Tag Archives: Giveaway

Release Blitz + 5 Star Reviews + Giveaway: Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker

Posted on by
Reply

Until It Fades

By K. A. Tucker

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Twenty-four-year-old truck stop waitress and single mother Catherine Wright has simple goals: to give her five-year-old daughter a happy life and to never again be the talk of the town in Balsam, Pennsylvania (population three thousand outside of tourist season).

And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed date, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has rescued: Brett Madden, hockey icon and media darling.

Catherine has already had her fifteen minutes of fame and the last thing she wants is to have her past dragged back into the spotlight, only this time on a national stage. So she hides her identity. It works. For a time.

But when she finds the man she saved standing on her doorstep, desperate to thank her, all that changes. There’s an immediate connection, and it’s more electric than the bond of two people who endured a traumatic event. It’s something neither of them expected. Something that Catherine isn’t sure she can handle; something she is afraid to trust.

Because how long can an extraordinary man like Brett be interested in an ordinary woman like Catherine…before the spark fades.

____________________________________

Robin’s Review

It was a delight for me to read the newest novel from author K.A. Tucker! Until it Fades is a feel-good contemporary romance and Tucker’s very own version of a fairy tale romance.

Pregnant by the age of 18, Catherine Wright became the talk of her high school and small hometown of Balsam, Pennsylvania. Now, at 24, Cath is struggling to get by on a waitress salary, saving up money to move her daughter away from the stares and whispers.

Twenty-six-year-old Brett Madden is a NHL hockey star and son of Hollywood actress Meryl Price. Wealthy, handsome, humble and charming, Brett signed a multi-million dollar contract to play hockey for the Flyers right out of high school. His team, the Flyers, is on track to make the NHL Hockey Finals – that is until the accident.

Late on a foggy night, Cath is driving home on a quiet back road when she arrives upon the scene of a terrible car wreck. She does the impossible – she pulls an unconscious man twice her size out of a burning car and saves his life. She has no idea who he is, but this one unselfish act will completely change her life.

Until it Fades is enjoyable from the beginning, but when I reached the point of the car wreck, this story absolutely captivated me! My mind was immediately drawn into the pages of this story. By far, the strongest aspect of Until it Fades is Tucker’s writing. Her writing is clear, concise, and full of vivid descriptive writing and outstanding character dialogue.

Brett’s car accident is clearly described, from the placement of passengers and wreckage to the utter urgency Cath feels to rescue a passenger while flames threaten to overwhelm them. I felt Cath’s anxiety, understood her emotions, as she attempts to pull Brett from the burning car. Tucker expertly describes characters, settings and action throughout the novel. I was able to envision the author’s words, almost as if I was watching a movie!

Tucker also has a gift for writing meaningful, heartfelt conversation. The author expertly describes facial reactions, emotions, and physical interactions between characters while they are speaking. I was clearly able to picture the characters in the midst of conversations. A great example of this outstanding dialogue includes Cath and Brett’s interview about the car wreck. Their interview is wrapped up in anxiety and emotion, and it’s very entertaining to read.

Another thing I love about Until it Fades is the characters. Brett is Tucker’s version of Prince Charming – and the perfect male lead! Everything about him is the opposite of Catherine, but Brett sees her for who she really is – beautiful on the inside and out. Their relationship is very sweet. Cath’s character is nicely developed throughout the story. I especially enjoyed her interactions with her best friend, Keith, her brother, Jack and manager, Lou.

To sum up my thoughts, Until it Fades is an excellent choice if you’re wanting to read a lighthearted romance that will make you feel good! I loved it! It’s one of the best contemporary romances that I have read during 2017, and I’m delighted to give it a 5-star rating!

Michel’s Review

As an avid reader my reading choices vary from new adult, romantic suspense, young adult, contemporary romance, dark romance, and many more.  One author I have found who always satisfies my reading tastes and covers many genres is K.A. Tucker.  She has the ability to deliver a story that keeps readers fully engaged with the story as well as being deeply connected to the characters.  Her latest release, Until It Fades was a pure delight to read.  It’s a contemporary/new adult romance that touches the heart.  Readers can easily identify with the characters because they are normal people who have made mistakes but move on in life striving to become better people and make better choices.

