New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: Already Gone by Kristen Proby and K.L. Grayson

Posted on 08/30/2019 by cafemamanc7

Already Gone by Kristen Proby and K.L. Grayson

Release Date: August 27, 2019

Already Gone, an all-new standalone contemporary romance by New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby and USA Today bestselling author K.L. Grayson

Falling in love is easy…

New Hope, South Carolina is my home. It’s where I grew up, got into trouble, and fell in love for the first time. Scarlett Kincaid was more than the girl next door, she was my best friend, until she decided that small town life wasn’t for her. One minute she was here, and the next she was gone.

The girl I used to fish with down at the creek is now the biggest name in country music. She headlines world tours, has won four Grammys, and I haven’t seen her since. Until today when she sped through town in her fancy car. One look at her big brown eyes was all it took to stir up a whole slew of emotions. Emotions I’d long ago buried and sure as hell don’t have time for.

It’s the aftermath that’s hard…

There are two things in my life that matter. My music, and my dad. Twelve years ago, I packed a bag and chased my dream. Leaving New Hope and escaping the gossip mill was the easiest decision I ever made. I never planned to return, but my father needs me, and he always comes first. So, I did what I had to do. I cut my tour short and came home, despite having a sister who hates me, and a community that doesn’t trust me.

And then there’s Tucker Andrews.

When he propped an arm on the roof of my car, pulled down his sunglasses and flashed his police badge, I nearly swallowed my tongue. Gone is the lanky boy who used to throw rocks at me and pull my pigtails. Tucker is now a six-foot package of brawny, sexy man wrapped in more muscle than I have hit singles. Did I mention he’s a cop and a single dad?

My goal was to help Dad, and get back to my life. But what am I supposed to do when the life that used to strangle me suddenly fits like a glove, and makes me dream of things I never thought I’d have? What happens when the boy I walked away from years ago becomes one of the most important people in my life? I don’t have room for a man much less love.

Right?

Because it’s impossible to hold onto someone who’s already gone.

Download your copy today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2MLe7Kx

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/AlreadyGoneKLGKP

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/KLKPAGAB

Nook: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPKobo

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPGR

Already Gone Landing Page: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/already-gone

Excerpt:

New Hope, South Carolina.

Population 6,129.

I know every soul represented in that number. Not a single one of them drives the shiny red Mercedes that just went speeding by.

Seventy-five in a forty-five.

I flick on my lights and press on the gas, sending my cruiser flying past the city limit sign and the godawful billboard that sits directly behind it; the one declaring New Hope home to country music superstar, Scarlett Kincaid.

It wouldn’t be a big deal if this were actually her home. It’s not. Scarlett may have been born here, but her fancy boots haven’t landed on this soil in over a decade.

All it took was one call from a hotshot music executive to send her packing before the ink was dry on her high school diploma. Scarlett flew from this town fast enough to leave our heads spinning. Before any of us could process what had happened, little Scarlett Kincaid—the same girl who used to build forts with me in my living room while my mama made us mac ‘n’ cheese—had a hit single sitting at number one on the Billboard charts.

She went from homecoming queen and most likely to marry a rich spouse in our senior yearbook, to the queen of country music.

The country loves her. Hell, the whole world loves her.

New Hope…not so much. And it’s high time that fucking sign comes down.

But first, I have to deal with this speed demon in the sexy red car.

I sound the sirens, and the car pulls to the side of the road and waits while I walk to the driver’s side window. It’s still up, the heavy tint preventing me from seeing inside. With a hand on my holster—because you never know what you’re going to walk up on—I knock on the window.

The dark glass lowers.

My first thought: this woman is absolutely gorgeous. Long, dark hair. Pouty lips. And a tiny pink dress. Her eyes are covered by oversized aviators, but I’m sure they’re as pretty as the rest of her.

My second thought: what crazy excuse is she going to come up with to try and get out of this ticket? It never ceases to amaze me the things women are willing to do to keep from getting into trouble. I’ve been offered everything from a blowjob to a pay-off to marriage.

“Do you know why I pulled you over today, ma’am?”

“Tucker?” The woman smiles, then pushes her sunglasses to the top of her head. And that’s when I see the brown eyes I’ve spent more than a decade trying to forget. “Tucker Andrews, is that you?”

I step back and square my shoulders. “You can call me Officer Andrews. Do you know why I pulled you over today, ma’am?”

“Tucker.” The woman laughs and shakes her head. “It’s me, Scarlett.”

At the mention of her name, I’m met with an onslaught of flashbacks. Running hand and hand through the neighborhood with her, laughing and playing, only to have her ignore me the second we got to school. The popular crowd versus the nerds who desperately tried to fit in. She the former, me the latter, and the pain it caused every time she acted as though she didn’t know my name. For years, I pretended it didn’t bother me because I knew that when I got home, Scarlett would meet me at the fence, and the awkwardness from the day would dissipate as though it never happened.

But it did. Day after day after day. I was a glutton for punishment. There was nothing in the world I loved more than Scarlett Kincaid, and it didn’t matter how badly she hurt me, I was always willing to forgive her.

Her smile and laugh might’ve gotten to me in middle school and high school, but I refuse to let it affect me now.

“I know who you are.”

Her smile falters.

About Kristen:

Kristen was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.

During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.

Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.

Connect with Kristen:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByKristenProby/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Handbagjunkie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenproby/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kristen-proby
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kBRdpj
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2BD4vfq
Pinterest: @handbagjunkie
Website: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/kristenproby/newsletter-sign-up

About K.L. Grayson

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained

daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she

writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the

day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males,

brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that

order.

