claim to love her easily as much as anybody who had never met her, and that was plenty. So, if Daisy felt a little competitive with a dead Princess that she had loved beyond reason, what matter that? After all, there were some compelling reasons for making a comparison between the two women.

Just like the woman who had possessed the most photographed profile in the world, Daisy had a genius for making the kind of seemingly interested, throwaway comment that left others feeling a little cheerier about their own lot in life. Although even Daisy had felt that the Princess had been pushing things a bit, several years back, when she had blithely informed a widow on the dole with a flat full of small children: “Oh, yes, I just love those microwave pizzas too. Whenever the Heir and the Spare start to look a little peaked, I just nuke a couple of them in the Palace micro, and we’re all set to go skiing in Klosters or windsurfing on Necker.” Or, if those hadn’t been her exact words, it had been something equally inappropriate…

*****

Author Info:

Lauren Baratz-Logsted is the author of over 25 books for adults, teens (including The Twin’s Daughter and Little Women and Me), and children (The Sisters 8, a nine-book series she created with her husband and daughter). Before becoming an author, Lauren was an independent bookseller, freelance editor, Publishers Weekly reviewer, sort-of librarian and window washer. She lives with her family in Danbury, CT. Visit her at http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com or follow her @LaurenBaratzL on Twitter.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

FIVE (5) Print Copies of FALLING FOR PRINCE CHARLES

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c8927/

*****

Click on the banner below to see the rest of the tour

Spotlight – A Son’s Vow

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

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A Son's Vow, Shelley Shepard Gray, The Charmed Amish Life series

With over 100 ratings on Goodreads, this one is coming in with 4 1/2 stars! Looks like everyone is loving this heartwarming story, which looks at both good and bad in this little Amish community.

*****

A Son’s Vow

The Charmed Amish Life #1

by Shelley Shepard Gray

Releasing January 26, 2016

Avon Inspire

Blurb:

Shelley Shepard Gray’s first book in her Charmed Amish Life series is set in the quaint Amish village of Charm, Ohio, and tells the stories of the Kinsinger siblings who are each struggling to find both forgiveness and love in the face of tragedy.

Three months ago, everything changed for Darla Kurtz and her family. Darla’s father was responsible for a terrible fire at Charm’s lumber mill which killed five Amish men. And though he, too, lost his life, the town of Charm hasn’t looked at her family the same since. Even Lukas Kinsinger—with whom Darla used to have a close friendship.

Now her brother’s anger at the town is spilling over onto Darla, and she has the bruises to prove it. The accident already cost five lives, but if something doesn’t change soon, Darla fears it will cost her—and her family—even more.

Lukas Kinsinger wants to mourn the loss of his father, but he can hardly find the time to breathe. Suddenly the head of his father’s lumber mill and responsible for taking care of his three siblings, he’s feeling the pressure. He has also never felt more alone—especially with the new tension between he and Darla. But when he learns of her troubles at home, Lukas knows he can’t simply stand by and watch. Someone has to help her before another tragedy occurs.

As Lukas and Darla attempt to repair their families, they discover something deeper than friendship growing between them. But will Lukas and Darla’s love be accepted after so much loss? Or will the pain of the past overcome any chance of future happiness?

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

March 20

It was another picture-perfect day in Charm.

The sky was pale blue, quietly complementing the acres of vibrant green farmland as far as the eye could see. Spring lambs had arrived. They were frolicking in the fields, their eager bleats echoing through the valley. The morning air was not too chilly or too damp. Instead, a hint of warmth teased, bringing with it as much hope as the crocus buds that peeked through the dark dirt of the numerous clay pots decorating cleanly swept front porches.

It was the type of morning that encouraged a person to go out walking, to smile. The type of day that reminded one and all that God was present and did, indeed, bestow gifts.

In short, it was the type of day that used to give Darletta Kurtz hope. A day like this should have made her happy, revitalized her. It should have made her want to pull out a pencil and one of her many notebooks and record the images she saw and list activities she wanted to do.

It was the kind of day she used to love and maybe, just maybe, take for granted.

But now, as she rested her elbows on the worn wooden countertop that had no doubt supported generations of postal workers before her, Darla could only silently acknowledge that another day had come. It was sure to feel as endless as the one before it, and would no doubt be exactly like the rest of the week.

