Spotlight – Come to Papa

15 Thursday Jun 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

Tags

Candy Cane Key, Come to Papa, Man of the Month Club, Matilda Martel

This grumpy man of the month wants to be a daddy and he thinks he’s found the one. But Candy Cane Key’s newest resident and self-proclaimed cat lady is on a mission and doesn’t have time for love, marriage, and babies. Can the town grump steal enough sunshine to woo her stubborn heart? Readers who love a little grumpy with their sunshine will enjoy Come to Papa by Matilda Martel, a steamy, small town, friends to lovers, age gap romance.

Come to Papa

Man of the Month: June

Candy Cane Key

by Matilda Martel

Blurb:

This grumpy man of the month wants to be a daddy.

Reclusive writer Felix Mercer came to Candy Cane Key to find silence but quickly discovered peace and quiet are overrated. Disgruntled and unhappy, he can’t figure out what ails him until he meets the town’s newest resident and self-proclaimed cat lady, Harlow Jane.

Harlow loves two things— Christmas and cats. When she reads an article about an island in the Florida Keys that celebrates Christmas all year round and with a long-suffering stray cat population, she knows she’s found her own personal paradise.

Felix is instantly enamored, and a casual acquaintance quickly becomes an obsession. Harlow’s hot little curves drive him to distraction. Her kind, nurturing heart confirms he’s found the one.

But Harlow’s on a mission to save the world— one cat at a time. She doesn’t have time for love, marriage, and babies.

Can the town grump steal enough sunshine to woo her stubborn heart?

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Add to Goodreads Here!

*****

Excerpt:

Stray cats need to be on their guard night and day— that’s the only way they survive. I hold my breath, watching her take two steps back and three steps forward, with one more to go. Her pupils suddenly dilate to saucers. Her back arches then a low guttural growl catches me by surprise. I scramble back like a crab, but my momentum stalls against a brick wall, and the kitty runs away.

“Do you need some help?” The brick wall speaks. My head snaps up, and I glimpse the source, a fair-haired man with dark eyes, a wicked smile, and a body sculpted by the gods. I blink rapidly, blinded by the sun and his unspeakable beauty. I’ve never seen anyone who looks like him, not here or in Sycamore Mountain— not even on television. But this creeper ruined my plans and threw away five days of hard work.

“No, you’ve done enough.” I groan, then bite my tongue, too frustrated to hide my intense displeasure for a man who was only trying to help. It’s not his fault, but my failure could result in tragedy if I don’t catch that cat soon. Stray dogs roam this beach at night in search of food, and they might mistake this fat little Calico for their next meal.

I scramble to my feet, shifting aimlessly in the soft sand to regain my balance. The handsome stranger clears his throat and offers his hand. I hesitate but ultimately place my palm in his hand, letting him pull me to my feet. Attractive does not mean harmless. We’re alone on a beach, and my mother didn’t raise me to be a trusting fool.

“Thank you, and I apologize for my snarky comment. I’ve been trying to catch that cat for the past few days, and this is the closest I’ve come.” I stammer, embarrassed by my rudeness and hoping my contrite behavior will make amends or prevent him from carrying me into the ocean and drowning me.

“You mean Buster?” His deep voice jumps an octave, and he points to the chunky Calico reclining against a nearby palm tree, frantically cleaning his behind.

“Buster? That’s a silly name for a girl.” I tiptoe towards the cat and consider my next course of action. He may be huge, hot, and handsome, but I have a one-track mind. There are far more important things on my to-do list than flirting with strange men who smell like cocoa butter, and what is that? Sandalwood? A storm is scheduled to pass through later this evening, and I hate to think of this little girl spending another night cold, wet, and alone.

“Buster isn’t a girl. He’s a boy.” The strange man follows close, oddly fixated on lending a helping hand. I glance over my shoulder and lift my hand to my brow, shielding my eyes from the sun to get a better look at his face. There’s no denying he’s yummy, but he doesn’t know the first thing about cats.

“Calicos are almost always girls,” I huff, confident with my assessment.

He chuckles and points to the cat. “He’s got balls. I’m pretty sure he’s a boy.”

I squint and squat to get a better look. My jaw drops. My tongue ties. “Oh… my… God. Oh, my God. We’ve just found a polydactyl male Calico. Do you have any idea how rare he is?” I flail my arms, squealing with glee, then accidentally strike his calves. He hardly flinches. He’s a golden slab of sculpted marble, and I couldn’t hurt him If I tried. “We need to get him. He must be guarded like the Mona Lisa.” I creep forward, and he drops to his knees, crawling next to me.

