People say not to believe the things you read
in magazines, but you know what? Most things you’ve heard about me are probably
true.
I totally banged the reporter in the locker
room after the championship game last year.
Those pictures in Expose from last summer?
Those were not modified.
I’m also not really six-foot tall. (But let’s
keep that between us.)
Now, I know you’re wondering about that last
Expose headline—the one about me and my teammate (and ex-best friend) Finn
Miller’s sister, Layla James. That one is a little more complicated.
Here’s the thing: I’ve played football my
whole life. If there’s one thing I know, it’s how to adjust when the game
changes. And if there’s one thing I always do, it’s find a way to win.
Granted, the stakes are higher. The playbook
has changed. There’s more on the line than (another) MVP title. But guess what
hasn’t changed? Me. I’m still Branch “Lucky” Best and I’m not about to fumble
this one.
Grab a seat and a subscription to Expose. I’m
about to make some headlines. (Again.)
“One question,” Poppy interjects, looking at Branch. “What position are you?”
“I typically like the bottom so I can watch—oomph,” he says, getting another elbow
from Finn. “Wide receiver. Why?”
Looking at Poppy, I can’t help but laugh as her eyes light up.
“You got a problem with wide receivers?” Branch asks.
“You do,” Finn interjects, giving me a narrowed glare. “They aren’t any better than
quarterbacks.”
Branchlooks from me, to Finn, and back to me. “Why do we not like quarterbacks?”
“My sister was dating Callum Worthington.”
“No shit?”
His face puckers like he just bit into a lemon. “How in the hell did that
cocksucker end up with you?”
“He didn’t. We’re not together anymore.”
Branch’s eyes heat, the look causing my pulse to quicken. “I’m not a bit sorry to hear that.”
“You better forget you heard any of that,” Finn warns. “This is my sister, Branch. Not a cheerleader or reporter or some chick from a dating app. Got it?”
“Finn, relax,” I say, shoving a swallow past the lump in my throat. “I appreciate the
big brother spiel, but I can handle myself.”
“I know you can,” he says, pulling his gaze away from Branch. “But you can’t handle him.”
Tracey’s Review
“Life is timed to a watch we don’t control. Things happen today to set up things later that we can’t predict or see or imagine. Don’t fight it. Embrace it.”
If Layla Miller knows one thing about pro football players, she knows that they’re, well, players. Layla’s learned that lesson, both from her brother Finn and his friends, and from personal experience. It’s been demonstrated time and again that, off the field, it’s no holds barred.
When Layla meets Branch “Lucky” Best, she’s determined not to make the same mistake again, the one that’s all fun and games until it’s not. And, Branch? He’s all about the good time, and Layla is at the top of his list for good times, best friend’s sister or not.
There’s not a book that Adriana Locke has written that I don’t love, and part of what makes her a favorite is that she writes so many different kinds of books. From angsty, heartbreaking reads (that’d be SACRIFICE) to a series of Southern boys that each own a piece of my heart (that’s you, Landrys), Addy truly has something for everyone. LUCKY NUMBER ELEVEN, Addy’s addition to the Exposé series, is all things sexy and sweet, with moments of pure philosophy mixed in.
The thing about Adriana’s books is, there are layers. Branch could be just another football god, all swagger and pheromones, but that’s not the sum total of who he is. It takes life throwing a monster of a curveball (sorry, I’m mixing sports metaphors, but…) in the form of one Layla James Miller to show Branch just what’s important, and Addy does a wonderful job of helping him shine.
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of steam, sizzle, and sexy times for our Lucky Number Eleven and his lady. But the humor, the life lessons, and the way that they navigate those unexpected detours really made this book such an enjoyable read for me. LUCKY NUMBER ELEVEN is an easy 4.5 ‘coffee cake and curveballs’ stars for me, and perfect for fans of contemporary romance with plenty of swoony, sexy, heartwarming moments.
Author Bio
USA Today
and Amazon Top 10 Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books.
After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys
created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her
pocket.
From New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Corinne Michaels, comes a sexy new STANDALONE romance novel.
WE OWN TONIGHT is available now!