Catherine Wright was a defiant teenager.  She chose the wrong person as her high school love.  At eighteen she finds herself pregnant and on her own.  Her parents kicked her out and the small town of Balsam, Pennsylvania made her the Hester Prynne of their community. Their small minded and bias opinions destroyed a young woman rather than protecting her from an immoral and unethical predator. She survived the ridicule and gossip, got a job as a waitress in a local truck stop, and focused on raising her daughter.  For the past five years she has proved that she is a good person that could rise above her youthful mistakes.  She’s repaired her strained relationship with her family, chosen her friends wisely, and kept her life on a quiet but positive path.  Although she struggles financially, she makes ends meet and is providing a good life for her daughter. After her past experiences in the romance department, she’s overly cautious and doesn’t really date much.  When she agrees to a blind date after too much encouragement from her boss, it changes her life as she knows it.  The date was a complete disaster but what happens afterwards leads her to the happily ever after she thought she would never have.

After her disastrous blind date she witnesses a horrific car accident on a dark, foggy road.  She manages to pull the passenger, a man twice her size, from the wreckage before the vehicle burst into flames.  She had no idea that the man she saved was the high profile Hockey star Brett Madden.

Catherine wants to remain the anonymous good samaritan.  Brett wants to meet the woman who saved his life.  The press is vying for a story.

That one moment in time changed both of their lives and took them on a new path.

K.A. Tucker had me with the first paragraph in this book.  I was fully engaged.  Her vivid descriptions of small town life, the struggles of single motherhood, and life as a high profile sports star made this book come alive.  The scene where the accident took place made me feel like a bystander watching the horrific scene play out. And then we get to the heart of the story, the romance, it was absolutely realistic, emotional, and everything a romance reader wants in a book.  I absolutely loved everything in this book and would highly recommend it.

Read Until It Fades by K. A. Tucker!

______________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

K.A. Tucker is the author of He Will Be My Ruin and the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series. She currently resides outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and a Chug.

 

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook **Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads ** YouTube **Pinterest ** Instagram

_______________________________________

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Release Day Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway + 5+-Star Review: The Knocked Up Plan by Lauren Blakely

Posted on by
Reply

 

From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes a new and sexy romance…THE KNOCKED UP PLAN! A standalone romance told in dual POV, THE KNOCKED UP PLAN is about all of the fun, hotness, and heartfelt emotions that come when a single woman asks her gorgeous, jaded, sworn-to-be-single-forever good friend to get one particular job done. What happens next when he agrees to provide the bun for her oven are lots of hot sexy times and heartfelt moments.

 

Now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!

 

✮✮✮ THE KNOCKED UP PLAN is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮

There are three little words most guys don’t want to hear on the first date. Not those…I mean these… “knock me up.”

This single gal has had enough of the games, the BS and the endless chase. I know what I want most, and it’s not true love. It’s a bun in the oven, and I’m not afraid to hit up my sex-on-a-stick co-worker to do the job. Ryder is gorgeous, witty and charming — and he’s also a notorious commitment-phobe. That makes him the perfect candidate to make a deposit in the bank of me.

I won’t fall for him, he won’t fall for me, and there’s no way baby will make three.

Right?

****
There are four words every guy wants to hear on the first date — “your place or mine?”

When my hot-as-sin co-worker makes me a no-strings-attached offer that involves her place, my place, any place — as well as any position — I can’t refuse. Besides, I’ve got my own reasons to take her up on her deal even with her one BIG condition.

There’s no way I’ll want more from one woman than any position, any where, any night? Except . . . what if I do?

Be prepared to swoon and fan yourself from the heat! This full-length standalone contains lots of hot baby-making s-e-x, happy tears, playful jokes and a hot, swoon worthy hero you will fall madly in love with. One-click now for pure reading enjoyment!

 

Excerpt:

“How does it work?” I ask. “The whole donation process.”

She stabs a carrot slice, chews, and swallows. “Well, there’s this thing guys do when they’re horny. It’s called”—she glances furtively from side to side—“jacking off.”

“I’m well aware of how the protein shake is made. What I mean is, are we talking about one of those little rooms you go into?” I ask, since what man doesn’t have an image of a jerk-off chamber? “With magazines or porn or whatnot?”

“Yes, they schedule the donors for forty-minute sessions in them.”

“I’m more efficient than that, but that’s good to know.” I take another bite and chew. I set down the burger. “So, a nurse or orderly would escort me to a special room, and then I’d need to drop my
drawers and whack off. Into a cup, right?”