It was another day to get through. A way to pass ten hours of expected productivity before she could retreat to her bedroom and collapse on her bed. Only then would she feel any sense of peace. Because only then would she be able to wait for oblivion. She’d close her eyes, fall into a peaceful slumber, and, hopefully, forget her reality for eight hours.

It had been ninety-nine days since her father died. Tomorrow would bring the one hundredth. It was a benchmark she’d never intended to look forward to. Wearily, she wondered if anyone else in Charm was anticipating the milestone as well.

Undoubtedly some were.

After all, her father hadn’t been the only man to die in the December fire at Kinsinger Lumber Mill. No, he was one of five. And though it wasn’t as if she’d ever forget that fact, there were many in Charm who took care to remind her constantly.

Just then, Mary Troyer pushed open the door to the post office. Darla braced herself.

“You have a lot of nerve, Darletta Kurtz, getting a job here,” Mary said as she slapped a ten-dollar bill on the counter. “It’s bad enough that your family stayed in town. Most folks would have left in shame after what your father did. Yet, here you are, thriving.”

Each word hurt, as Mary no doubt intended for them to. Darla thought she would have been used to the verbal abuse by now, but it still felt as jarring as it had the first time. Mary’s son Bryan had died in the same accident as Darla’s father, and she took every opportunity to make sure everyone in town was aware of her pain.

Just as she had two days before, Darla did her best to keep her voice even and her expression impassive. “What is it you’ll be needing today, Mary?”

Mary’s cheeks puffed up before replying. “One book of stamps. The flags.”

Quickly she gave Mary the stamps and her change, taking care to set the money on the counter so their fingers wouldn’t have to touch. “Here you go.” Then—though she would have rather said something, anything else—she added the words she’d heard her boss say dozens of times: “Danke for coming in.”

Mary narrowed her eyes. “That is all you’re gonna say?”

It was obvious that Mary was itching for a fight. But no way was Darla going to give it to her. She’d learned at least a couple of things in the ninety-nine days since the accident at the mill.

And even though she might be wishing Mary to perdition in her darkest moments, she knew it was always best to turn the other cheek. “There’s nothing to say. Your mind is made up to be angry with me.”

“My ‘mind’ has nothing to do with the facts. Everyone in Charm knows that your father caused the fire at the mill. That fire killed my Bryan, Clyde Fisher, Paul Beachy, and Stephen Kinsinger.”

Standing as straight as her five-foot-two-inch frame allowed her to do, Darla added quietly, “You forgot John Kurtz, Mary. My father died, too, you know.”

“All of us are struggling with our losses. Struggling to make ends meet with our men gone. But here you are almost every morning, standing behind this counter with a smile on your face.”

Though Mary wasn’t the first person to say such a thing to her—she wasn’t even the twenty-first—Darla still didn’t understand why she should bear the weight of her father’s guilt.

Especially since it had been proven that it hadn’t been just her father’s negligence that had started the fire in the Dumpster. A variety of circumstances had taken place, which, when combined, had created a powerful explosion.

A rag, dampened by a flammable liquid, had been tossed into a Dumpster filled with wood scraps and hot metal that had been left heating over the course of the day. In no time at all, the rag had burst into flames, igniting the pine kindling. Before anyone was truly aware of the fire, the Dumpster had exploded, causing the nearby wood stacks in the back warehouse to catch fire, too. Though the emergency sprinklers had come on and the fire department and ambulances had been called, five people had died and scores of others had been injured.

Without a doubt, it had been the worst disaster to ever occur at Kinsinger Lumber Mill, and everyone who’d been there was marked by the terrible tragedy.

After the accident, fire marshals had investigated and declared that it had been caused by a series of unlikely events: a rare sunny day in December, hot metal in the Dumpster, and a pile of pine that someone had discarded instead of turning into wood shavings—all set ablaze by one rag.

No single person was to blame.

Furthermore, when Stephen Kinsinger’s son Lukas had taken over the mill, he’d publicly forgiven her father. However, the speech had done little to change the general feeling of anger and hurt that pervaded their village. It seemed that everyone needed a scapegoat. And her father had given them one.

Now, because John Kurtz was no longer walking God’s earth, more than a couple of people had transferred their pain and anger onto Darla and the rest of her family.

And after ninety-nine days of it, she’d had her fill.