I’m not a one-night stand kind of woman. I’m especially not the woman who has a few drinks at a concert and ends up in bed with my childhood celebrity crush, Eli Walsh.
However, that’s exactly where I find myself.
What’s a girl to do after a drunken mistake? Run. I grab my clothes and get away from the powerful, irresistible, and best-sex-of-my-life superstar as fast as I can. His gorgeous green eyes, rock-hard body, and cocky smile have no place in my world. My life is complicated enough.
Someone forgot to tell him that.
Eli is relentless. Pushing his way into my heart, wearing me down, proving he’s nothing like I assumed, and everything I need. But when my world shatters to pieces, he holds the broken bits together. Unwillingly, I fall desperately in love with him.
He made me think we’d have forever . . . I should’ve listened when he said we could only own tonight.
Corinne Michaels has captured every female’s fantasy with her latest release of We Own Tonight. Every girl has dreamed of her favorite super star crush falling hopelessly in love with them at just one look. What they haven’t imagined is what happens after that magical moment and real life comes into the bigger picture. Most women haven’t had a glimpse of the real person the resides beneath the superstar image nor do they factor in that the person beneath the image has very human traits and flaws. They have their own hopes and dreams as well as perceptions of the perfect life. Corinne captured that part of the story and gave the readers another romantic and emotionally charged novel.
Heather Covey has a very complicated life. Not only is her job as a police officer demanding but her family life is much more difficult. Being a divorcee and working with her ex husband makes her life all the more difficult. One night of fun is just what she needs. When her favorite boy band from her teens puts on a concert in their hometown, Heather and her friends have front row seats. It doesn’t matter that they are in their thirties, pushing middle age, and responsible adults, their inner teengirl has resurfaced for one night. When Heather’s main crush, Eli Walsh, singles her out and sings exclusively to her, she’s living out her fantasy. When he offers her one night of pleasure with no strings attached, it goes beyond her teen fantasy and sparks new adult fantasies that are not rated PG. What happens when the one night fantasy is over and reality sets in? What if one night was not enough?
Heather’s life is too complicated for a real relationship. Eli Walsh has never had a real relationship that was built on trust and friendship. His fame has made him a commodity rather than a cherished companion. Heather sees him as a man rather than a star. Eli sees Heather as a desirable woman that needs someone on her side to support her complicated life.
Together Heather and Eli are going to find what real relationships are made of. They will face many emotional obstacles that could change the course of their relationship. The one thing they both need is more than One Night Only.
Corinne Michaels once again stole my heart with another emotional novel.
____________________________
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Corinne Michaels is the author of nine romance novels. She’s an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. Corinne is happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife.
After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness. She enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak and finding a way to heal them through their struggles. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love.
Police academy cadet Charlie Burns can’t believe his luck when the gorgeous blonde he meets in a bar murmurs those magic words: “Nothing serious, ’kay?” Mind-blowing, no-strings sex with Ever Carmichael—it’s the holy grail of hookups for a guy who’s too busy following in his law enforcement family’s footsteps to think about getting serious. Charlie’s all about casual…that is, until Ever calls it quits and his world tilts on its axis.
Ever knows that when you control the relationship game, you can’t get played. But for the first time, she wants more than short-term satisfaction. Step one: end her fling with commitment-phobic Charlie. Step two: sacrifice herself to the ruthless NYC dating scene. Yet everywhere she turns, there’s Charlie, being his ridiculously charming self. No online match or blind date compares to the criminally hot cop-in-training, but they’re over. Aren’t they?
If love is a four-letter-word, why does the idea of Ever seeing someone else tie Charlie up in knots? Now he’s desperate to win her back…and a little date sabotage never hurt anyone, right?
About the Book
Disorderly Conduct
by Tessa Bailey
Series
The Academy
Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance
Publisher
Avon Romance
Publication Date
August 29, 2017
Get Your Copy Today!
Feeling lucky? One lucky winner will be chosen to win a paperback copy of Indecent Exposure: The Academy! This giveaway is being hosted on Rafflecopter and is sponsored by Pure Textuality PR. Open to US shipping addresses only.
Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.