Connect with K.L. Grayson

Facebook: http://bit.ly/KLGraysonFB

Instagram: http://bit.ly/KLGraysonIG

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/KLGraysonPin

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/KLGraysonBB

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

Twitter: http://bit.ly/KLGraysonTW

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/KLGraysonGR

Website: www.klgrayson.com

New Release + Release Blitz and Blog Tour + Excerpt: Instant Gratification by Lauren Blakely

Posted on 08/30/2019 by cafemamanc7

INSTANT GRATIFICATION by Lauren Blakely
Release Date: August 29th
Cover Designer: Helen Williams

Add to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45441933-instant-gratification

AVAILABLE NOW!!
✦Kindle ➜ https://amzn.to/2L7A97W
✦Apple Books ➜ https://blkly.pub/AppleInstant
✦Kobo ➜ https://blkly.pub/KoboInstant
✦Nook ➜ https://blkly.pub/NookInstant
✦Google Play ➜ https://blkly.pub/GoogleInstant
✦Paperback ➜ https://amzn.to/2MLoQEw
✦Audible ➜ https://amzn.to/2ZClIkt

Blurb:
I need a fake date. She needs my late-night expertise. Now, if we can just keep our hands off each other…

As the premier best-man-for hire in all of Manhattan, I promise discretion, so when I need a plus one for a couple of “I dos,” I turn to my gorgeous, clever, witty best friend’s sister. She’s my good friend, too, and I lust after her completely. I mean, I TRUST her completely.

After all, just look how she’s kept her lips sealed about the hot, multi-O night we spent together. Yes, just look at those sexy lips.

In any case, we only fell off the wagon once, and it was months ago. I’m sure we can make it through these weddings without banging each other in the limo.

Or can we?

INSTANT GRATIFICATION is a sexy, standalone romantic comedy!

Excerpt:
From: MixologistExtraordinaire at gmail

To: LuckySpotGirl at gmail

Re: Confessions of a Bad Girl

I am the worst twin sister in the world.
The absolute worst.
How could I do this?

And by this, I mean engage in earth-shattering, toe-curling, bend-me-over-the-bed-and-take-me-hard sex with my brother’s best friend. By the way, did I mention the sex was incredible?

Oh, wait. I did.

But I’m not surprised, because I’ve always liked his company. He’s funny and clever, and he has this irreverent side that’s fascinating and wildly entertaining.

But we were only supposed to go snowboarding.

WE’VE SNOWBOARDED TOGETHER BEFORE WITHOUT INCIDENT.

It all seemed innocuous, right? A day on the slopes in January.

At the end of the final run, the sun had already set, and we headed into the ski lodge and made plans to meet for dinner.

I didn’t even drink at dinner. Neither did he. We just talked the whole time, and there was candlelight. Stupid candlelight. And he was flirting, and he always flirts, but this time . . . this time we weren’t in New York. We were far enough away I could forget everything that went wrong years ago.

About the Author:
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sweet, sexy and witty. Her heroines are strong and smart and her heroes have hearts of gold and fantastic funny bones. She lives on the West Coast with her family, including her smoking hot and hilarious husband and her two brilliant and kind teenagers. She has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs — she might have four dogs, or maybe five. If she’s lucky, she’ll soon have six dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, and she’s sold more than 3 million books. In October she’ll release Never Have I Ever.

She’d love to give you a free book today! Check out her web site to grab your free read: laurenblakely.com/one-free-book/

Connect w/Lauren:
Website: http://www.laurenblakely.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBlakely3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lauren-blakely
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YzfGNv
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860216.Lauren_Blakely

New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: Handle With Care by Helena Hunting

Posted on 08/29/2019 by cafemamanc7

“Lincoln and Wren had me flipping through the pages frantically, begging for more. Their chemistry was explosive, their love story both hilarious and tender.”- L.J. Shen, USA Today bestselling author

Handle With Care, an all-new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!

HE WANTS TO LOSE CONTROL.

Between his parents’ messed up marriage and his narcissistic younger brother, Lincoln Moorehead has spent the majority of his life avoiding his family. After the death of his father, Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the drama. To top it all off, he’s been named CEO of Moorehead Media, much to his brother’s chagrin. But Lincoln’s bad attitude softens when he meets the no-nonsense, gorgeous woman who has been given the task of transforming him from the gruff, wilderness guy to a suave businessman

SHE’S TRYING TO HOLD IT TOGETHER.

Wren Sterling has been working double time to keep the indiscretions at Moorehead Media at bay, so when she’s presented with a new contract, with new responsibilities and additional incentives, she agrees. Working with the reclusive oldest son of a ridiculously entitled family is worth the hassle if it means she’s that much closer to pursuing her own dreams. What Wren doesn’t expect is to find herself attracted to him, or for it to be mutual. And she certainly doesn’t expect to fall for Lincoln. But when a shocking new Moorehead scandal comes to light, she’s forced to choose between her own family and the broody, cynical CEO.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Zs6EpH

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2VXTyvK

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/HandleWithCare

Nook: http://bit.ly/2FmIv9x

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2M09aKC

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2RRkyh8

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2MJg61X

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2FgCXxX

Excerpt:

“You have a suit fitting tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow morning? I have lots of suits; I’ll make one of those work.”

“Are they like the ones you wore to the funeral?” I ask.

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, they may have fit you five years ago, but they certainly don’t fit you now. I’ll text you the details and add them to your personal calendar.”

“You can’t do that without my cell number.” His smugness would be grating if I wasn’t two steps ahead of him.

I flash a fake smile. “I already have all of your personal details, Lincoln. Right down to your shoe size. And you can’t be late like you were this morning, so it might be a good idea to avoid the scotch tonight so you’re less bear and more human. You’ll need to use these things called manners. I can email you a refresher on what those are, should you need it.”

“Sarcasm is a weapon of the weak.”

My ears are on fire as he heads for the door. Jerk. I was being witty, not sarcastic. “Thanks so much for offering to help clean up the mess you made.” I turn to address the crinkled papers scattered on the floor.

It’s common courtesy to offer assistance if you’re the one who made the damn mess. Even Armstrong, who is the most epic of douches, has some manners. Usually he’ll try to look up a skirt or down a shirt while he’s being polite, but it’s better than this.

I turn to retrieve the papers when two things happen, a power surge ramps up the box fans—it happens at least twice a day, and at the same time Lincoln pulls the door open again. The simultaneous actions create a vortex of air inside my office, and my skirt flutters into the air. Like I’m Marilyn Monroe and I’ve stepped onto one of those subway grates. The fabric rises quickly, and a breeze hits me right between the legs, which is the exact moment I remember that I’m not wearing panties. Because they were covered in the coffee Armstrong spilled in my lap.