“I’m Felix, by the way.” He stops to extend his arm, and I give him a quick shake, one eye on his sinewy forearm and the other on my fat Calico boy. He mustn’t escape.

“I’m Harlow. I’m new to the island— on a mission to save the world, one cat at a time.” I laugh, crouching low, careful not to lose the element of surprise. “Can you crawl that away and block his exit?” I gesture with my head and slink forward like a snake.

“That’s a lovely name.” His brown eyes twinkle as his mouth tips into a slight smile. My heart skips a beat, and for the first time, it has nothing to do with cats. “If I help you catch Buster, what do you plan on doing with him?”

*****

Author Info:

Matilda is a Texas girl in love with a Philly boy who loves to write dirty books about two people who trip into love and fumble their way into a Filthy, Funny, Happily Ever After.

I live in Austin, with my husband, two crazy Chihuahuas and an even crazier cat. And I spend most of my day writing dirty romance books about older men who fall in love with younger women and make fools of themselves trying to win their hearts.

*****

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Spotlight – Gingerbread Man

01 Thursday Jun 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Tags

Candy Cane Key, Gingerbread Man, Karla Doyle, Man of the Month Club

Honey Golding is the sweetest little thing Cal has ever laid eyes on. His much-younger new employee is off-limits, but his sweet tooth might overrule his common sense… and his willpower. Readers who love a side of laughter with their romance will enjoy Gingerbread Man by Karla Doyle, a steamy, small town, grumpy/sunshine, boss/employee, age gap romance.

Gingerbread Man

by Karla Doyle

Blurb:

A town that celebrates Christmas year-round is the perfect place for a newly divorced, six-foot-four ginger-haired baker to open his new business, The Ginger Bread Man. Too bad he doesn’t share the community’s love of everything ho-ho-ho. Fake it until you make it, right? Or hire someone who has enough holiday spirit that nobody notices your lack thereof. Enter Honey Golding, the sweetest little thing Cal has ever laid eyes on. His much-younger new employee is off-limits, but his sweet tooth might overrule his common sense… and his willpower.

Add to Goodreads Here!

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

*****

Excerpt:

“Your hours say you’re open until six,” the brunette says when I unlock and open the door. “So I thought I had plenty of time to catch you.”

“I close when everything’s sold.”

Little Miss Sunshine doesn’t flinch at my grumpy tone. She just stares up at me with the prettiest green eyes I’ve ever seen. “You don’t have anything left to sell? By quarter after four?”

“No.” An apology would be appropriate here, I know. Not my style. Hence why I need a customer service elf. “Come by in the morning if you don’t want to be disappointed.” Shit, even I can do better than that. I huff a miserable-sounding sigh. “I tell you what—I’ll put something aside for you, and you can pick it up whenever you get here. The door will probably be locked, but I’ll wait for you. Best I can do. So. What were you hoping to get today?”

“A job.” No tapping on the glass this time. She pushes past me to reach in and pull my makeshift sign from the inside of the window, then hands it to me. “This job. You won’t find anyone better. What time should I be here tomorrow?”

I grunt a laugh. Even smile a little. She’s spunky, confident, and yeah, very easy on the eyes. Too easy, considering she’s gotta be in her early-twenties, and I’m knocking on forty’s door. My attraction is irrelevant. She’s applying for a job, not a date.

Right now, she’s my top candidate, simply because of her personality. But this is my business, and despite feeling like the stupidest man alive for being blindsided back in Cali, I’m not foolish enough to hire anyone on impulse. Not even the irresistible brunette.

“Got a resume?” I hook a nod toward the cash counter. “I’ll add it to the pile and look it over later.” When she’s not standing in my personal space, looking and smelling like a sweet treat I could sink into. My second head doesn’t get to do the hiring.

She breaks eye contact only long enough to pull a sheet of sunshiny-yellow paper from her bag.

Despite my comment about reviewing it later, I scan the page after she hands it to me. “No bakery experience,” I say, pointing out the only fault I find.

Her genuine smile doesn’t waver, not even for a moment. “Don’t worry. I’ll have your buns and baguettes figured out in no time.”