A sweet, fun, and sexy stand-alone romance from New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig.
One night to remember
Is that too much to desire?
One night for fun, passion, and a chance to remember what it’s like to be a woman.
I’m not looking for love.
There’s a man in my life who loves me with all his heart. He has beautiful blue eyes, is three feet tall, and calls me mommy.
He’s my whole world and I’m his. Fate stole his daddy way too soon.
What would happen if I allowed fate another chance, just for one night?
One night to help a friend
Why did I agree to this?
Blind dates are disasters. If I weren’t helping the friend of a friend, I wouldn’t go.
I’m not looking for romance, love, or even a one-night stand.
After all, the man my friend knew is gone. I’m no longer the hockey star known for his “pep” on the ice and in the sack. I have a new life, and a new career—a new passion. I’m not looking for more.
When the blind date is a bust, could fate change everything?
One night doesn’t end with a kiss—it begins with one.
Be ready to laugh, cry, and fall head over heels as you meet Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha in this new sweet and sexy stand-alone romance, ONE NIGHT.
When we finally pull apart, before I can speak or even contemplate what happened, Malcolm’s blue eyes shine down on me, taking me in and reading me.
His voice rumbles through the background commotion of the bar. “You taste like sweet wine and smell like perfume and desire.”
Warmth fills my cheeks. “You taste like good beer.”
“Good? You’re a beer connoisseur?”
I shrug. “Mostly, I know cheap beer.”
He lifts my chin, bringing his indigo eyes into focus. The room disappears, making those blue orbs all I can see.
“I’m a connoisseur,” he says as his thumb gently rubs over my bruised lips. “And you, beautiful Mandy, if you were a beer, would never be a cheap one. No, you’re a rich custom craft brew. I see it in your eyes, feel it in your touch, and smell it in the air. Kissing a stranger isn’t something you do, is it?”
I try to move my eyes away, but Malcolm’s grip of my chin is unrelenting. Meeting his gaze, I reply, “No. I won’t even bore you with how long it’s been since I’ve kissed a real man.”
His eyes sparkle. “You kiss fake men?”
“Boys. Well, only one actually.”
“You kiss boys…” And then, as if the reality of his statement hits home, he asks, “You have a son?”
My heart flutters, its speed increasing by the second. “I do, but I don’t want to talk about him. Not because he isn’t important for he is—he’s my world—but because tonight isn’t about him. It’s about me.” I can’t gauge Malcolm’s reaction. I can only guess that he’s assuming that I’m some needy woman trying to get a man to take on the responsibility of a kid who isn’t his.
I reach out and splay my fingers over his chest. His heart is beating to match mine. “I don’t want to talk about him,” I continue, “because he’ll never know about you—I’ll never tell him and never introduce you. Don’t worry. I’m not after a man to rescue me. I’m perfectly content with my life as a mother. I just wanted to remember what it felt like to be a woman…for just one night.”
“I’m not anti-children—”
I shake my head. “Stop. That doesn’t matter.” It’s then that I notice the filled glasses on the table and laugh. “When did the waitress come?”
Malcolm bows his head until our noses touch. He inhales deeply, his eyes closing as his hand falls to my lap. “I’d say just after you.”
More heat floods my cheeks. “I-I didn’t…”
“Then we need to do something about that.” He looks again at the full glasses. “I think the drinks came while my tongue was busy getting to know your sweet mouth.” His hand splays over my thigh.
My breathing hitches. “Malcolm?”
“You said you want one night. One night doesn’t end with a kiss. It begins with one.”
_______________________
Michel’s Review
One Night by Aleatha Romig is a delightful contemporary romance. Unlike some of her previous novels that are loaded with angst and suspense, One Night is a light hearted romance that will make your heart tingle.
Mandy is a widow and single mother. She married her husband when she was nineteen and became a mother at twenty. Her husband died before he held his son. Now her son is five and ready to start school. Her family and friends think it’s time for Mandy to start living her own life as well. With the encouragement of her family she allows her best friend to set up a blind date. The blind date ends up being a bust but she meets Malcolm at the bar. Malcolm is the kind of man who makes her want something just for herself. She’s willing to make an exception, one night and one night only. She’s not ready for a full blown relationship but she is ready to feel like a woman once again.