“A plastic sample cup. With a top,” she says, and I’m kind of amazed that she’s answering every question like a champ. No blushing, no stammering.

“What do they provide for entertainment? Laptops? Computers? Or is it old school with Playboy?”

“They provide pornographic material in printed form as well as video on a TV screen.”

“Awesome. So I just choke the chicken in a room with a ton of other dudes going at it in their own rooms, too. Hand a cup to the nurse. She seals up the goods. Then, what’s next?”

“They do tests on your swimmers.”

“They’ll pass. Then you come in, maybe the same day, maybe a few days later?”

“Same day. We’d have to time everything to my cycle and when I’m ovulating.”

“Fine, so they undress you, prop you up on an exam table, and stick a turkey baster into you?”

“You paint a lovely picture of the process.”

I hold up a hand, waving her off. “Wait. I’m not done. You’re in nothing but a hospital gown. The doc tells you to put your cute little feet in stirrups, and they stick that baster up inside what I am sure
is an absolutely gorgeous and heavenly home,” I say, because if she can complement my tadpoles, I can say something nice about the paradise between her legs. She mouths a thank you. “After the boys
make the upstream trip, they send you home.” I mime patting her on the rear and then sending her out the door.

“I think you’ve got the basic idea.”

“And after that?”

“That’s all,” she says. “That’s all I’d want you to do. I don’t expect or want any involvement. I’d have all the paperwork drawn up in advance saying there are no legal rights, responsibilities, or expectations of parenting, and no financial commitments required.”

I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but that’s the clincher for me—the lack of involvement. If I’m ever going to raise a child, I’m damn well going to do it right. The whole nine yards, two parents, just like my mom and dad raised my brother, my sister, and me.

Nicole isn’t asking me to sign up for daddy duty, though. She doesn’t want me to help with diaper detail or midnight feedings.

She’s a friend asking for the help she needs so she can then do those things on her own.

And helping a friend seems like something I should consider.

Fine, she’s asking for a hell of a lot more than a dude to put together an IKEA TV stand, and those things are beyond Da Vinci Code-level cryptic. I’d like to see Robert Langdon decipher some IKEA assembly instructions. Good luck with that, Harvard symbologist.

I like Nicole. I respect the dickens out of this woman. I want to take her request as seriously as she’s asking it. “Can I have a few days to think about it?”

“Of course. Take all the time you need,” she says, then glances at an imaginary watch on her wrist. “It’s only my biological clock ticking.”

 

✦ Kindle US ✦ Kindle UK ✦ Kindle CA ✦ Kindle AU ✦ iBooks

✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ Kobo ✦ Google Play ✦ Amazon PB

 

 

✦The audiobook will be narrated by Sebastian York and Andi Arndt! Link coming soon! ✦

 

 

Tracey’s Review

What’s the modern woman to do when she’s reached a certain age, that old clock (yes, you know the one that I mean) is ticking, and there’s nary a serious romantic prospect in sight? If you’re Nicole Powers, you take matters into your own hands and get busy planning this baby-making thing.

I’ve gotten used to Lauren Blakely knocking my socks off with her romantic comedies. Each one owns me just a little bit more, and choosing favorites is like picking one child over another; you just can’t do it. THE KNOCKED UP PLAN literally stole my heart and was quickly added to the list of Books That I’m Soooo Very Happy To Have Read.

Let’s talk about Ryder Lockhart for a minute. From the very first, his wit, his charm, and his approachability made him MOYD (Man of Your Dreams) material. All of these attributes, plus the fact that the gods of genetics have amply blessed him, make him the perfect choice for Nicole’s plan to enter the ranks of mommyhood, and placed him squarely among the ranks of favorite book boyfriends ever.

“What I’m trying to say is that I want to have a baby. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time now, and I’m ready to become a mom. A single mom…Would you help me?”
Ryder freezes…
“I looked into adoption, and while I think it’s amazing, I want to try first to have my own, so I’ve been looking into sperm banks.”
He smiles, and that’s another feature I can add to the list. The man has a great smile. It’s warm and exhilarating at the same time.
“Some women are checking out Plenty of Fish. You’re checking out plenty of tadpoles,” he says, then makes a keep-talking gesture with his free hand.
“Let me tell you all about sperm banks.”