*****

Author Info:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Hold Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Avon will be hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway for Three Print Bundles of the Amish Brides of Pinecraft series books 1-4

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c8909/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Spotlight – The Medford Series

15 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Drawn Together, Lisa Hahn, Pulled Apart, The Medford Series

I don’t usually host a lot of new adult books (I pick based on what sound good to me which means, unfortunately, you guys are stuck with them … sorry! 🙂 ) but there’s something really interesting about this series.

*****

The Medford Series

by Lisa Hahn

Genre: New Adult Romance

Book One: Drawn Together

Blurb:

Hailey Sommers is only home from New York for a few months. So when she reconnects with the one guy she can’t forget, will she be able to walk away…again?

Hailey can’t wait to get back to New York City. There she’s a confident children’s book author with a healthy social life. Being back in her hometown of Medford only reminds her of the less-than-cool girl she used to be…until she runs into Cody, the boy she lusted after all four years of high school.

Cody West has everything he could want in Medford, except Hailey. When she left for the big city, there was a hold in his life no other girl could fill. But he’s not sure he wants to open himself to the pain if she leaves again.

A chance encounter at the town coffee shop reignites the chemistry between the pair and is almost enough to make Hailey forget how much she wants to return to the city she’s grown to love. Almost. Wanting it all, Hailey plans to bring Cody back to New York with her. The only catch is that she’s not sure he’ll agree…

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Drawn-Together-Book-Medford-Series-ebook/dp/B015RMGB58

Excerpt:

I looked up from my netbook screen, and there he was: Cody West. The boy I lusted after throughout high school. The boy who changed my life and didn’t even know it.

He’d grown up since I last saw him at Jessica Mitchell’s graduation party. His sandy hair still cascaded down his forehead, but it no longer perpetually hung down over his big brown eyes. Four years of high school football had kept Cody in shape back when I knew him, but four years of college football had added a little bit of bulk to his lean frame. At least, I assumed he played in college. I knew that he headed off to Temple with a sports scholarship.

Rocking back onto his heels, Cody scanned the glass pastry case, probably looking for something sweet to go with his coffee. He tossed his hair to the side as he inspected the muffins. He always liked sweets. He and I used to pass bags of candy back and forth while Mrs. Cole, our art teacher, wasn’t looking. After taking a sip of my cappuccino, I smiled at the memory, glad for the first time that I was back in Medford.

Having forgotten about the work waiting for me on my netbook, I watched Cody unabashedly, wishing I could’ve heard whatever he said to make the barista blush. He dug into the pockets of his khaki cargo shorts for some cash, playfully pulling it away from the barista before dropping it into her hand. She giggled, probably glad that she and Cody crossed paths that afternoon. I knew I was glad to see him.

He finally spotted me, tucked away in a quiet corner of the coffeehouse. As soon as recognition set in, the corners of his mouth curled into a relaxed smile, a smile that caused a swarm of butterflies to thrash around inside my stomach. Man, he looked good. Wiggling my fingers, I waved a flirty hello at my old friend. His brown eyes narrowed as his smile widened—a sign he was just as glad to see me, as I was to see him.

Cody held up his index finger to indicate that he’d come over shortly, then peered over the counter to check the barista’s progress on his order, the muscles in his calves flexing as he shifted his weight onto his toes.

He was definitely much stronger than the boy I spent my last night in town with.

Book Two: Pulled Apart

Blurb:

Will Callie O’Connor ever catch a break?

Callie has a lot to be excited about. At the end of the summer, she’s going away to college and moving in with her awesome boyfriend. After living with her difficult and vindictive mom for the past twenty-two years, she’s definitely ready to leave her life in Medford behind.

Ben Weber has been nothing short of a perfect boyfriend. Being away from Callie while at law school has been tough, but he’s looking forward to everything the new school year will bring for the couple.

But it’s all too good to be true. Their plans fall apart when Callie’s mom runs into financial trouble and demands her daughter’s help. Despite everything her mom has said and done, Callie feels obligated to help her family even though she’s broken up about what it means for her future career as an elementary school music teacher and her relationship with Ben. Will she be able to figure everything out before it all comes crashing down around her?

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Pulled-Apart-Book-Two-Medford-ebook/dp/B018RBEVK8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Excerpt:

I shut my car off and threw open the door with shaky hands. When I stepped out, I was half expecting my legs to give out beneath me. I’d been an absolute mess since my little talk with Mrs. Weber the day before. So far, I’d done a good job of hiding it from Ben, but that was probably because we hadn’t seen each other for two days. In fact, I was super upbeat when I called him to make plans. Originally, we were just supposed to go see some new action movie he’d been going on and on about, but I suggested we meet up for dinner first, explaining that I missed him so much that I wanted to try and squeeze in some extra time together before I worked a double tomorrow.