Mandy insists on keeping their relationship a secret. She isn’t ready to introduce Malcolm to her son. She doesn’t know if she’s ready to commit to a real relationship. Malcolm is a good man but she’s not sure if she can handle anything more.
Fate has a way of intervening and it does on more than one occasion. Fate is going to prove that Malcolm and Mandy were meant to be together.
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet romance by Aleatha Romig. It proves she can write any kind of book and keep her readers completely charmed.
______________________
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.
In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.
2017 brings Aleatha’s first “Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha” with PLUS ONE, a fun, sexy romantic comedy.
Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
A frightfully good time! Dive into these Halloween novellas from bestselling authors Tijan, J. Daniels, Helena Hunting, Bella Jewel and Tara Sivec. Featuring stories set in the worlds of their popular series.
Tijan’s Fallen Crest crew are back for a weekend of mischief that takes a sinister turn; all four couples from J. Daniels’ Alabama Summer series gear up for Halloween in their own sexy ways, with a special surprise at the end; Helena Hunting’s characters from Shacking Up plan a Halloween gala that features a few ghouls and witches; Bella Jewel brings the chills and thrills in her suspenseful take on Halloween night; and Tara Sivec gathers the Holiday family together one last time as they try to make this ghostly holiday one to remember—or one they’d rather forget…
Cozy up with a mug of hot cider on a dark night and fall under the spell of this Halloween anthology!
Fall is in the air, the leaves are starting to turn, and it’s time to get ready for one of the most celebrated holiday, Halloween. Five of the most popular authors in the romance genre have teamed up to add another treat for their fans. The characters from their celebrated series are donning their costumes and delivering a very special trick or treat to the readers.
*****
Tijan has brought back the crew from the Fallen Crest series to celebrate Halloween college style. What starts out as a fun girls weekend and Halloween party quickly escalates into a terrifying weekend that could completely change the entire direction of the series. Someone is terrorizing the girls and determined to see them dead. Can they save themselves before it’s too late or will this series end like a horror movie?
Tijan thoroughly embraced the Halloween Spirit in Fallencrest Nightmare. This novella is going to give the readers chills!
***
So Much More by J. Daniels takes the readers back to the Alabama Summer series. All the characters are living their happily ever after and building their lives. For some it’s more than love and romance, it’s about building their own families. For others it’s figuring out what to do next now that they have found each other. The one thing that ties them all together is their friendships and family support.
It was great to revisit all these characters and see how their lives are playing out. Join the Halloween celebration at McGills Pub.
***
Getting Down by Helena Hunting is the follow up novella to Shacking Up and sets up what’s to come in the upcoming book, Hooking Up. Ruby and Amelie are putting together a charitable Halloween Ball that quickly gets out of hand. Ruby is all for the Halloween fun and can’t wait to get Bane in a sexy Batman costume. Amelie is trying to get her fiancé,Armstrong, to loosen up and have some fun. What started out as a fun event quickly takes on a life in itself. Between the costume malfunctions, interfering future in laws, a sexy gladiator up for auction, and stuffy socialites; this event is one not to miss!
Helena Hunting once again delivers a pure treat for her readers. I am looking forward to wedding of the century in Hooking Up!
***
Unsafe Haven by Bella Jewel is the follow up of The Watcher. Readers thought Marlie and Kenai had put the danger and suspense behind them when they opened up the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a refuge for people who have had troubled past. It’s a place they can go and have moments of peace in their chaotic world. The Sanctuary has become a success and they are having a fund raising Halloween party to give their members more.
Odd things begin to happen when preparing for the party. The odd things are an afterthought because they are too busy preparing for the party. They should of paid attention to all the signs. Now they are trapped inside the Sanctuary and danger is at every corner. Someone wants to ruin the Sanctuary and take all it’s members down.
Bella Jewel had me on the edge of my seat. This was definitely a Halloween trick that turned into the very best reading treat.