If she knew how much my baguette liked the sound of that, she’d snatch her application from my hand and never come back. “I’ll be in touch—” I glance at the paper again, as if I didn’t already have her name and number committed to memory. “Ms. Golding.”

“It’s Miss, and call me Honey.”

Another grunted laugh slips out. “Hoping to sweeten me up so I give you the job, Miss Golding?”

“I always put Honora on formal or professional documents, but everyone in town calls me Honey.”
Shit. I’ve got big feet and an even bigger mouth to shove them in.

She raises one eyebrow over eyes the color of moss and shiny as sea glass. “Don’t worry, boss, I’m not offended. What time should I be here in the morning?”

“I haven’t offered you the job.” A smile forces its way past my resting grump face as I accept the hand she extended, awareness rising to riotous levels throughout my body the instant we make skin-to-skin contact.

“You will,” she says, holding my hand and my gaze. “I’m exactly what you need.”

She’s right. I know it with every cell of my being. Trouble is, I think she’s exactly what I need in more ways than I can have her.

*****

Author Info:

After studying fashion design in college, Karla worked in the clothing industry for over two decades. In 2011, she caught the writing bug, received a scholarship to attend the Romance Writers of America conference in New York City, and hasn’t looked back.

A small-town girl with some big-city experience, Karla resides in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, with her husband and two young-adult kids. When she’s not writing the sexy stories swirling around in her head, you can find her spending time with family, playing online Scrabble, or cuddled up with a romance novel and her beloved pets.

Karla loves interacting with readers. Connect with her online or send her an email. She’d love to hear from you!

*****

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Spotlight – Morsel Enemies

15 Monday May 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Tags

Alexia Chase, Candy Cane Key, Man of the Month Club, Morsel Enemies

Ava and Miles try to outwit each other as they battle for the same land. Ava’s determined to claim the land for her boss and get out of town, but there’s something charming about the town… and Miles. Readers who enjoy the Man of the Month Club collection will devour Morsel Enemies by Alexia Chase, a steamy, small town, enemies-to-lovers, beach romance.

Are you ready to meet your next Man of the Month?

Morsel Enemies

Candy Cane Key

Man of the Month Club: May

by Alexia Chase

Blurb:

Chocolate chips, year-round Christmas decorations, crystal-clear waters, and smoldering nights under the stars. What more could you ask for?

Ava’s boss, Jax, wants the same land Miles wants, and she’s there to make sure Jax gets it and escape Hell Town, Florida, as fast as she can. Miles loves the land and will stop at nothing to get rid of the interloper.

Until Miles and the town charm her. Or is it all a lie?

Morsel Enemies from Alexia Chase is a small-town, enemies-to-lovers romance about Candy Cane Key’s favorite Scuba Diving Charter owner and a woman who hates frizzy hair, bugs, and sunshine.

Sparks will ignite this National Chocolate Chip Day as these two try to outwit each other. It’s going to be a hell of a ride.

The MAN OF THE MONTH CLUB is a steamy small-town collection featuring a new hottie (or two) every month. In 2023, escape to Candy Cane Key, Florida, and celebrate All the Holidays with your favorite group of romance authors and their delicious Paradise Men. Can’t wait to see you there!

Add to Goodreads Here!

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

*****

Excerpt:

Who has Christmas all year round? In the Florida Keys? These people need their heads examined. God, it’s hot. I fan the neckline of my top to let in some much-needed coolness, except nothing but sweltering air is swooshing around.

From inside my black handbag clutch, my cell phone rings. I let go of the handle for my luggage. Portia. My teeth grind together as I answer, “Yes?”

“Did you make it okay?”

“Yes. If you call standing in the middle of a machine shed, miles from civilization with my hair frizzing, a mosquito trying to drain me of all my blood, and no way to get to the Lansing Estates, okay.”

“About that….” Portia trails off as my armpits break into a sweat, making the silk fabric hug my skin.

“What?”

“The estate isn’t exactly an estate. The relatives who inherited the land that Jax wants to buy haven’t had anyone living in the house since their father went into a nursing home four years ago.”

“Great.” I turn my attention to the grinning receptionist, who’s now alone as the pilot readies the plane to return to the mainland. Go now. Get back on the plane.

Stop. It’s just a few days. A week at the most, and you’ll be back in civilization.

Robert marches across the cement floor and engulfs the hand of another man. Is that blood? I wrinkle my nose and watch their exchange. The man is tall and tan with dark hair, and while I can’t see his eyes, I’m guessing they’re a startling shade of blue. Because why wouldn’t they be?