I mean, a cup of sugar, being a plus-one at a social event, sure, but being asked to give the gift that keeps on giving, well, that’s something else, and not many guys would be down for it. Ryder, though, is not most guys, and has a wonderful, if somewhat battered, heart beating beneath those cover model looks. Helping out a friend in need is something that he’s happy to do. Nicole really couldn’t have made a better choice, and so it begins…

In THE KNOCKED UP PLAN, Lauren Blakely, with her mystical wordsmithing, has given readers even more characters to fall in love with, a seriously lovely twist on the subject matter, and had me alternately laughing, ‘awwing,’ swooning, and fanning myself (because, come on, y’all, it’s LB, and there will always be those moments!). Nicole and Ryder are not only cute together, they respect each other and they genuinely care about each other, and watching the changes in both of them as their relationship evolves is both heartwarming and sexy.

Lauren’s books are always some of my favorites, and THE KNOCKED UP PLAN is no exception. It’s riding high atop my 2017 Favorites, and the 5+ sweet, sexy, and swoony stars make it one that I’d recommend to rom-com lovers everywhere. You need to grab this one up, guys, because it goes down like the sweetest treat. Enjoy.

 

“A refreshing take on the baby trope, The Knocked Up Plan is as sweet as it is naughty. Blakely not only balloons Nicole and Ryder’s incredibly powerful chemistry to new heights with their steamy love scenes, but she also infuses sweet emotion into every single one of their interactions.”

– USA Today

 

Add it to Goodreads here!

http://bit.ly/2r4ml1u

 

 

✮✮✮Enter to win this amazing THE KNOCKED UP PLAN GIVEAWAY!✮✮✮

Lauren’s Bundle of Joy Special Delivery Giveaway! This bundle is valued at $200 and includes the most delicious cupcakes delivered to your door from Wicked Cupcakes, a $50 gift certificate for luxurious bath products to make your skin baby soft from The Body Shop, and comes wrapped up with a beautiful sterling silver bow bangle bracelet from Pandora ($125 value).

http://laurenblakely.com/knocked-plan-giveaway/

 

About Lauren Blakely:

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 June she’ll release THE KNOCKED UP PLAN, a standalone contemporary romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

 

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

 

Cover Reveal + Giveaway : Fractured Love by Ella James

Posted on by
Reply

EJFracturedLoveBookCover6x9_BW_325

═════════════════════════

FRACTURED LOVE - CR

═════════════════════════

Fractured Love - BOOK INFO

Title: Fractured Love

Series: The Off-Limits Romance Series, Book #3

Author: Ella James

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 19, 2017

Cover Designer: Letitia Hasser at RBA Designs

═════════════════════════

Fractured Love - About Book

EJFracturedLoveBookCover6x9_MEDIUM

Synopsis:

I was sixteen when he came to our house. Landon Jones, a boy with nothing, from nowhere. He had cinnamon hair and blue eyes—light blue, just like mine. When we went out as a family with my foster brother, people asked if Landon was my twin. He wasn’t. That year, we found out how much he wasn’t. When my parents caught us, they threw Landon out like trash.

Now I’m twenty-nine, a soon-to-be surgeon, like my mom and dad. I know residency is going to kick my ass, but I had no idea that it would rip my heart out, too. Not until I see him—Dr. Jones.

A standalone that is part of the Off-Limits Romance collection.

Fractured Love - GOODREADS

ADD TO GOODREADS_ F. LOVE WITH COVER.png

═════════════════════════

Fractured Love - CR GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

═════════════════════════

Fractured Love - About AUTHOR

EllaJames_blacksm

Author Bio:

Ella James is the USA Today bestselling author of sixteen teen and adult love stories. She’s an angst-a-holic who loves exploring difficult situations and the emotions of the people caught up in them. Also, smut. But always, always romance.

Ella’s obsessions include vanilla cream soda, hiking, other weird, crunchy things like rock collecting, and the antics of her three little monsters.

To find out more about her projects, follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ellajamesbooks, tweet her at author_ellaj or follow her on Instagram (authorellajames).

Interested in the foreign rights for one of Ella’s books? Contact her agent, Rebecca Friedman, at rebecca@rfliterary.com.

Fractured Love - CONNECT AUTHOR

black icon-websiteblack icons-facebookblack icons-twitterblack icons -instagramblack icon - goodreadsamazonblack icon -newsletter

Masterlist 3

═════════════════════════

FRACTURED LOVE COMING SOON

Sign up HERE to participate in the Release Day Promotion for this book!