From the sidewalk, I saw him through Anthony’s expansive glass storefront, lounging in a cozy red booth and thumbing around on his phone. He had no idea what was coming.

And if everything went according to plan, he’d have no idea what the catalyst for our break-up was.

The more I thought about it, the more I was sure that what Mrs. Weber said made a lot of sense. Ben would sacrifice everything he’d worked so hard for to make sure I was happy. I couldn’t let him do that. Not for me. Not for a girl who didn’t have half the potential he does. Ben’s family has been grooming him for law school success since he showed an interest in the family profession back when he started ninth grade. In the same vein, my mom had prepared me for a life of hardship. However, I’m not so sure her actions were as intentional as the Webers’. I think she just liked to see me struggle.

I counted my breaths as I walked to the door, taking my time in an effort to delay the inevitable. The longer it took me to walk there, the longer Ben would be mine.

*****

Author Info:

Lisa Hahn writes contemporary and new adult romance. She’s interested in characters that are smart, sincere, and somewhat artistically inclined. Her and her husband currently reside in Northern New Jersey with their cat and two dogs. In addition to writing, Lisa likes yoga, fitness, veganism, and professional wrestling.

www.bylisahahn.com

www.facebook.com/bylisahahn

www.twitter.com/bylisahahn

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/288940.Lisa_Hahn

Book Review – His Reason to Stay

14 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

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Book Review, Cathryn Fox, His Reason to Stay, In the Line of Duty series

We’ve seen the In the Line of Duty series before with His Best Friend’s Girl, His Moment to Steal, His Taste of Temptation, and His Trouble in Tallulah. This is definitely one of those series where I pick up a new book without caring what its about because I know I will love it!

*****

His Reason to Stay

In The Line of Duty Series, Book 6

by Cathryn Fox

Genre: Contemporary Military Romance

Blurb:

They made one beautiful mistake. The consequences could haunt them for life.

From the moment the Nelson brothers took a lonely young girl from the wrong side of the tracks under their wing, Rachel Andrews loved them both with all her heart. But it was James who won her hand.

Now widowed, she’s trying to pick up the pieces for her daughter’s sake as well as her own, but once again loneliness is her closest friend—until James’s brother comes back to town. The man she secretly wishes had asked her first.

Army ammunitions expert Kyle Nelson would rather face live fire than face the raw reminder that the woman he loved chose his brother over him, but he’s tired of running. And ready to step up to be the man everyone needs him to be—especially the young niece he’s never met.

As time runs short before Kyle ships out again, the desire Kyle and Rachel have suppressed breaks free in a fiery rush. Tempting her to reveal a secret that could give him a reason to stay—or burn their love to ash.

Warning: Contains a hot military man who will steal your panties as well as your heart.

Buy on Amazon

*****

Review:

I can’t say enough about this series. The characters are always interesting, the bedroom door is wide open & HOT, and the plot is well paced & interesting. Fox’s men are all strong, stand up guys – with good hearts, hard bodies and strong minds. They are smart, sexy and dedicated to each other, their loved ones and what they feel is right.

And of course Kyle isn’t any different. He’s sacrificed a lot for his brother, including the woman he loved. Now that his brother is gone, it’s become harder to resist her. Or her daughter.

Rachel is hiding a big secret from Kyle (although I’m pleased that Fox made it a recent secret, because I don’t[ know that I would have liked her as much if it had been known all along). She’s always had feelings for him and now that he’s back in her life, she’s afraid that it might send him running.

I loved seeing the two of them get close again after so many years apart. The have long-held feelings that need to be brought out into the open but both are afraid of what it could mean – Rachel thinks it could be too much for him and he’s carrying guilt over his brother. It’s all so complicated but addressed very nicely and without being overly emotional.

My only issue, and I’ve said this before, is that I’m a little icked out by the idea of brothers being with the same girl. I’m an only child so I don’t know if having siblings would change anything but to me it’s just … well, weird to think about. I mean there’s just something about both of you having been naked with the same woman that just asks for comparison and … ugh, I don’t know it’s just strange to me. But that’s a personal issue and I think Fox handles it very well. I just kinda blocked that part out and enjoyed the rest of it since I know it is just a hangup of mine and not necessarily a problem for everyone 🙂

Fantastic heroes, strong women who love them, and romantic complications without a whole lot of drama add up to fantastic books that I just have a hard time putting down.