He might be good-looking, but his clothes are disheveled and filthy. They’re either coated in blood or something worse. I shift away from them. I don’t want to know what that something else is.

I spin on my heel as I listen to my sister ramble about the land. The view. The ocean. The wildlife. And every other disgusting thing about the outside. Give me a 5-star restaurant and some upscale shopping, please.

“You’re just going to love this town. It’s amazing. I wish I wasn’t bedridden. I’d love to go back there again.” My sister and her husband came to Candy Cane Keys for Christmas, and she apparently came home with a little present, all of her own. My future niece or nephew.

“Who has a town with Christmas decorations all year? What’s wrong with these people?”

“Excuse me?” A deep baritone voice growls behind me. I twirl around, smacking the good-looking guy in the knee with my luggage.

“Shit,” he grunts and jerks backward. “Watch what you’re doing?” His eyes narrow into slits as he eyes me up and down.

“Don’t sneak up on people; you won’t get hit.”

“Ava, what’s going on?”

“Some local bumpkin is yelling at me for hurting him with my luggage when he was the one that smacked into me.”

“Say, excuse me.” The man crosses his arms over his chest. And lord, there’s a lot of it. His eyes are a stark blue like the ocean. Just as I expected. I sniff. And he smells like the ocean – salt, beach wood, and rotting fish. I hate the ocean.

*****

Author Info:

Alexia Chase is a steamy contemporary romance author who specializes in visual stories set in an interconnected world.

If you love stepping into a place that feels like home where familiar people, places, and things welcome you with open arms, then you’re in the right place.

Ms. Chase pens everything from short stories to novels with heroes from bartenders to billionaires.

What can you find between the pages? Heavy doses of snark, sinful fun, smut, and happily ever afters.

Come inside. They’re waiting for you.

Where can you find Ms. Chase when she’s not writing? Ms. Chase lives in a small community outside of Kansas City, Missouri. She spends her free time with her husband, three children, and two dogs and loves to spin stories in her head. She’s an avid learner and never far from her computer. Just ask her children. They have plenty to say about her excessive computer usage.

**** I love short stories, and I love Alexia Chase. ****

**** Oh, my I love these short hot and sexy books by Alexia. ****

**** Funny, sweet, and steamy. Alexia Chase did an awesome job with this novel. ****

**** Ms. Chase has written an engaging, steamy, funny, angst driven, and entertaining. ****

**** Sexy, funny, sweet and all the feels. ****

Quick. Dirty. Sweet.

Alexia Chase

*****

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Spotlight – Sooner or Gator

03 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Tags

Candy Cane Key, Mae Harden, Man of the Month Club, Sooner or Gator

Jackson was there on the worst night of Harper’s life, and every day since. He’s everything she wants and needs, but is it worth blowing up their carefully balanced lives? Fans of Pippa Grant, Max Monroe, and Penny Reid will devour Sooner or Gator by Mae Harden, a steamy, small town, friends-to-lovers, roommates-to-lovers, forced proximity, beach romance.

Sooner or Gator

Candy Cane Key

Man of the Month: May

by Mae Harden

Blurb:

JACKSON

“What do you need?”

That night was supposed to change everything… and it did. Just not in the way I had hoped.

I was there on the worst night of Harper’s life. The night her world came crashing down, bringing with it the crushing responsibility of raising her own sister when she was still practically a kid herself.

For seven years, I’ve been exactly what she asked for. I’ve been biding my time, but nothing stays the same—even on an island where it’s perpetually Christmas—and time is officially up.

HARPER

“A friend.”

The love of my life sleeps ten feet away from me, just on the other side of that wall. He doesn’t know how I feel about him, of course.

That would just be crazy.

Jackson has always been my rock, which is exactly why he can never know how desperately I want him.

Sure, every grin he throws in my direction sets off a storm surge down below and makes my heart race like sandpipers on the beach, but that’s not an excuse to blow up our carefully balanced lives… right?

Add to Goodreads Here!

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

*****

Excerpt:

I’m on the verge of asking Haley why she bought more wine glasses when we have a perfectly good set in the cabinet, but as she hands me one, I realize they’re only mostly stemless.

“You know most people use bottle toppers to save their wine, right?” I laugh, eyeing the stubby stem with its rubber gasket before pushing it into the opening of what is now, quite clearly, a bottle not meant for sharing. Experimentally, I tip it sideways and watch an inch of deep burgundy liquid pool in the bottom of the glass.