═════════════════════════

hostedby

website goldfacebook goldtwitter goldinstagram goldPinterest goldyoutube goldgold label_newsletterSign up today!

Pre- Release + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2017 Favorite + Giveaway: Salvaged by Jay Crownover – Saints Of Denver Series – Book 4

Posted on by
2

 

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jay Crownover continues her delightfully sexy Saints of Denver series with the next thrilling standalone, SALVAGED! Order your copy today!

 

 

Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes.

Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him.

The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.

 

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google | iBooks | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN

 

ADD SALVAGED TO YOUR GOODREADS

 

 

Excerpt

“Poppy.” I whispered her name and she tilted her head back and blinked up at me.

“Wheeler.” I was astounded that there was a hint of amusement in her voice. How she could find anything to laugh about after what she just told me was unfathomable. Her father had handed her off to a monster like it was nothing. She made her way out of hell with one of the purest hearts I had ever seen.

“I really want to give you a hug, probably more for me than for you, but I told you not to let anyone touch you without permission.” I knew I sounded a little desperate but I didn’t care. “So, can you put me out of my misery and give me permission to hold you, just for a second, please?”

Her eyes widened and then her obscenely long lashes dropped as she nodded timidly. “Okay, since you asked so nicely.” The humor was now thick around every word and she was laughing for real as I carefully wrapped my arms around her.

I sighed into the top of her head as I pulled her to my chest. Her hair smelled like flowers and felt like silk as I rested my cheek against the soft strands. WE stood like that for a long time, me with my arms curled around her as she stood stock-still. I could feel her heart beat and I wanted to think it was racing like it was because she was affected by my touch rather than because she was terrified of being so close to a man she didn’t know all that well.

I told myself not to breathe, not to move a single muscle, as her hands slowly lifted and gently touched my sides above the tops of my jeans. It felt like her palms were burning their imprint into my skin as they slowly, achingly started to inch their way around my back so that she was lightly holding me back. I heard her make a sound that may have been one of pleasure, but just in case it was one of fear, I leaned away from her so I could see her face.

Her gaze was centered on the tattooed candle that was burning bright and surrounded by light and smoke right on the center of my throat. She watched the movement as I swallowed hard and her gaze drifted up to mine.

“No one ever has ever asked me for permission for anything before. No one has ever cared what I wanted before.” The murmur of her words brushed across the base of my throat and my cock went instantly hard. I knew she felt it because her eyes popped wide and her breath hitched as she looked up at me and ordered quietly, “Ask me what I want right now, Wheeler.”

 

 

 

Jay Crownover continues her Saints of Denver series with SALVAGED, available June 20, 2017

Preorder and fill out the form here: https://a.pgtb.me/MdHvvG

Enter your name, email address, and the order number from your pre-order receipt on the form to receive an advance excerpt of DIGNITY and a Saints of Denver Doodle download to print at home.

Entries must be received by midnight PST on June 19th to be eligible.

The print-at-home Doodle and Dignity excerpt will be emailed the week of June 20th.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the Link:http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9172c1a0374/?

 

 

Michel’s Review

Salvaged is Jay Crownover’s best book in both the Saints of Denver and Marked Men Series.  This novel will touch your soul and leave you with a great sense of hope.

When it comes to Hudson Wheeler most would think that old saying “nice guys finish last” was created just for him.  I tend to think the old saying “good things come to those who wait” was created by him.

Readers were first introduced to Hudson Wheeler in Marked Men series.  This quiet, sexy, unassuming mechanic has intrigued readers throughout the Marked Men series and the Saints of Denver series.  He has earned the respect of all the men in the series.  His earnest quiet nature has intrigued all the ladies throughout the series.  He seems like the perfect guy except for his choices in women.  His fiancee is another matter.  It’s blatantly obvious she’s using him and cheating.  It seems like he has turned a blind eye and lets her walk all over him.  When he’s finally had enough and learns that her betrayal is more than some wild escapades, he walks away with a broken heart.  The problem is he doesn’t really know how to move on.  He’s been with the same girl since he was in high school.  Her family became the family he never had.  They turned their backs on him when he broke the engagement.  Now she’s pregnant with his baby so he can never completely break his ties with her.  His dream of having a family has changed and he doesn’t know how to alter those dreams.  He has no idea how to be a father because he never had a family.  He doesn’t know how to move on because he’s only had one relationship in his life.  He’s going through the motions, trying to be a good guy where his ex is concerned but it’s hard with the anger and sense of betrayal festering beneath the surface.  The only thing getting him through it all is his work until he makes a very unlikely friend, another damaged soul like himself.  Poppy Cruz showed up in his life with her reluctant offer of friendship and an adorable puppy.