***
The Pumpkin Was Stuffed by Tara Sivec is a Halloween celebration readers will not forget. Get ready for the one of the craziest Halloween celebrations documented. A pregnant woman ready to burst has to deal with more than just planning the perfect costume. The Holidays are planning a Halloween wedding with all the bells and whistles. A crazy father determined to win the neighborhood decoration prize, a twisted bridezilla with the most unusual wedding attire, a crazy aunt who is stuffing the trick or treat bags with all the wrong kind of goodies, and clowns everywhere are just the beginning of this fun family nightmare. What’s a girl to do, disown her family or partake in the craziness? Halloween has never been crazier!
Run for your life if you see clowns in wedding dresses or embrace the Halloween spirit and sit down and read The Pumpkins Were Stuffed by Tara Sivec!
Tia Louise is the award-winning, international bestselling author of the ONE TO HOLD and DIRTY PLAYERS series and co-author of the #4 Amazon bestseller THE LAST GUY.
From “Readers’ Choice” nominations, to USA Today “Happily Ever After” nods, to winning the 2015 “Favorite Erotica Author” and the 2014 “Lady Boner Award” (LOL!), nothing makes her happier than communicating with fans and weaving new tales into the Alexander-Knight world of stories.
A former journalist, Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations…
In Wild Ride Cowboy, Alex Donnelly returns to Copper Ridge, Oregon to keep a promise, but the last thing he expects is to fall for his best friend’s sister, Clara Campbell. Fans of Maisey Yates’ Copper Ridge series will love this sweet, sexy romance releasing August 29th!
Title: Wild Ride Cowboy
Author: Maisey Yates
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: August 29, 2017
Series: Copper Ridge #9
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9780373803644
He’s come back to Copper Ridge, Oregon, to keep a promise—even if it means losing his heart…
Putting down roots in Copper Ridge was never Alex Donnelly’s intention. But if there’s one thing the ex-military man knows, it’s that life rarely unfolds as expected. If it did, his best friend and brother-in-arms would still be alive. And Alex wouldn’t have inherited a ranch or responsibility for his late comrade’s sister—a woman who, despite her inexperience, can bring tough-as-iron Alex to his knees.
Clara Campbell didn’t ask for a hero to ride in and fix her ranch and her life. All she wants is the one thing stubborn, honorable Alex is reluctant to give: a chance to explore their intense chemistry. But Clara has a few lessons to teach him, too…about trusting his heart and his instincts, and letting love take him on the wildest adventure of all.
Reluctantly, she covered the coffee with a white to-go lid then turned to walk out the door. She didn’t make it very far, though, because she ran right into a brick wall.
Well, it wasn’t really a brick wall. It just felt like one. Large, hard and uncompromising. But breathing. Which brick walls definitely didn’t do.
“Clara Campbell. Fancy meeting you here.”
Clara blinked and stared up into Alex Donnelly’s forest-green eyes and felt a strange response that seemed to originate in her stomach and travel upward to her chest, where it twisted, hard and sharp.
After looking at Asher, his understated physique and much softer brown gaze, the sight of Alex was jarring. Too intense. Too masculine. Too a lot of things.
His dark hair wasn’t military short anymore. It was long enough to hang into his face. He pushed it back off his forehead and again, something twisted, low and deep inside of her.
And then it wasn’t only his features that seemed too sharp. It was seeing him at all. She had been studiously avoiding him ever since he had moved back to Copper Ridge. If ever she’d caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, she’d gone the other way.
The last time she’d seen him up close had been at Jason’s funeral.
Pain washed through her, canceling out all of the good Asher feelings from only a moment before.
No wonder she’d had such a strong, immediate response to the sight of Alex. The man was dragging a bunch of her baggage in with him. Another thing she liked about Asher. He was separate from her life. From her pain.
Alex was all wound up in it.
“Hi, Alex,” she said, clutching her coffee cup tight, the warmth bleeding through to her palms. Which she was grateful for at the moment since her stomach had gone ice-cold at the sight of him.
“I’ve been meaning to stop by,” he said.