*****

Author Info:

New York Time and USA Today Bestselling author Cathryn Fox is a multi published author in the romance genre under two pen names. Cathryn is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and red wine. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cathryn can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love.

Newsletter Sign up: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/c1f8n1

Website: http://cathrynfox.com/

Blog: http://cathrynfox.com/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/writercatfox

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorcathrynfox

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/91799.Cathryn_Fox

*****

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Book Review – A Candy Hearts Romance

14 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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3 Wishes, A Candy Hearts Romance, Book Review, Doreen Alsen, Nancy Fraser, Only Yours, Ooh La La, Peggy Jaeger

We’re starting off Valentine’s Day with reviews of 3 novellas that are perfect for a little treat on this day full of pink and flowers and chocolate candies … and of course love.

*****

Only Yours

A Candy Hearts Romance

by Nancy Fraser

Everyone expects Rebecca Winston to marry her high school/college sweetheart, Garrett Langley. The problem is, the flame’s gone out on their romance. They’re still best of friends, but only friends. When Garrett’s father has a heart attack, his older brother Wyatt (an L.A. attorney) returns home for the first time in years. The attraction between Rebecca and Wyatt is immediate.

Can Rebecca expect her family and, especially, Garrett to understand that her desires have changed and turned toward Wyatt?

Can Wyatt get past the feeling that he’s poaching his younger brother’s girl?

This is a cute little story set in the 60s, which made me a little nostalgic (not that I lived it but in a watching Grease on TV kind of way). It makes sense then why Rebecca would be struggling with other’s expectations – she lives at home with her parents and is still dating a guy even though the spark is gone. Meeting his brother again helps to emphasize it when the sparks between them fly. They both struggle with how their feelings might affect Garrett, but they aren’t willing to let something go on that is no longer right or pass on something that could be great.

I think this could have gone a very uncomfortable way but I love the Fraser handles it without too much drama between the characters. Instead it is sweet and homey and with a great HEA.

3 Wishes

A Candy Hearts Romance

by Peggy Jaeger

Valentine’s Day is chocolatier Chloe San Valentino’s favorite day of the year. Not only is it the busiest day in her candy shop, Caramelle de Chloe, but it’s also her birthday. Chloe’s got a birthday wish list for the perfect man she pulls out every year: he’d fall in love with her in a heartbeat, he’d be someone who cares about people, and he’d have one blue eye and one green eye, just like her. So far, Chloe’s fantasy man hasn’t materialized, despite the matchmaking efforts of her big, close-knit Italian family. But this year for her big 3-0 birthday, she just might get her three wishes.

Just as sweet as the chocolates that Chloe makes, I love this little story of love at first sight. You are there for the meet-cute and then the bumpy road as they move to a happy ending. I was rooting for Chloe and her fantasy man every step of the way. The misunderstanding between them could have been easily resolved with just a simple question or two but it would have meant that we didn’t get the fun of the story – one that had me smiling from start to finish.

Ooh La La

A Candy Hearts Romance

by Doreen Alsen

Aspiring choreographer and dance teacher, Simon West is walking along the hall in the college where he teaches when he gets knocked over by klutzy, two left feet, accounting professor Veronica Cooke. Simon wants to get to know the beautiful woman who ran him down, but how will she react when she finds out his alter-ego is a super sexy cowboy at an upscale exotic dancing male revue and that he makes ends meet by taking off his clothes?

I’m not sure if it really would have been that easy to keep Simon’s secret and the ending may have been a little to convenient, but I didn’t mind because the story was spicy and engaging. Super sexy but it didn’t scrimp on heart. Because of the size, it was basically love at first sight but it was downright fun so who cares. Simon and Veronica and cute together and I love how they connected quickly, finding a way to build on that.

Guest Post – Valentine’s Blog Tour

13 Saturday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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Tags

Getting Him Back, K.A. Mitchell, Valentine's Blog Tour

I’m doubly thrilled today – not only am I a stop on the Harlequin Valentine’s Blog Tour, where each site highlights a different great book & author, but for my stop I get a visit from the fabulous K.A. Mitchel who shares a story that just tickles me to no end!