I drop the papers and battle the fabric back down. It’s fruitless, though, the wind tunnel whirls through the room like Dorothy’s freaking tornado, and the back of my dress goes up. I meet Lincoln’s gaze from across the small room. All it takes is a second of eye contact before those ridiculously blue eyes pull me in, and weird, inappropriate things start happening to my body. It’s irritating as hell. I don’t even like this guy, but my body seems as if it hasn’t gotten the same memo as the rest of me. Even more aggravating is the realization that based on his expression, he totally caught an eyeful of cooch.

Lincoln stands frozen at the door, eyes wide and fixed on my crotch, mouth hanging open.

“Close the damn door!” My voice is siren high. And loud.

“Right. Yes. I’m going. Now.” He steps out of my office, pulling the door closed behind him.

My dress settles around my knees. “Dammit.” I drop into my chair, which is probably what I should’ve done as soon as the wind tunnel started, but clearly I’d been too panicked to think straight.

On the upside, I went to see my waxer last week, so he’s seen my girl bits when they’re looking their finest.

On the downside, my project for the next six months has seen my naked girl bits.

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena:
Instagram: http://instagram.com/helenahunting Twitter: https://twitter.com/HelenaHunting
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zt1xm5
Facebook Fan group: http://bit.ly/340v5tQ
Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/
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New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: The Reluctant Boyfriend by Erika Kelly

Posted on 08/28/2019 by cafemamanc7

“A fun, feel-good royal romance that will have you laughing, smiling and swooning.”- Frolic

The Reluctant Boyfriend, an all-new contemporary romance standalone from Erika Kelly, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

Princess Gone Wild!

When Princess Rosalina discovers her fiancé cheating on her, she’s done being dutiful. Jumping on a plane, she lands five thousand miles away in a world of hot cowboys, jean skirts, and tequila. Grabbing her chance to fly under the radar, she plans on acting out every single fantasy she’s denied herself while trying to meet the expectations of her family and country.

Brodie Bowie doesn’t know what happened. One minute he’s wreaking havoc and tearing up the slopes with his brothers, and the next he’s an outsider. All of them are in serious relationships. He just can’t figure out why they’d put a ring on it when there’s so much fun to be had as a single man.

Brodie’s not the settling down type, but then he’s never met anyone like the woman who jumps in front of his bulldozer, refusing to let him dig up his meadow. The feisty chemist and perfumer is everything he never knew he wanted.

Except she only wants a summer fling before she goes back to her real life . . . as a princess.

He doesn’t fit in her world, and there’s no way she can live in his.

But a love like theirs doesn’t play by the rules.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ReluctantBoyfriend

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2zq9LzJ

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2LnARPS

Excerpt:

“I thought you needed clothes so you could work? Like jeans and shirts.”

“I do.” She gestured to a stack of clothes folded on the chair. “But I love these summer dresses. They’re so pretty. I’m worried this one’s too bright, though.”

“Nope. It’s perfect. Now you just need a reason to wear it.”

“I have one.” She watched him carefully in the mirror. “I’m going on a date.”

“A date? With whom?”

“The guy I met at the bar the other night.”

Part of her checklist. Get freaky with a cowboy. “And he’s already asked you out?” Of course he did. She was beautiful and fun. Smart and sexy. What guy wouldn’t want to be with her?

She nodded. “What’s that expression for?”

He wouldn’t pretend with her, so he leaned in—real close. “He better be special, princess. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Sometimes, all it takes is a moment.” She faked a dreamy expression. “Sometimes, you look into someone’s eyes and you just know. He’s your one and only. Your soulmate.”

Okay, she was fucking with him. He straightened. “So, is Mr. Wonderful moving to St. Christophe to wear the crown or are you moving out here to work his ranch?”

“Details. We’re just going to wing it, let true love run its course.” She laughed. “It’s just a date. It’s not a big deal.”

“Yeah, but he might expect things.”

She covered her mouth with a hand, her eyes comically wide. “You don’t mean…s-e-x, do you?”

“All right, smart ass. Get dressed. Let’s pay for all this crap and get out of here.”

“Wait. There’s one more thing I want you to look at.” She made a circling motion with her finger.

“Fine.”

“And close your eyes for real this time. No looking at your phone.”

“Why? You gonna get nekkid?”

“Actually, yes, and I don’t want you to go crazy and start pawing at me.”

“I think I can control myself.”

“I don’t know. All I did was ask one for one little kiss, and you were all over me.”

He smiled. “Sure as fuck was. So don’t be asking me for any more kisses, unless you want what I’ve got to give.”

“Oh, okay, bad boy. You’ve got me running scared now. Just keep your eyes closed. I’ll be ready in a minute.”

Brodie wanted to watch her strip out of that dress more than he could ever remember wanting anything. He wanted to see her tits pop out as she leaned forward to let the straps fall from around her neck, her ass sway as she lowered it over her hips, and her smooth skin bared in the soft light of the dressing room.

He wanted to see that shy smile and feel those bold fingers, wanted to feel her hips rock up and grind against his hard cock. How many minutes would it have taken before she’d gotten herself off last night? If he hadn’t walked out on her, she’d have come. He’d have gotten to watch her features go slack, her body seize in ecstasy.

Fuck, yeah. He wanted to see that.

Wanted to be the one to make her come.

He heard her moving around in the dressing room, the smack of elastic, and then it went quiet. “You ready?” he asked.

“Um…”

He turned around to find her in a black bikini. Two scraps of spandex covered her plump tits, and the bottom was a strip of fabric connecting two patches of fabric.

“Brodie.”

“What?”

“Eyes up here.”

“How can I give you my opinion if I’m looking in your eyes?”

“Can you at least wipe the drool off your chin? It’s very unbecoming.”

“You going to wear that for the hot cowboy?”

“Yes. I thought I’d answer the door in it and pretend I just got back from the lake, tell him I’m running late. Good strategy?”

“Are you such a smart ass in St. Christophe?”

She got a panicked look. “Shh.”

“No one can hear us.” He flicked his fingers at the bikini. “You sure you need that thing?”

“Okay, I’m getting from all these questions that you like the way it looks. I don’t usually wear such…flimsy swimsuits. I just wanted to know if it looks all right.”

“You wear that, you’re going to wind up pregnant, and then what will your parents think?”She leaned close and whispered, “Then I’ll get the heir without the husband. Pure win.”

About Erika

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life—she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she lives in the northeast, drinks a lot of tea, and is always waiting for her cats to get off her keyboard.