“Bottle toppers, much like bookmarks, are for quitters,” Haley says with a mischievous grin. “Besides, aren’t you always harping on about how important it is to finish what you start?” She looks extremely proud of herself as she tips back a hearty glug of cheap Cabernet.

“But, more importantly, you’re both wrong. Trailer Park Shark is the one with Tara Reid, but it was the douche-canoe developer who flooded the trailer park, and I’m ninety-nine percent sure she’s the S.B.T.S.”

“Back up.” Tizzy raises a hand like she’s about to ask the teacher for a bathroom pass. “You know I can’t with your movie shorthand.”

“Sole Big Tittied Survivor,” Haley sighs heavily.

“Okay, but that’s not exactly a common abbreviation,” Tizzy replies, copying Hayley’s sigh as dramatically as she can possibly manage.

Some people have incredible memories for languages or history, but no one can match Haley when it comes to movies that came out decades before she was even born.

The windows and doors are open to let in the spring air, and over the cacophony of tree frogs croaking and crickets chirping away outside, I hear car tires crunch on the gravel drive.

Craning my neck as far as I dare, I spot a familiar, black jeep. It’s more rust than paint thanks to the salty Florida air, but as its tires come to a halt in their well-worn spots, I can’t help grinning. In the fading light of the orange sky, the profile of my other best friend, Jackson Beauregard, is clearly visible as he climbs out and grabs his things.

Tizzy quirks an eyebrow at me as I straighten Haley goes on. “…and the poor-man’s Tommy Lee Jones, a.k.a. Robert Davi did not appear in Trailer Park Shark. He was, however, in the 2011 classic Swamp Shark where he starred opposite a busty blonde played by the O.G. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I swear to God, if one of you so much as whispers the name Sarah Michelle Gellar…”

My little sister waits for one of us to match her encyclopedic knowledge, but we all know it’s not going to happen.

“Kristy Swanson! Come on! Okay, extra credit points: Robert Davi was one of three villains in which beloved 80s adventure movie?”

Tizzy and I stare blankly at each other while simultaneously tipping our bottles toward the sky.

“The Goonies,” a deep voice supplies from just outside. “Come on, kid. Give us a hard one next time.”

Grinning, I tip my head backward over the couch just in time to see Jackson coming through the screen door. “‘Bout time,” I sass. “We were about to start without you.”

“No, you weren’t.” Jackson laughs, shaking his head as he drops his keys in the bowl where they always go. He hangs his backpack on its hook and drops onto the couch next to me, making me bounce as all six-and-a-half feet of him bottoms out the springs.

“Well… we had considered it.”

“What are we watching this week?” Jackson asks, changing the subject with about as much subtlety as a Horatio roller skating down Main Street in his favorite candy cane hot pants.

“Swamp Shark,” Haley votes.

“Literal flying sharks too much for you tonight?” Jackson chuckles.

“Maybe once I’ve polished this off…” Haley replies, raising her wine and its extra classy attachment in a toast. “But Kristy Swanson with a shotgun?” She lets out an exaggerated whistle. “I’m always in the mood for that.”

I snort. I can’t help it. “Yeah, who doesn’t love a busty blonde armed to the teeth?”

Jackson twists the top off a beer and shrugs dispassionately as he stares down at it. “I could take ‘em or leave ‘em, honestly.”

Tizzy leans over, her expression conspiratorial and eyes sparkling with mischief. Oh, fuck. Here we go, I groan inwardly. “And which part of that is uninspiring to you, Jackson? The ‘blonde’ bit or the ‘armed to the teeth’ bit? Because we know you don’t have issues with the ‘busty’ bit.”

“Fucking bluetooth speakers,” Jackson mutters, suddenly finding the label of his beer bottle utterly fascinating, but Haley is all ears.

“Wait… what happened? What’d I miss?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly, feeling my own face burn with embarrassment, even though I was just an innocent bystander in all this.

“Jackson forgot to disconnect the living room speakers from his phone last night… didn’t he?” Tizzy tilts her head, locking her eyes on six-and-a-half feet worth of blushing man.

Jackson clears his throat and gets to his feet. “Anyone want a glass of water?” Without waiting for an answer, he disappears, no doubt to let Tizzy get this out of her system.

“Tizz…” I start.I know what she’s getting at and it’s nothing new.