“That’s really okay,” she said, and she meant it. More than okay. Jason’s death meant that she was alone. Both of her parents were already gone. They’d had children later in life, and when her mother had gotten sick, her father had done everything he could to make his wife comfortable as her health declined. She’d died when Clara was twelve. And there had been no amount of preparation that could soften the blow. No amount of expectedness that could have made it feel less like a giant, ugly hand had reached into their life and wrenched the beauty out of it, leaving nothing but a dark abyss.
Paying a visit author Maisey Yates’ Copper Ridge, Oregon, always feels a bit like coming home. Tight-knit community, the feel of small-town living, the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, all work so beautifully when brought together in Maisey’s books. I’d been looking forward to getting Alex Donnelly’s story in WILD RIDE COWBOY, and loved every bit of this book.
Maisey does an excellent job of crafting characters with multiple layers, of people just like the rest of us that have much more going on than meets the eye. Both Alex and Clara are moving through life projecting an image that hides so much of what makes up the real them. Maybe it’s something about Copper Ridge, maybe it’s becoming part of something bigger than themselves, of having the opportunity to move beyond the exterior that people have come to expect. No matter the reason, both of these beautifully broken people bloom and flourish under the care and keeping of each other and those around them, and I just adored the unfolding of their story.
WILD RIDE COWBOY has all of the hallmarks of the other books in the Copper Ridge series. Angst, heat, scenes sexy enough to bring both a blush and an ‘oh, my,’ and humor aplenty. I figure that, if an author can make me laugh, cry, and fan myself in the course of one read, it’s a good one, and Maisey has done an excellent job of all of these.
WILD RIDE COWBOY is another win for me, and an easy 4 absolutely enjoyable stars. I can’t get enough of these characters, and am looking forward to getting the lowdown on the backstory between Clara’s friend Sabrina and Liam Donnelly in CHRISTMASTIME COWBOY. If you haven’t met good folks of Copper Ridge, you’re missing out. Do yourself a favor and read these books; they’re a trip you’ll be glad that you took.
Rafflecopter for Wild Ride Cowboy Blog Tour Giveaway:
Harlequin is offering one (1) lucky winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the swoony and oh-so-romantic title…MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY.
In MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, the NFL starting quarterback Cooper Armstrong needs his best friend’s sister to pretend to be his girlfriend. Violet is willing, but neither one expects their boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage to turn into a full-contact sport so quickly. Find out if their fake play will become the real deal or if they can turn back the clock to when they were just friends in this sexy new standalone sports romance!
Now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!
✮✮✮ MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮
Hands down, my favorite thing in the world is to score. Touchdowns.
Don’t let the fact that I’m the leading pick in the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction fool you. These days, I’m only a player on the field. I’ve kept my pants zipped all season long — and it has been long — because nothing’s more important than leading my team to victory every week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner’s recently-widowed and handsy-as-hell sister who’s dead set on winning more than a date with me.
Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary.
She’s my best friend’s sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash. After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don’t even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she’s my girlfriend. Which would be fine except my agent tells me we have to keep up the act while he’s negotiating my contract.
Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is — I’ve been riding the bench for years.
How can a guy like me, who finally has a chance to prove his worth on the field, convince the girl she’s most valuable to his heart?
MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is a brand new standalone sports romance written in the guy’s POV!
The business suit woman raises a hand, offering forty-one hundred.
Maxine’s eyes laser in on me, and she slashes an arm through the air. “Five thousand dollars,” she says, jacking the price up by nine hundred and staking her claim. I shudder inside.
The guy’s eyes widen, and he holds up his hands. “I’m out.”
My stomach plummets when the business woman shakes her head.
“Going once?” Sierra asks, scanning the tables, looking for perhaps one last big spender. My eyes scan the crowd, too. Hell, maybe I’ll find an escape hatch. A trapdoor to drop into and disappear like in a magic act. Maybe Trent will learn to read my mind. Trent, I’ll cover you for anything you bid. Just raise that hand, name a price, and save me.
My best friend’s expression is merely curious now as he watches Maxine and Sierra, waiting for the verdict. My opportunity to play yard boy slips through my fingers.
The look in Maxine’s eyes is pure satisfaction as she waits for the final word. She winks at me, as if we have a secret. Holy shit. She thinks I want this. She thinks I want her to win me.