Connect with Erika

Amazon: https://amzn.to/32STiBF

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2ZcBWND

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Y6SLgO
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2Zi3ZeS
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2K6XvsK

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3104877
Website: https://www.erikakellybooks.com
Sign up for Erika’s mailing list to stay informed on upcoming releases and sales:

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New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt + Giveaway: The Body Painter by Pepper Winters

Posted on 08/26/2019 by cafemamanc7

The Body Painter
Pepper Winters
(Master of Trickery Duet #1)
Publication date: August 20th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

“Must be slim, able to stand for long periods of time, and be impervious to the cold.”

The headline caught my attention.

“Hours are negotiable, pay is minimal, clothing absolutely forbidden.”

The second line piqued my curiosity.

“Able to hold your bladder and tongue, refrain from opinions or suggestions, and be the perfect living canvas.”

The third made me scowl.

“Other attributes required: non-ticklish, contortionist, and obedient. Must also enjoy being studied while naked in a crowd.”

The fourth made me shudder.

“Call or email ‘YOUR SKIN, HIS CANVAS’ if interested in applying.”

The final made my heart race.

I should’ve kept scrolling past the advertisement.

I should’ve applied for the boring receptionist job at minimum wage.

I should’ve clicked on any other job where I got to keep my clothes on.

But I didn’t.

I applied.

My interview is tomorrow…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

“Um, hi? I’m…eh, here for the interview?” I stepped warily toward the noise.

Another curse followed by a loud thump.

“I heard you the first time.” A man appeared from the darkness.

A man with shaggy dark hair, five o’clock shadow, and eyes so maliciously green they masqueraded as body parts but were really well-honed weapons.

A man who was bleeding from his temple, limping, and holding his elbow as if it needed reattaching.

“Sorry, I didn’t know if—” I gulped as something long ago tugged in remembrance.

No.

It can’t be…

Recognition slammed into me as forcibly as it slammed into him.

I stumbled under the weight.

Punched by the unbelievable.

“Gil? Oh, my God. Gil!”

Older.

Darker.

More gorgeous than he’d ever been.

I fought every instinct to go to him.

Did my best not to grab him, kiss him, shake him, slap him.

A gust of air blasted through the warehouse as if the winds of fate woke up, felt a tug on whatever linked us together, and clapped its hands in glee, saying, ‘Yes, this will be fun. Let’s put these two back together again.’

“Olin? Fuck…it’s you.” His gaze tore over me as hungrily as mine tore over him.

Time stood still. It reversed. It plopped us right back in the past where this boy had held my heart, and I’d captured his, and together we knew it would always be about us.

Us.

There is no more us.

I stumbled toward him, desperate to be nearer despite so much pain. “I can’t believe this. What are you doing here?”

“What am I? What are you?” He tripped in my direction, his face etched with lines I hadn’t seen in his youth, his body all angles and threats. As fast as he’d headed toward me, he halted as if yanked back by a rope. His face fell. His shock at seeing me morphed into hardness.

I didn’t understand how he could change so much in a few short seconds.

Goosebumps decorated me as coldness settled like a cloak around his shoulders.

“I’ve been back in Birmingham two years. I—” I stopped talking, unable to share the secrets that followed such a statement. “I…”

He closed his eyes, shutting me out as if battling something deep within him. Deliberately, he took a step back, his chin coming up, his coldness settling into ice.

The silence that’d chased us in our fledgling romance returned, thick and heavy.

My back prickled. My mouth turned dry.

Too much distance existed between us, swelling with memory of how things had ended, why we were strangers now, and just how much heartbreak had been left behind.

Along with silence came shadows, creeping over Gil’s expression, shutting down any remaining signs of his shock and gratefulness at seeing me. Heartbeat by heartbeat, he hid any sign that my visit was a welcome one.

I struggled, not knowing what to say.

His gaze no longer held happiness, just aching emptiness and suspicion. “How did you find me?” He didn’t give me chance to reply. “You can’t be here, Olin. You need to leave. I don’t want you anywhere near me.”

Author Bio:

Pepper Winters is a multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestseller.

After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. She’s also honoured to wear the IndieReader Badge for being a Top 10 Indie Bestseller.

Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.

Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian, French, German, Hebrew, and Turkish.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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New Release + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Quiet Man by Kristen Ashley – A Dream Man Novella

Posted on 08/15/2019 by shellbellereads

We are beyond excited to be sharing this release from Kristen Ashley with you today! QUIET MAN is part of her Dream Man series and it is releasing as part of 1001 Dark Nights. It just went live today! Check out an excerpt and book trailer from the title below. Click here to grab your copy now.

Purchase your copy of QUIET MAN today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

About QUIET MAN:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes a new story in her Dream Man series…

Charlotte “Lottie” McAlister is in the zone. She’s ready to take on the next chapter of her life, and since she doesn’t have a man, she’ll do what she’s done all along. She’ll take care of business on her own. Even if that business means starting a family.

The problem is, Lottie has a stalker. The really bad kind. The kind that means she needs a bodyguard.

Enter Mo Morrison.

Enormous. Scary.

Quiet.

Mo doesn’t say much, and Lottie’s used to getting attention. And she wants Mo’s attention. Badly.

But Mo has a strict rule. If he’s guarding your body, that’s all he’s doing with it.

However, the longer Mo has to keep Lottie safe, the faster he falls for the beautiful blonde who has it so together, she might even be able to tackle the demons he’s got in his head that just won’t die.

But in the end, Lottie and Mo don’t only have to find some way to keep hands off until the threat is over, they have to negotiate the overprotective Hot Bunch, Lottie’s crazy stepdad, Tex, Mo’s crew of frat-boy commandos, not to mention his nutty sisters.

All before Lottie finally gets her Dream Man.

And Mo can lay claim to his Dream Girl.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Add QUIET MAN to your Goodreads TBR here!

Purchase your copy of QUIET MAN today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Excerpt:

He picked up the paper, turned it over and read it again.

It stated, plainly, he was fucked.

More alarmingly, it stated, chillingly, Mac was in danger.

This was a problem more than it was already a colossal motherfucking problem.

Any other one of his girls, he’d pick up the phone to Lee Nightingale, the man behind Nightingale Investigations, the commander of the baddest badass motherfuckers in Denver. He’d hand over this letter and he’d get this problem solved.