So enjoy the story and, after you check out her book, go see what everyone else is up to as well 🙂

*****

Trixie Belden and the Mystery of Valentine’s Day Presents

Hi, I’m K.A. and I’m addicted to romance.

Not necessarily what the Valentine’s Day commercials filling our airwaves would call romance, that super shiny and expensive gift.

It’s about the story. The love story.

Long before I understood my addiction, I tried to explain it to others. In fourth grade, when book report diorama time rolled around, I leaped at the opportunity to dramatize a scene near and dear to my romantic soul. I assured my teacher that Trixie Belden and The Happy Valley Mystery held a wide scope for intrigue: a mystery and a flash flood which imperiled the main characters who were trapped in a car.

That was all a smoke screen. My diorama depicted the skating rink where Trixie seethes with jealousy because her as-yet unspoken boyfriend is lacing up some other girl’s skates. In case the import of that escapes you as it did my language arts teacher, Trixie had to watch her man bend slavishly over some bimbo’s feet, fondling her ankles because the vapid tramp was playing the helpless female card.

Afterward, the teacher asked why I’d chose that scene instead of the climatic flood with them trapped in the car. Clearly, she had no romance in her soul.

As romance addicts, we’ll come along for your flashfloods, your mystery, your high fantasy, low comedy, historical, space opera, or paranormal. The details don’t matter if you give us our romance with obstacles and, of course, a happy ending.

I know you’re all dying to know how things worked out for Jim and Trixie. On the flight back from Iowa to their home in New York, Jim gives Trixie an ID bracelet. With his name on it. Take that Dot Murray at the skating rink. Jim staked his claim. My nine-year-old heart swooned.

The jewelry wasn’t shiny or expensive. What mattered was that when he asked her to wear it, he told her that he wanted her to be his girl. That was what got The Happy Valley Mystery many rereads long after I should have turned out my lights.

The shine on the jewelry for Valentine’s Day or any other day is the words, and the feelings that go along with it. Probably not what jewelers want to hear this time of year, but there it is. Take it from an addict. One who may have named the math building in her college-set romance after the James Winthrop Frayne on the ID bracelet. But that’s another story.

*****

Getting Him Back

by K.A. Mitchell

Blurb:

An unexpected fresh start leads to an unlikely-but-absolutely-perfect pairing in this male/male new-adult novel from bestselling gay romance author K.A. Mitchell

Ethan may have followed his high school sweetheart to college only to get dumped his first day there, but he’s not going to let that stop him from exploring all his new life has to offer. Sex-only hookups, his photography, new friends and a campus-wide game of zombies vs humans all help keep his mind off his broken heart and move him toward building a new, better life without his ex.

And then there’s Wyatt. Mysterious, grouchy—hot. And possibly not gay. But Ethan’s not going to let that stand in the way of figuring out what makes Wyatt tick. New college goal? Get Wyatt into bed and into Ethan’s life.

Step one: arrange a “tutoring” date. Step two: “accidentally” bump into Wyatt as often as possible. Step three: explore the sexy body under that ever-present hoodie. And when their friendship deepens into something neither of them expect, convince Wyatt he’s not just a pity fling or a one-time hookup, but that Ethan is in it for the long haul

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

*****

Author Info:

K.A. MITCHELL discovered the magic of writing at an early age when she learned that a carefully crayoned note of apology sent to the kitchen in a toy truck would earn her a reprieve from banishment to her room. Her career as a spin-control artist was cut short when her family moved to a two-story house, and her trucks would not roll safely down the stairs. Around the same time, she decided that Chip and Ken made a much cuter couple than Ken and Barbie and was perplexed when invitations to play Barbie dropped off. She never stopped making stuff up, though, and was surprised to find out that people would pay her to do it. Although the men in her stories usually carry more emotional baggage than even LAX can lose in a year, she guarantees they always find their sexy way to a happy ending.

*****

Giveaway:

10 books, a special notebook, and a $50 gift card

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/82ae250c14/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the books and the other stops on the tour. There’s something here for you!