“Come on, Harper. Brunette roommate gets lonely and crawls into bed? You still seriously think that had nothing to do with you?”

“Of course, I do.” Admittedly, it would be easier if he was into something less… can porn be wholesome?

Tizzy would like everyone to believe Jackson and I are star crossed lovers, destined to fall for each other in some kind of epic love story that spans decades and generations and all of time and space.

I think Tizzy needs a new vibrator and a subscription to Passionflix, but I’m only a wimple away from making my vow of celibacy official, so what do I know?

*****

Author Info:

Mae Harden has a thing for spicy books, hilarious meet-cutes, mouthy women, and the kind of men who will pull your hair in bed, but run a bath for you after… if you’ve been a good girl, of course. Smut-com, rom-cum, or whatever you want to call them, Mae likes her books funny, filthy, and full of feels.

Mae lives in Virginia with her smokin’ hot husband, two kids who delight in giving out hugs and gray hairs, and a collection of fur babies that probably qualifies her as a zoo keeper. IF she had free time, she’d use it to bake, water the remaining houseplants, and do crafty shit, all while listening to true-crime podcasts.

*****

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Spotlight – Hate Tea Love You

15 Saturday Apr 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Tags

Annie Charme, Candy Cane Key, Hate Tea Love You, Man of the Month Club

Are you ready to meet your April Man of the Month, Grayson Brewdy? His enemy,
Chamomile, makes every muscle in his body hard and his throat dry, but he’s
thirsty for her curves. Readers who enjoy the Man of the Month Club collection
will devour Hate Tea Love You by Annie Charme, a steamy, small town, curvy girl,
enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, beach romance.

Hate Tea Love You

Candy Cane Key

Man of the Month: April

by Annie Charme

Blurb:

Chamomile
When my great aunt left me half of her tea shop in the Florida Keys, I didn’t know she left the other half to Grayson. My enemy who teased me on every family holiday. My first crush and my first kiss, CPR counts, right? Regardless, those lips are still imprinted, even if he is the most aggravating man I’ve ever known.

Grayson
She stormed into the tea shop like she owned the place. Technically she does, but I’m not about to let her ruin everything I’ve worked for while she’s been living it up in England all these years. Isn’t chamomile relaxing? Not her. She makes every muscle in my body hard and my throat dry, but I’m thirsty for her curves. She can have the tea cups. I want those double Ds.

Add to Goodreads Here!

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

*****

Excerpt:

Her shoulders drop and for a moment, the woman is replaced by the girl I remember. “I couldn’t get time off work. I tried. I really did try to get here for the funeral, but we had a deadline.”

“So did your aunt.” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.

“She would have understood. She was always proud of my work, which is why I still can’t fathom why she left me her tea shop.”

“Half her shop.” I correct her.

“Gray can you fix the urn. The spout is sticking again,” Trudy says, waddling to the table with a tray resting on her pregnant belly. “I’ll leave you to it, while I take my things up. I assume Betty’s flat is still in order upstairs.

“Upstairs?” I blink fast. “You’re moving in upstairs?”

“Where else would I stay?”

“There’s a bed and breakfast next door. You’ll have to stay there. I’m living upstairs.”

“Since when?” She crosses her arms over her chest.

“Since your aunt went into a care home and asked me to run the place.” I check to see if Lark is still sitting at the table, hoping she can offer a room at her bed and breakfast. My eyes plead with her, knowing Lark, she’s heard all our conversation.

Her lip curls as she sips on her tea. “Sorry but the bed and breakfast is full, so is the inn. You won’t find any spare rooms this time of the year with the Easter holidays.”

“Great. Well there’s no room here.” I wave my hand in the air, then pinch the bridge of my nose. I wanted her here, but I hadn’t expected her to just show up unannounced. I’m not prepared for this.

She digs a fist into her cocked hip. “Oh my goodness, it’s like Bethlehem. Are you going to put me up in a stable?”

“Why you’re not pregnant are you?”

She gives me a death stare. “Do I look pregnant to you?” She glances down at her tight denim jeans hugging her belly. “Don’t answer that,” she warns. “It’s just a little holiday weight.”

I nod, holding back my smile. I always loved her curves. And she hasn’t lost her confidence.

Lark continues to sip her tea with a smile hiding behind her china cup.

I scratch the back of my neck. “I guess you’ll have to stay here. There’s a couch.”