But Mac was Charlotte McAlister, Jet McAlister Chavez’s little sister. Jet was married to Eddie Chavez. Eddie was Lee’s best friend. And Jet worked for Indy, Lee’s wife, the Queen of the Rock Chicks, and thus Jet Chavez was a bona fide Rock Chick.

Mac might not be a card-carrying member of the Rock Chicks, mostly because she had a job where she worked nights, the time those crazy bitches instigated the most fucked-up of their varying antics. Though they weren’t averse to mornings and afternoons. It was just that the stun-gunnings, kidnappings and the like mostly took place at night, and Mac was busy then.

She was still a Rock Chick, or at least she was by association.

Considering the Rock Chick link and the blood ties to Jet, if Lee knew Mac was in danger, he’d tear the town apart to put a stop to it.

And Eddie…

Now Eddie, Smithie didn’t even want to think about it. The man was a cop. The shit Lee and his boys did with flair and a flagrant disregard to just about anything, Eddie could not do.

But Eddie wouldn’t blink at doing whatever he had to do to make his sister-in-law safe.

And the man had mouths to feed.

So yeah.

This was a problem even more than it already was a colossal motherfucking problem because Smithie couldn’t call Lee.

Which meant Smithie had to find a different set of badasses to deal with it.

His first call would normally be the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Mac wasn’t one of theirs, neither was Smithie, but they had ties to Lee, they could keep a secret, and they didn’t dick around when it came to women and their safety.

But they’d just come out of a war, and like any war, that had been some serious fucked-up shit.

They needed a breather.

Lee, and Chaos, also had ties to…

“Well, hell,” Smithie muttered, the words on the letter blurring, the sick feeling in the back of his throat easing.

He dropped the letter and picked up his cell.

If you couldn’t call a badass…

Then it was far from second best to call a commando.

BOOK TRAILER

“OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FREAKING LOVED IT!!!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!! This was pure Old School Vintage KA GOLD!!!”
~Aestas Book Blog

“[Kristen] Ashley captivates.”
~Publisher’s Weekly

“There is something about them [Ashley’s books] that I find crackalicious.”
~DearAuthor.com, Kati Brown

Excerpt

I unlocked and opened my door.

Then I immediately, and automatically, took a step back.

All right.

Whoa.

I could get a hint from the chest and what it might be attached to with what I’d seen of that throat, but this guy had to be six five, maybe taller.

And his height was only a part of why Smithie described him the way he did.

He wasn’t “motherfucking huge.”

He was motherfucking huge.

I was average height.

But slender.

My sister had ass.

My job was physical. It wasn’t just the nightly dancing. It was the practice and constantly choreographing and adding new routines. I could probably eat a boatload, but I didn’t because I was too busy to eat, and when I did, I’d learned long ago what all the experts said was what an expert would know from studying it. Eating good food gave me more energy, made me sleep better and put me in a better mood (most of the time).

So unless the occasion was special, I put good food in my mouth and didn’t drink much outside water, flavored water, sparkling water, with the odd antioxidant vitamin drink thrown in.

So yeah, I was slender.

And two of me could make this guy.

Maybe three.

He moved forward.

I moved back.

His movements were unwieldy. Not clumsy—heavy and plodding.

It didn’t matter this guy was a bull in a china shop.

He’d terrify small children.

Hell, he’d terrify grown men.

And that had nothing to do with the gun worn openly on his hip.

It had to do with what that compression shirt barely contained, not to mention the carved protrusion of the muscles of his biceps exposed by the short sleeves, the sinewy, richly veined lengths of his forearms and the trunks of his long legs covered in dark gray commando pants.

He shut the door behind him, twisted at the waist and I heard the lock click.

He twisted back to me.

“Hey,” I forced out.

He dipped his chin.

“You’re Mo,” I stated unnecessarily.

“Yup,” he agreed.

Michel’s Review

Quiet Man by Kristen Ashley is the book / novella her fans have been waiting for. An opportunity to revisit the beloved Dream Man characters, some of the Rock Chick characters, Smitty, and TEX. A pure delight to finally see the extraordinary superstar pole dancer and pesky little sister Lottie Mac finally get her happy ever after.

Smitty has been receiving threatening letters concerning Lottie Mac at the strip clubs. He is very concerned and knows that taking care of the situation is a very delicate matter because of the infamous “Rock Chicks”. He can’t hire Nightingale Security because of their family and Rock Chick connections to Lottie. Once again he can’t go to the police for the same reason. The only thing he can do is bring in Hawk and his team to take care of the dangerous stalker situation.

The first thing Hawk does is assign Lottie a bodyguard twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Hawk assigns his best man, Mo Morrison, to the job. Mo is known for his complete focus and ability to protect his client. They underestimated the charming powers of Charlotte “Lottie Mac” MacAlister and it has nothing to do with her talent on the pole. Lottie is going to distract Mo with her perfectly organized refrigerator, her healthy dietary dishes, her clever conversation skills, and genuine big heart.

He needs to eliminate the threat to Lottie’s life so he can claim her as his own. After all she is a Rock Chick by relation, and no man can resist that. Lottie has her heart set on Mo and no stalker is going to stop her from claiming her man.

Kristen Ashley charmed me once again. It was wonderful to go back to one of my favorite “reading worlds” and visit with old friends while making new ones. I hope there’s more to come.

About KRISTEN ASHLEY:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

Connect With Her:

New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: Discretion by Karina Halle

Posted on 08/09/2019 by cafemamanc7

Discretion by Karina Halle

Release Date: August 6, 2019

Discretion, a full-length contemporary standalone romance by Karina Halle.

The Riviera means indulgence—if you’ve got money. For Sadie Reynolds, a down-on-her-luck student, the Riviera means dingy hostels and back streets. When a wrong turn puts her in jeopardy, the last thing she expects is to be saved by the most handsome stranger she’s ever locked eyes with. When she later wakes up in a luxury suite with a Mediterranean view, she’s in the tender care of her rescuer: Olivier Dumont, France’s most eligible bachelor, billionaire hotelier, and heir to the Dumont fashion fortune.