Spotlight – Temperature’s Rising Blog Tour

13 Saturday Feb 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Abigail Strom, If You Can't Take the Heat, J.S. Scott, Jamie Beck, Melissa Brown, Michelle Major, Nothing Like Love, Recipe for Kisses, Royal Chase, Sariah Wilson, The Billionaire's Touch, Worth the Trouble

Looking for the perfect romance read for Valentine’s Day? Below, we’ve got excerpts from six of today’s best contemporary authors. And watch out as the heat level goes from sweet to sultry to downright sinful. Read on and get ready for your temperature to rise!

*****

SWEET & SASSY

If you want a sweet read for the holiday, then look no further than Royal Chase by Sariah Wilson. When PR agent Lemon Beauchamp gets her client Prince Dante of Monterra booked on a reality show, she never expects to find love. But when flirting turns to something more, they share their first kiss…

“What is that scent?” he asked.

“Lemon sugar,” I said, my heart beating too quickly.

“Sweet and tart, like you,” he said before he planted a soft kiss at the amazing spot where my neck met my shoulder, and the earth shifted on its axis.

I decided it had been far too long since I’d last kissed somebody if this was how I was going to react. I also thought for a moment that I should stop him, but the only thing I said was, “My lip gloss is lemon-flavored, too.”

Which was such a blatant invitation, and from the fire in his eyes and the seductive smile on his face, he knew it.

“I do appreciate the commitment to your name.” He set down his drink and used his free hand to run his fingers up and down my arm, which gave me chills and hot flashes at the same time.

“Well, not everyone gets to be named after a fruit. You have to have fun with it.”

He pressed another kiss to my throat, and I closed my eyes as a tingling warmth spread slowly through my body.

Learn more here >> http://bit.ly/RoyalChase

*****

A DELECTABLE ROMANCE

For a savory reading treat, Recipe For Kisses by Michelle Major will hit the spot. Ben “the Beast” Haddox is a bad-boy chef returning to his hometown to open a new restaurant…the only problem is the sizzling Chloe Daniels. Refusing to give up her storefront–or to give into Ben’s charm–the two are at a standoff that simmers with attraction.

“I want to kiss you,” he whispered, and his soft voice and the wicked intentions it carried made her ache for more. “But only if it’s what you want, too.”

She swayed closer, caught in the intensity of his eyes. After her reaction to him reaching for her in the store and that first night when she’d maced him, he must understand that she wasn’t a good bet. “I don’t think I know how to be with someone like you. I like things ordered, soft and gentle.”

“I can be gentle.”

She almost laughed at that. “Right.”

“Give me a chance to show you, Chloe.” He ran his hand along her arm, higher to her shoulder then to her neck. She knew he was giving her a chance to become accustomed to his touch and found herself melting because of the thoughtfulness behind the gesture. “Tell me you want this.”

As his rough fingers caressed her jaw, she leaned forward with her heart beating double time and whispered, “Yes.”

Learn more here >> http://bit.ly/recipeforkisses

*****

OPPOSITES ATTRACT–AND ATTRACT–AND ATTRACT!

Kick up the heat with Jamie Beck’s Worth The Trouble. Sophisticated cover model Cat St. James could not be more different from rough-around-the-edges carpenter Hank Mitchell. But that doesn’t stop the irresistible pull these two feel for each other.

Her uncertain smile twisted him up inside as she reached one hand up and fingered the ends of his hair. “Kiss me goodnight.”

All the blood drained from his head and raced to his crotch. The relentless throbbing between his legs urged him to comply despite his better judgment. Just a kiss.

As if watching himself in a dream, he saw his fingers caress her cheek. She raised her chin and parted her lips, and he pressed his mouth against hers. He gave over to the moment, to taste her once more, to slip his tongue inside her mouth and tangle with hers. The faint taste of champagne and honey overwhelmed his senses as he grazed her lower lip with his teeth.

Time slowed. Every part of his body came alive. She bulldozed her fingers through his hair while moaning, engulfing him in desire.

“Like I remember,” she whispered against his skin. He’d been teetering on the verge of making a gigantic mistake, until her words summoned bitter reminders of the last time he fell for her games. Abruptly, he grabbed her wrists and pushed back.

“Hank!” She fell back into her pillow. “Stay.”

Learn more here >> http://bit.ly/WorthTheTrouble

*****

SPOTLIGHT ON THE ACTION

The bright lights of New York City have nothing on the dazzling attraction between set designer Simone Oliver and director Zach Hammond in Abigail Strom’s Nothing Like Love. This sexy British hero with a penchant for quoting Shakespeare and a romantic heart will have you as hot and bothered as the cynic heroine.