“Thank you.” She lets out a sigh and continues lugging her case through the back.

Damn she’s even more feisty than I remember. Her ass sways in front of me and I have the urge to squeeze it or swat it. Does she expect me to drop everything, give up my bed and wait on her, this ain’t no damn holiday resort.

Who does she think she is? Walking in here like she owns the place. Technically she does. Yeah but not for long. She wants me to buy her out. She wants to sell. Her great aunt would turn in her grave if she knew. I couldn’t buy her out even if I wanted to. And up to now it’s the only hold I had over her to get her ass back here after ten years.

*****

Author Info:

I’m a graphic artist by day and author by night, writing real, raw, racy romance. My book boyfriends are inked heroes who like fat, fun, and feisty women (sounds familiar).

My goal is to spread body positivity through my fat and fabulous curvy heroines with a good serving of British humour on the side (not forgetting an extra helping of alpha goodness).

On the very rare occasion I’m not working in my day job…or night job as a writer, I’ll be living my best life in the heart of England with my other half, two wildlings (otherwise known as Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee), and a randy cavalier pup.

My serious book fetish travels with me in our tin cruiser as we roam the English countryside. You’ll usually find me in a field somewhere or curled up on the sofa with a coffee (wine), blanket and dog to keep me cozy, and a good steamy book to make me w—warm

*****

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Spotlight – Flirt Like a Fool

01 Saturday Apr 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Candy Cane Key, Ellen Brooks, Flirt Like a Fool, Man of the Month Club

I’m determined to enjoy myself during what was supposed to be my honeymoon, crashing alone at my brother’s best friend’s houseboat. But I’m not alone–he’s here, and he’s tan, toned, and tempting as hell. Readers who enjoy the Man of the Month Club collection will devour Flirt Like a Fool by Ellen Brooks, a steamy, small town, brother’s best friend, beach romance.

Flirt Like a Fool

Candy Cane Key

Man of the Month Club collection

by Ellen Brooks

Blurb:

I don’t need a change of pace; I need a change of life, but for now I’ll settle for a week of surf, sand, and fun in the sun, along with my new mantra—flirt like a fool.

I’m determined to enjoy myself during what was supposed to be my honeymoon even though, thanks to a cheating ex-fiancé, I won’t be a newlywed lounging at a five-star resort in the Caribbean, but rather crashing solo at my brother’s best friend’s houseboat in the Florida Keys while he’s away.

It might be a Christmas themed small town, but it’s still the beach, right? As long as there’s a fruity frozen cocktail with my name on it, I’ll be fine, really.

Until I arrive and discover my brother’s best friend isn’t away after all. He’s right here and is toned, tan, and tempting as hell. But, he’s off limits… even if his houseboat only has one bed.

Add to Goodreads Here!

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

*****

Excerpt:

With one towel wrapped turban-style around my wet hair and another around my body, I emerge from the bathroom, belting out the chorus and dart to grab my clothes from the dryer down the hall, not expecting to slam directly into AJ’s broad frame.

Startled, I slip, and my wet feet slide out from underneath me. I flail one arm out and try to grab the doorjamb but go down, landing unceremoniously on my ass with a loud, “Oomph.”

My other hand keeps a deathlike grip on the towel, which fortunately, has prevented it from falling off completely. As it is, the slit gapes wide, and my entire thigh and half of my ass are on display. I squeeze my legs closed and hope he’s tall enough that, from his angle, my position doesn’t reveal any more than that.

AJ springs forward and reaches down to help me to my feet. With one warm hand on each of my shoulders, he holds me steady. His eyes, wide with concern, meet mine. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I insist, aware of how my breathless answer sounds completely unconvincing, and add a firm nod.

Our bodies are mere inches apart. Close enough the towel brushes him. I secure it tighter around my naked body. The fall jarred the one wrapped around my head, and it’s about to slide off, so I reach up and pull it down, shaking out my hair. The wet strands fall past my shoulders. I don’t even want to think about how I look right now, not that my thoughts are anywhere close to coherent at the moment. Not with this sexy man so close his body warmth is raising my temperature—fast.

Then I register his appearance. If someone told me an athletic apparel company was doing a photoshoot on Candy Cane Key and AJ was the model, I wouldn’t doubt it. His face is flushed, eyes bright with energy, and the light stubble across his cheeks and jaw beg for my touch.