Olivier also owns his reputation for scandal. But Sadie is unlike any woman he’s ever met. Her humble persona and wild innocence promise real passion. He’s promising Sadie something too: anything she wants. From Bordeaux to Cannes to Paris, Sadie’s past in America is swept away and replaced with a fantasy too good to be true.

Pulled into Olivier’s orbit of wealth, glamour, and excess, Sadie discovers that the Dumont dynasty comes with a legacy of wicked secrets. And Olivier’s secrets may be the most damning of all…

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2YUyztY

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/KHalleDiscretion

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Y731la

Excerpt:

“Care to go for a swim?” Olivier asks, his tie now loose, his hands deftly unbuttoning his shirt.

Oh God.

“Um,” I manage to say feebly, “I don’t have a bathing suit.”

“Go in your underwear.”

“I’m not wearing a bra.” He smirks. “I’ve noticed.” Then he shrugs off his jacket and shirt until he’s topless.

Even in the dim light, he’s a sight to behold. Wide, firm chest, rigid abs, those lickable Vs on the side of his hips—all wrapped up in a smooth golden package.

Speaking of package, now his fingers are undoing his belt, and I’m not sure I’m ready for what’s next.

“I’m going in,” he tells me. “You’re free to join me. I highly advise a dip in the Mediterranean. The sea salt here is good for your soul.”

I’ll tell you what else is good for the soul: watching Olivier Dumont take off his clothes, that’s what. The sound as he undoes his zipper is so loud it seems to bounce off the waves.

I quickly avert my eyes, even though the temptation to stare is overwhelming, and then he moves into my vision: his perfect shoulders, back, and, yes, one hell of an ass, all lit by the soft moonlight.

He stops just at the stern of the ship, climbs over the railing, and with one quick smile back at me over his shoulder, swan-dives naked into the sea with barely a splash.

I get up and scramble over as quickly as I can with my ankle and peer over the side.

He’s swimming and grinning up at me, his wet hair pushed off his face. But that’s not the only thing that’s taking my breath away.

The water around him is lit up, like the moon’s glow has saturated it. The light continues out from around him along the dark waves, like cool white trails snaking through the sea.

“It’s called une mer de lait,” he says. “The sea of milk. It’s bioluminescence from a type of Mollusca.”

“It’s magical,” I say breathlessly, trying to soak it all in. “We have something like this in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s more blue and green. This is like . . . you’re swimming in the Milky Way.”

“Doesn’t it make you want to jump in?”

It does. And so does the fact that he’s so effortlessly bobbing in the waves.

“Is it safe?”

“Very much so.”

“Warm?”

“Bien sûr.”

I think about it for a minute. “What about my ankle?”

“You can use the steps and platform at the back, just there. Unwrap your ankle so the bandage doesn’t get wet, and we’ll put it back on you after.”

“And my lack of bathing suit?”

“I just went in naked.”

“I didn’t see anything,” I tell him quickly.

“No? That’s a shame. It was the whole point.”

I smile, feeling extremely giddy all of a sudden, like everything inside me is fired up and ready to go. Fuck yes, I’m going in.

“Okay,” I tell him, walking around to the back, where there’s a step leading down to a wide wooden swimming platform. I sit down on the step and start unwrapping my ankle. “But you have to turn around when this dress comes off.”

“You do know by now that most women in France swim and sunbathe topless anyway?”

“And you know by now that I am not a Frenchwoman, nor am I most women,” I tell him, pulling the rest of the bandage off and setting it aside before easing up to my feet. “Okay, turn around now.”

He sighs but pivots in the water so he’s facing the shore. I quickly reach down and slip off my underwear, not wanting to get them wet, then unzip my dress and pull it over my head. I toss it back on the deck and look to see if he’s peeking.

To his credit, he’s not, but he is letting out a sly whistle of sorts as if he might have been earlier.

“You better not have seen anything,” I warn him as I hobble over to the edge.

“My imagination is pretty good at filling in the blanks,” he says, and I can hear the grin on his face. “Though I have no doubt it won’t do it justice for when I see the real thing.”

“When?” I repeat with a dry laugh, but inside a million fireworks are going off.

Time to take the literal plunge.

There’s nothing as nerve-racking as the moment before you’re about to jump, when something goes from a concept that you’ve talked about and considered to a real, actual thing. It’s scary. It doesn’t matter if it’s taking your first trip overseas or jumping into the Mediterranean Sea at night. The abstract becomes your reality, and it’s happening.

So I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and jump.

Meet Karina:

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarinahalle/
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http://authorkarinahalle.com

New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: Feast of Sparks by Sierra Simone

Posted on 08/08/2019 by cafemamanc7

FEAST OF SPARKS (Thornchapel #2) by Sierra Simone
Release Date: August 1st
Cover Designer: Hang Le
Photographer: Regina Wamba

Add to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44434266-feast-of-sparks

AVAILABLE NOW!!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/31nDyoD
Amazon INTL: http://mybook.to/feastofsparks
Apple Books: https://sierrasim.one/iSparks
Nook: sierrasim.one/NookSparks
Kobo: sierrasim.one/KoboSparks
Google Play: COMING SOON
Goodreads: sierrasim.one/SparksGR

START THE SERIES TODAY WITH
A LESSON IN THORNS (Thornchapel #1)
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KmdMeR
Amazon INTL: mybook.to/ALIT
B&N: http://bit.ly/2UO1VsN
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2HJxKiI

Blurb:
I’m an outcast and a loner, named for death itself. Fate wasn’t supposed to have plans for me.

But then she came back—the girl I once kissed in a thorn-covered chapel in the woods. She came back, and I could no more resist her than I could pry out my own heart. And by some trick of fate, she wants me as much as I want her. The only problem? She also wants the man who owns Thornchapel, Auden Guest.

And so do I.

Eight years ago, I did something to Auden, something terrible. He hurt me back the only way he knew how, and so here we are: our hatred seasoned with pain and my loneliness seasoned with longing. The only thing we can agree on is Proserpina Markham, and she wants us to find a way to be together—all three of us.

If Auden wants to earn her as his submissive, then he has to earn me as well.

But with the discovery of bones behind the altar and the carnal revel of Beltane fast approaching, it’s becoming clear that Thornchapel’s secrets are much deeper and older than any of us could have ever guessed. And no matter how bright and merry a feast of sparks may be, it’s always followed by ashes.

And darkness.