He spun them around so Simone’s back was against the wall. He put his hands under her arms and lifted her up, and when her legs went around his waist, he leaned in close.

His erection was cradled against her center now, and they were face-to-face. His heart was pounding hard enough to shake him and he couldn’t seem to find his breath.

But the only thing he wanted to breathe in was Simone.

When he brought his mouth to hers it was like tasting sweetness and fire at the same time. Her arms were around him, her legs were around him, and her scent engulfed him in an erotic wave.

His lips urged hers apart and his tongue slid inside.

The hot silk of her mouth was like a drug. Her tongue found his and they stroked and tangled, a thousand strands of need and desire binding them together.

His body throbbed against hers. If his lust drove them right through the brick wall and left the two of them lying in the rubble, he still wouldn’t be able to tear his mouth away.

Learn more here >> http://bit.ly/NothingLikeLove

*****

CHAMPAGNE WISHES AND BILLIONAIRE DREAMS

If out-of-control desire is your reading #goal, then J.S. Scott is going to be your new BFF. The author has won readers over with her H-O-T Sinclair brothers, but the stakes are raised with oldest sibling Evan. He is arrogant, Alpha, and amazing, and schoolteacher Miranda Tyler finds herself saying yes…to everything he asks in The Billionaire’s Touch.

“Kiss me,” Evan demanded as he moved his hands down her back and cupped her jean-clad ass with both of his large, strong hands. His fingers gripped the flesh and pulled her molten core into his hard form. “You asked me not to kiss you, so you have to kiss me.”

Randi’s willpower broke as she looked up and saw the longing in Evan’s eyes. It was an echo of exactly what she was feeling, and she could no more resist him than she could stop breathing. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she speared her hands into his coarse hair and yanked his mouth down to hers. She needed his touch more than she wanted to resist him, and as his lips collided with hers, Randi completely forgot why she was even trying to fight the urge to devour him.

He sprang into action the moment she kissed him, taking control as he demanded her complete surrender. Tasting. Teasing. Commanding. Evan’s tongue swept into her mouth, wiping away every doubt she had as he conquered her mouth with his own, leaving her breathless and mindless as he finally surfaced, his teeth catching her bottom lip and nipping at the flesh as though he wanted to mark it.

His lips were suddenly everywhere, and Randi’s hand left his hair and wrapped around his neck as she felt herself being lifted off her feet. She landed on something soft— she assumed it was the couch—but she wasn’t about to turn her head away from his mouth to look. She was too obsessed with the feel of his body against hers to give a crap what she’d landed on.

For some unknown reason, she felt safe letting Evan take control of her body while it burned for his possession. She knew he was feeling the same insane desires that she was experiencing right now.

Learn more here >> http://bit.ly/BillionairesTouch

*****

TRUE LUST LEADS TO TRUE LOVE

Forget about a love triangle, let’s talk love “square”! Author Melissa Brown’s newest romance If You Can’t Take The Heat has three sexy men after the same woman. And while casting director Whitney Bartolina is usually decisive, the choice between THREE men proves to be too hot to handle. Read on to find out how this take-no-prisoners heroine deals with a hunky cowboy from Montana.

Still holding on to his collar, she threw her head back in frustration. “You’re trying to torture me, aren’t you?”

Suddenly serious, Wes smoothed her hair down and rested his hands on her shoulders. “Not at all.”

“Then what is it?” Didn’t he want her as badly as she wanted him?

“Maybe I like keeping you in suspense.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I noticed.”

“And it gives us something to look forward to”—he trapped his lower lip beneath his teeth—“next month in Los Angeles.”

Whitney’s stomach did a gigantic flip-flop. “You’re gonna do it?”

Wes nodded slowly. “I have to see you again. It’s not a choice. It has to happen.”

He pressed his lips to the exposed skin of her neck, sucking gently as his fingers weaved through her hair.

Pure. Torture.

“My hotel isn’t far away. Pleee-eease reconsider.”

Wes said nothing but continued to lick, kiss, and suck at her sensitive skin. She wanted nothing more than to pull him into his car and straddle him right that second, but maybe he was on to something in delaying their gratification. The anticipation of seeing him again, of waiting until the next time they could be intimate, was intoxicating in and of itself.

Learn more here >> http://bit.ly/TakeTheHeat

*****

Giveaway:

Enter for your chance to win some great ebooks!

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