A sheen of perspiration glows on his skin, and sweat darkens his light blue shirt. He opens his mouth as if he is going to speak but then snaps it closed without uttering a word. He shakes his head. Not a vigorous movement. In fact, it’s barely noticeable. Likely, I would have missed it if he wasn’t so close. And staring directly at me.

My tongue darts out to wet my lips, and his gaze falls to my mouth. His eyes narrow, and it might be my imagination, but he leans in, and I tilt my head up.

He’s going to kiss me. I feel it in my bones. But the boat rocks on a wave and interrupts the moment. As if coming to his senses, he releases my shoulders and steps back. Cool air rushed to fill the gap, and I shiver.

*****

Author Info:

Ellen Brooks believes in love at first sight, eating cake for breakfast, and staying up way too late.

She’s a classically trained pastry chef who now spends her days whipping up sexy and satisfying modern day love stories.

When she’s not dreaming up her next characters, or plotting a happily ever after, you’ll find her absorbed in a book, relaxing into shavasana, or downing a caffè americano. Oh, and belting out the lyrics to Hamilton.

Ellen lives in the desert southwest where she still *occasionally bakes a batch of cookies for her real-life hero and two girls.

*code for not often enough, if you ask them

*****

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Spotlight – Tidal Ides

15 Wednesday Mar 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Candy Cane Key, Layne Daniels, Man of the Month Club, Tidal Ides

When the new theater director wants to shake up the routine, Candy Cane Key’s mayor has some issues to take up with her. Readers who love Jessa Kane and Jamie Schlosser will enjoy Tidal Ides by Layne Daniels, a steamy, small town, enemies-to-lovers, beach romance.

Tidal Ides

Candy Cane Key

Man of the Month Club

by Layne Daniels

Blurb:

My job as mayor of the most Christmasy town South of the North Pole comes with enough perks to overlook the headaches of municipal leadership. Most of the time. The new owner of Candy Cane Key’s Community Playhouse is putting that theory to the test.

Austie Norman, with her holly berry red lips and evergreen eyes, fits in perfectly. If I ignore the way she’s messing with tradition and making changes. And if I ignore the way she blazes past tradition and brings fresh energy to town. Definitely if I ignore the way she makes my heart trip over itself every time we argue about her plans to produce an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Ides of March. We can’t do Shakespeare when we’re meant to be doing Seuss. This is Candy Cane Key and people have certain expectations when they come here.

I can ignore all of that to fall in love. I just need to find a way to make Austie ignore all the ways I drive her crazy so she falls in love with me, too.

The MAN OF THE MONTH CLUB is a steamy small-town collection featuring a new hottie (or two!) every month. In 2023, escape to Candy Cane Key, Florida, and celebrate ALL the holidays with your favorite group of romance authors and their delicious men. Can’t wait to see you there!

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

Add to Goodreads Here!

*****

Author Info:

Layne is a USA Today Bestselling Author, a long time reader of steamy romance, and began writing her own stories in December of 2020. Her favorite books to read are about Daddy Doms, strong alpha men who fall in love with fierce women, and sex positive living. When she’s not writing, she’s wrangling her family of jocks into some semblance of chill, running a business, getting ALL the tattoos, and living her love-at-first-sight fairytale with Mr. Mine.

*****

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Spotlight – Another One Bites the Dust

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Another One Bites the Dust, Candy Cane Key, Katie Rae, Man of the Month Club

It should be the happiest time in Audrey’s life, but from the moment she and Gabe land in Candy Cane Key, nothing seems to go as planned. Readers who love a side of laughter with their romance will enjoy Another One Bites the Dust by Katie Rae, a steamy, small town, everything goes wrong romantic comedy.

Another One Bites the Dust

Candy Cane Key

Man of the Month Club

by Katie Rae

Blurb:

Gabe and Audrey are BACK!

It should have been the happiest time in Audrey’s life

With the man she loved by her side

But from the moment they landed in Candy Cane Key,

Nothing seemed to go as planned.

“Please don’t tell me there are mosquitos on the beach, Gabe!”

Audrey is navigating a whole new terrain

And when things get too much for her to handle

She’s left wondering if its all worth it.

Add to Goodreads Here!

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

*****

Author Info:

Katie Rae was born in Florida where she currently lives with her husband of 19 years. She is a book obsessed beach bum that loves baseball and baking shows. She loves writing and reading to escape the craziness of daily life. Follow along as more titles are set to release. And relax–reading is what keeps us sane.

*****

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