Excerpt:
Shame, hot and prickling, needles everywhere at my face and chest and belly as I begin to bend down to the floor. The cool air that caresses my pussy is now everywhere as the position begins to expose my most secret flesh, and there’s no pretending away the reality of what I’m doing. I’m doing something I’ve never done before, I’m offering up the filthiest part of me for inspection, and despite everything the three of us have shared in the past twenty-four hours, I’m flooded with shame. It’s real shame now, not play-shame, and my safe word floats to the top of my mind, a buoy in the clear waters.

Convivificat.

I don’t want to safe out right now, I’m nowhere near the edge, but it’s nice to have it there all the same. Reassuring. There’s nothing they can do that I can’t stop.

And anyway, this is who I am—who I’ve been growing into ever since I found the words to define it.

About the Author:
Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City.

Connect w/Sierra Simone:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sierra-Simone-497450453680395/?fref=ts
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SierraSimonesLambs
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Website: http://authorsierrasimone.com/

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New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: Lost In You by Lexi Blake

Posted on 08/08/2019 by cafemamanc7

“A hot, sexy mix of angst, longing, suspense and drama you don’t want to miss!” — Carly Phillips, New York Times Bestselling Author

Lost in You, an all-new sexy and action packed installment in the Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake, is available now!

Robert McClellan was forced to serve as a soldier in a war he didn’t understand. Liberated by McKay-Taggart, he struggles every day to reclaim the life he lost and do right by the men he calls his brothers, The Lost Boys. Only one thing is more important – Ariel Adisa. The gorgeous psychologist has plagued his dreams since the day they met. Even as their mission pushes him to his limits, he can’t stop thinking about taking his shot at finding a life beyond all this with her.

Ariel Adisa is a force to be reckoned with. Her performance in Toronto proved she’s more than just a brilliant mind, but Robert still acts as if she is a wilting flower who needs his protection. Joining him on the mission to Munich should be the perfect opportunity to test their skills and cement their relationship. She and Robert are an excellent match. But when a stunning secret from Robert’s past is revealed, their world is turned upside down and nothing will ever be the same again.

While they chase dark secrets across Europe, Robert and Ariel realize that the only thing worse than not knowing who you are could be discovering who you used to be…

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KvX7Eo

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2Utg8e6

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/LostinYouLB

Nook: https://bit.ly/2Gf1Utw

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2D47KL7

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Wt93Mi

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2YwzXaJ

Amazon Audible: https://amzn.to/31qPRAx

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2XwVqf

Excerpt:

He led Ariel out. Down the hall he saw Dante outside the media room, a beer in his hand. He’d been turned toward the kitchen at the opposite end of the hall, as though he’d been standing there staring at it. Had he been listening to the happy couples?

There was something dark in Dante that always gave him pause.

Dante turned without a word and disappeared behind the doors where he would likely drink himself to sleep. It seemed to be the way he and Sasha operated.

But he wasn’t thinking about that tonight. Tomorrow would be soon enough to sit everyone down and talk about the problems they were having. He would get Jax on the phone. He wasn’t leaving him out because he was in London.

“Are you all right?” Ariel had stopped beside him. “Is Dante giving you trouble?”

He was glad she’d been upstairs when they’d gone on their rant. “I think the pressure is starting to get to him. But we can talk about that tomorrow. I think after we get back to London we should have a big group meeting and get some things out in the open.”

“They think Damon and Ian are keeping things from them?”

No. He did not want to go there. He stopped in the middle of the hall and got into her personal space. She backed up against the wall and he loomed over her. It was time to move from reality to a place where they might be able to play out a few fantasies, if she was ready. “No work talk. If you want to go to sleep, I’ll kiss you now and see you in the morning. Tucker and I are in the room next to you. If you need anything I’ll be there. If you aren’t tired and you want to talk some more, we can go down to the bar and have another glass of wine with the full knowledge we don’t have to go any further than that. I’m more than willing to sit up talking to you all night long.”

She tilted her head up to him. “And if I want to go to bed but not to sleep?”

His heart rate ticked up, blood starting to thrum through his system as he invaded further, brushing his chest against hers. He reached for her wrists and gently brought them up and over her head, pinning her to the wall. “Then we need to make a few things clear.”

She took a deep breath, her lips curling up as though she liked the way he smelled. “Me sub, you Dom. Got it.”

He leaned over. “Hey, I’m trying to make sure I take care of you the way you like to be taken care of. I’ve watched you play. I don’t think your play partners realized how much you like being dominated. I think they view you as a woman who enjoys a spanking from time to time. They don’t get how much you need to know your partner is thinking about how to handle you. They don’t understand that you need to stop thinking. You need a place where you obey your partner.”

“In their defense, I had no interest in sex with any of them. I was looking for a spanking, some physical play that wouldn’t lead to real intimacy. You watched me?”

“I always watch you,” he admitted. “It’s why my brothers insist I’m your stalker. I watch you because I can’t not watch you when you’re in a room. If I thought for a second that it made you uncomfortable, I would make myself stop, but I think you like it.”

She watched him, too, and not in a way that made him think she was wary of him. It had always been there between them—the crackle and fire of sexual chemistry.

“You’re going to be a talky one, aren’t you?” she asked.

And she was going to be a brat.

About Lexi Blake

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

Connect with Lexi

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

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New Release + Blog Tour: Coming Up Roses by Staci Hart

Posted on 08/07/2019 by cafemamanc7

Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.

Coming Up Roses, an all-new must read enemies to lovers romantic comedy from Staci Hart is available now!

Everyone hates parts of their job.

Maybe it’s the paperwork. Maybe it’s the day-to-day grind. Maybe it’s that client who never knows what they want, or the guy who always cooks fish in the microwave.

But not me. I love every corner of the Longbourne Flower Shop, every flower, every petal, every stem. I love the greenhouse, and I love Mrs. Bennet, my boss. I love creating, and I love being a florist. I don’t hate anything at all.

Except for Luke Bennet.

The Bennet brothers have come home to help their mom save the flower shop, and Luke is at the helm. His smile tells a tale of lust, loose and easy. He moves with the grace of a predator, feral and wild. A thing unbridled, without rules or constraint.

When he comes home to save Longbourne, I almost can’t be mad at him.

Almost.