A flash of chestnut brown hair in the back catches my attention. A flurry of silver. It’s Violet, hands in the air, wildly flapping over her head in the middle of the ballroom. She brings her finger to her nose. And she’s tapping it, like fucking Santa Claus coming down the chimney, and Harlan tapping his nose to signal his agent, and all the greatest solutions in the universe at once.
My heart goes crazy.
It hammers in my chest. This is like finding an open receiver a second before you’re sacked.
“Going twice,” Sierra says, trailing off as she waits.
I raise my arm and tap my nose, too. Violet is the only one who knows I need to get out of this jam. She’s the only one I mentioned it to. And she’s the only one now who can save me.
“Ten thousand dollars.”
Holy shit. Violet does not mess around with my money. Her eyes widen, as if she’s surprised she bid that high.
My gaze finds Trent. He’s staring at his sister, slack-jawed.
Sierra’s smile is bright and wide. “Ten thousand dollars. Do we have ten thousand, one hundred?”
The room is hushed. Maxine’s expression is blank. She must be shocked. She probably didn’t expect anyone to vie with her to this extent.
I tap my foot, willing Sierra to close this quickly. Just slam the door shut, please, fucking please.
“Going one. Going twice.”
I say a silent prayer. I cross my fingers. I hope.
Maxine blinks, opens her mouth, and I steel myself for a disgustingly high counter bid.
But there’s only silence. No words come. Violet has shocked her speechless. This type of bid wasn’t in Maxine’s playbook.
Sierra raises her arm. “And a night with the quarterback is sold for ten thousand dollars.”
Talk about a Hail Mary.
10% of the proceeds from the release day sales along with a portion of pre-orders across all retailers of MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY will be given to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Houston Humane Society to help those in need from the natural disaster.
✦The audiobook is narrated by Zachary Webber! Grab your copy today! http://adbl.co/2gbiHT2✦
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A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her 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 eighty times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In September she’ll release MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, a standalone sports romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter
Bestselling author Staci Hart brings you the second installment of an addictive romantic mythology series where love is the ultimate game, and Aphrodite always wins.
Shift by Staci Hart
Publishing Date: August 24th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Even the gods cannot betray the will of the stars.
It’s been a hundred years since she’s warmed my bed, a hundred years spent waiting for her. Now we’ll compete again in a game that matters little to me. But my prize is far greater than a token to be paid for a favor — I want her.
And for the first time in a very long time, I have the chance to keep her.
Because now the ground has shifted, tilted in my favor, and with her footing unsteady, she will fall.
I will catch her.
This time, I won’t let go.
Excerpt:
ARES
The city stretched up like quartz against the fading sunlight, the colors of the sky deepening with every second that slipped by. Ares’s eyes were on the horizon, slashed with the darkening skyscrapers at the southern tip of Manhattan, but his mind was a thousand years behind him, and her face filled the space in between.
They were Mars and Venus. Man and woman. Ares and Aphrodite. The bond between them was unbreakable, undeniable, no matter how she had tried to reject it, tried to stay away. She’d never quite succeeded. She never would.
Even the gods could not betray the will of the stars.
It had been a hundred years since she warmed his bed, a hundred years of waiting for her. Now they would compete again in a game that mattered little to him. His prize was far greater than a token to be paid for a favor — he wanted her. And for the first time in a very long time, he had a chance to keep her.
Adonis had been in the way far too long — even murdering the human hadn’t removed him from the equation — but now the ground had shifted, tilted in Ares’s favor, and with Aphrodite’s footing unsteady, she would fall.
He would catch her.
This time, he wouldn’t let go.
Ares had already chosen his human player, and soon he would make his way down to the throng of gods who waited for the game to begin. She would be there. She would make her choice, and the fire between them would ignite as it always did — first with a spark, then a flicker. Then, she would be consumed, and so would he.
It would be the same as it ever was, and he was so starved for her, his body tensed from head to heart to heel in anticipation of what was to come.
From a hundred years down to a few days, the distance traveled worth every second of longing, and with every moment that passed, the stars moved closer to alignment and to his favor. And there was nothing she could do to fight it.
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.
Jensen Monroe is a unicorn. As handsome as any model, as polite as can be, a goalie of unmatched skill, and the best friend anyone could ask for. But he longs for a particular special someone to make his life complete. He’s been in love with Wren since he was a teenager, but as his best friend’s sister, she’s always been off-limits.
Wren Lemiere has prided herself on being a love ’em and leave ’em girl her whole life. She’s all about equal opportunity in the battle of the sexes. Why should guys like her brother and his best friends get to be the only ones allowed to play the dating game? One wrong move, however, and she finds herself in violation of her own rules.
In need of a fake husband and baby daddy for her unexpected bundle of joy, Wren finally accepts Jensen is the logical one to ask for help. Except he has a counteroffer…one with so many strings attached, they may just find themselves wrapped up in ties that bind. Forever.
Excerpt
Dr. Richards laughed as Wren giggled. “Everything is good. Come on up,” he said, helping Wren up before he patted her back. “But we need to discuss something.”
Her expression turned worried as she met his gaze. “Is everything okay?”
“Fine, but looking over your chart, you had quite the weight gain from last time. Fourteen pounds.”
Her face flushed as she held his gaze. “Baby weight?”
“Some, but not all. Healthy weight gain is about twenty pounds, and you’ve gained thirty.”
She shrugged. “Taco weight?”
He smiled, patting her back. “Are you exercising?”
She nodded. “I walk to the fridge?”
“I’ll take that as a no,” he said, marking his chart. Why did she feel like he was scolding her? “You need to get a little more active, and I’m sure your husband won’t mind doing that with you.”
Wren couldn’t look at Jensen, she was so embarrassed, but still, she said, “Of course.”
“And maybe instead of all the tacos, we have a taco salad?”
She glared. “You’re ruining my life, doctor guy.”
He smiled before he winked. “Just a suggestion.”
“Duly noted.”
“Good. So have a good trip,” he said with a grin before sliding out of the room with only a wave and “see ya next time.”
“Well, that sucked,” she muttered, scooting to the end of the table and getting off. Still unable to look at Jensen, she went to pull her shirt down, but she jumped in surprise when Jensen’s hands stopped her. When she looked up, he was staring at her, his eyes dark as he took her belly in his hands. Bending down, his very large body took up most of the room as he went to his knees before kissing her belly. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she watched him.
“Hey, you, we need to back off the tacos, okay?”
She laughed as he kissed her once more before standing and taking her face in his hands. “And you are fucking sexy, okay? Those numbers mean nothing, except that we’re going to go for walks in the mornings this whole trip.”
Her eyes started to cloud with tears as she nodded. “Okay.”
“Don’t let that bother you, okay?”
“Okay.”
“We’re good.”
She nodded. “We are.”
“And I like the name Liam.”
“Liam?” she asked as he slowly brought her shirt down over her belly. “I don’t know about Liam.”
“I like it, but can I tell you what I don’t like?”
Her brow rose. “What?”
“That doctor.”
She laughed. “What? He’s nice!”
“He’s too hot to be touching you, and I’m man enough to say that. We need to switch.”
She laughed hard, and he took her hand in his as she reached for her purse. “I know you’re not jealous.”
He gave her a dry look. “Beyond.”
“What! No, you’re not!”
“I am,” he admitted, shaking his head. “Does he stick his hands inside of you a lot?”
She sputtered. “Many times.”
“Bullshit. I hate him.”
“You’re silly!”
“I was boiling, sitting there as he touched you. I wanted to deck him.”
“You did not!”
“I did.”
“Like that would bother you.”
He set her with a look that swirled so much desire and the dirtiest thoughts imaginable inside of her. Pulling her against him, he looked deep into her eyes, his mouth barely away from hers as he whispered, “It bothers me just knowing that men look at you.”
“Jensen,” she gasped, her lips curving. “Stop lying to me.”
“I’m not. You’re mine, woman, and that’s that.”
My name is Toni Aleo and I’m a total dork.
I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.
I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life… probably Belle.
… and did I mention I love hockey?