He doesn’t remember that night I’ll never forget. That kiss, touched with whiskey and fire. It branded me like a red-hot iron. But it meant nothing to him.

Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.

Because if I don’t, I’ll fall in love with him.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ComingUpRosesSH

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2F2RTOF

Excerpt:

I wanted to kiss Tess Monroe.

I’d wanted to kiss her the second she walked into the shop a couple days ago, wearing overalls and a Cure T-shirt. I’d wanted to kiss her as I watched her scrub the wall with her little face wrinkled up in concentration. I’d wanted to kiss her when she fell off the ladder and into my arms. And all day today while we painted the shop, I only thought about one thing.

I wanted to kiss her. And I was accustomed to getting what I wanted.

“Did you hear me?” Kash asked impatiently.

“Hmm?”

He rolled his eyes, his long body stretched out on the bottom bunk in our old room. “Man, what’s with you?”

“I’ve been scrubbing and painting the shop for two days. I’m tired.”

“Right,” he said, “and the redhead in the overall shorts has nothing to do with it.”

I leaned back in the wooden desk chair I’d taken up residence in, the hinge squeaking. “As if Tess Monroe would willingly give me the time of day.”

He shrugged. “Seems to me like she’s given you the time every hour, on the hour, for two days. What’s with her? She was different today.”

It was true. This morning, she’d walked into the shop, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to work with a smile on her face. She’d only insulted me seven times, and one of those was a backhanded compliment. My stats were down: the day before, it’d been twenty-three insults and a jab with a broom handle that I couldn’t be sure was accidental.

Not that I was counting.

“I dunno what’s gotten into her, but I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth. I’m just taking the boon and moving on.”

“Man, she looked so cute with that bandana in her hair and paint on her nose. And her ass in those overalls…” He whistled up at my old bunk.

I fought the urge to chuck my Batman paperweight at him.

“So are you going after her or what?” Kash asked, smirking.

“I just got her to quit treating me like a dog. Pretty sure anything more is off the table.”

“Maybe I’ll go after her then. Think I’ve got a shot?”

I snorted to cover my immediate fury at the thought. “She’s a girl with standards, Kash. If I don’t have a shot, you’ve got none in hell.”

“Maybe she just needs somebody older. More mature.”

“We were born in the same year, asshole.”

“I’m just saying. Maybe she’s looking for stability. Everybody knows you’re about as stable as uranium.”

“And you’re running your mouth like you want a foot in Uranus.”

Kash laughed. “I’d love to see you try.”

I eyed him. “You don’t actually like her, do you?”

“Nah,” he said, smiling. “I just want you to admit you do.”

A sigh of concession blew out of me, the pause filled with my thoughts. “We almost kissed yesterday,” I admitted.

Kash sat up so fast, he thunked his head on the bottom bunk. “Goddammit—” He rubbed at his forehead “—Warn a guy before you go saying things like, I almost kissed Tess.”

I laughed openly at his misfortune, hoping it left a mark. “She fell off a ladder in storage, and I caught her. Topless.”

His eyes bulged, hand still pressed to his forehead. “Tess was topless in storage?”

“No, I was.”

He rolled his eyes, chucking a pillow at me. I caught it midair and chucked it right back at him.

“I’m surprised she didn’t deck you,” he said, fluffing the pillow before leaning back again.

“Me too, if I’m being honest. She hates me. Hated me. Maybe still hates me a little.”

“What’d you do to her?” he asked. At this point, the question was rhetorical—neither of us knew, no matter how many times we’d asked.

“Who knows? But I think the last couple of days have helped my case. All I had to do was show up and not fuck up.”

“Don’t worry. There’s still time,” he reassured me.

“Trust me, I’m aware. I’ve been working on the installation for her in the back, and I’m both convinced I’m going to disappoint her and that I’ll knock her socks off.”

“Or her bra. Think you can knock that off?”

“If she were anybody else, I’d guarantee it. But Tess?” I made a resigned noise.77

He watched me for a second in that way he had about him, the quiet assessment that ran under his outward charm. It was a mask— that much I knew for a fact—armor to protect his soft spots. Everyone thought he was nothing but a girl-crazy flirt, just like me. But that was just how we liked it. Let them think we were empty.

There was comfort in being underestimated. We were constantly set to impress everyone.

About Staci

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey.

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

Connect with Staci

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Category Archives: Excerpt

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We are beyond excited to be sharing this release from Kristen Ashley with you today! QUIET MAN is part of her Dream Man series and it is releasing as part of 1001 Dark Nights. It just went live today! Check out an excerpt and book trailer from the title below. Click here to grab your copy now.

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“OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FREAKING LOVED IT!!!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!! This was pure Old School Vintage KA GOLD!!!”
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Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.

Coming Up Roses, an all-new must read enemies to lovers romantic comedy from Staci Hart is available now!

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“Lincoln and Wren had me flipping through the pages frantically, begging for more. Their chemistry was explosive, their love story both hilarious and tender.”- L.J. Shen, USA Today bestselling author

Handle With Care, an all-new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!

Share this:

“A fun, feel-good royal romance that will have you laughing, smiling and swooning.”- Frolic

The Reluctant Boyfriend, an all-new contemporary romance standalone from Erika Kelly, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

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We are beyond excited to be sharing this release from Kristen Ashley with you today! QUIET MAN is part of her Dream Man series and it is releasing as part of 1001 Dark Nights. It just went live today! Check out an excerpt and book trailer from the title below. Click here to grab your copy now.

Purchase your copy of QUIET MAN today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

About QUIET MAN:

Purchase your copy of QUIET MAN today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Excerpt:

BOOK TRAILER

“OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FREAKING LOVED IT!!!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!! This was pure Old School Vintage KA GOLD!!!” ~Aestas Book Blog

About KRISTEN ASHLEY:

Share this:

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“A hot, sexy mix of angst, longing, suspense and drama you don’t want to miss!” — Carly Phillips, New York Times Bestselling Author

Lost in You, an all-new sexy and action packed installment in the Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake, is available now!

Share this:

Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.

Coming Up Roses, an all-new must read enemies to lovers romantic comedy from Staci Hart is available now!

Share this:

“OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FREAKING LOVED IT!!!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!! This was pure Old School Vintage KA GOLD!!!”
~Aestas Book Blog