Poppy Cruz ( also from the Marked Men & Saints of Denver series) has survived brutal domestic abuse.  Every experience she has had with men has ended with verbal abuse and violent physical abuse.  The scarring went beyond physical, it damaged her soul.  She has a hard time trusting anyone and keeps everyone at arms length.  She no longer trusts her own instincts even though she’s surrounded by good, supportive people since she came to Denver.  The only person that has made her feel like she might want to step out of her comfort zone is the quiet mechanic, Hudson Wheeler.  She can sense that Hudson is a damaged soul as well.  His quiet unassuming nature makes her feel safe rather than threatened.  He respects her boundaries but also encourages her to expand them.  He opens her eyes to all the good possibilities rather than reminding her of all the failures of the past. She wants to step out her comfort zone and strive to become normal.  He’s willing to hold her hand and let her set the pace.  Together they are healing from all the wounds life has left on their souls.  Life hasn’t been easy for either one of them.  Their souls have been wrecked but together their hearts are Salvaged.

Salvaged was an emotional journey for two very different but severely  damaged people.  They were brave enough to reach out and take each others hand while moving forward. It’s a story of healing and finding hope.  It’s a story about accepting the good things life has to offer.

____________________________________________

 

 

About Jay Crownover:

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, The Point, and the Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her dogs.

 

 

 

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: Mr. Rook by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Posted on by
Reply

He’s
Enigmatic, Dangerously Handsome, 
and COMPLETELY OFF-LIMITS…

 

MR. ROOK
Mr. Rook’s Island #1
Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
Releasing June 13th, 2017

Blurb


From NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff, Comes Part One of Mr. Rook’s Island, a Sexy, Dark, Romantic Suspense.

~~~~~

He’s Enigmatic, Dangerously Handsome, and COMPLETELY OFF-LIMITS…

 

The women who vacation on Mr. Rook’s exclusive island are looking for one thing and one thing only: to have their wildest romantic fantasies come to life. Pirates, cowboys, billionaires—there’s nothing Rook’s staff can’t deliver.

 

But when Stephanie Fitzgerald’s sister doesn’t return after her week in paradise, Stephanie will have to pose as a guest in order to dig for answers. Unfortunately, this means she’ll need to get close to the one thing on the island that’s not on the menu: the devastatingly handsome and intimidating Mr. Rook. And he’s not about to give the island’s secrets away.

 
__________________________________
Excerpt

My heart bubbled with rage. Stay in character, Steph. You’re a happy guest, like everyone else. The last thing I wanted was to go ballistic and get kicked off the island before I got what I needed—the truth for myself and information for “my boss,” Warner Price. I used the term loosely because Warner and I had more of an arrangement rather than an employer-employee situation. Either way, I couldn’t and wouldn’t go home until I had what I needed.

Wearing black leather sandals and a long blue cotton dress, I carefully descended the narrow staircase, feeling my anxiety well inside my shaky knees.

“Welcome, Miss…?” Holding out his hand, next to the bottom step, stood a huge tree trunk of a man wearing a blue-and-white Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts. He had to be at least seven feet tall, his brown skin covered in Samoan tattoos. Even his neck and the back of his shaved head were inked.

“Ms. Brenna,” I lied, and shook his large hand. “Let me guess. You must be Tattoo and you tell everyone when the plane arrives?” This place is a fucking joke.

He smiled and flashed a set of bright white teeth. “My name is Gerry, ma’am, and our control tower texts the employees to alert us when the guests arrive. May I help you with your things?”

“No.” I smiled politely, smoothing down the front of my wrinkled dress, trying my best not to show him the hate inside me. Because for all I knew, he’d had something to do with Cici’s death.

No. Don’t think that. She’s not dead. Sadly, however, my heart knew she would not leave us. Not like that. Which naturally led to one conclusion: She never made it off this island alive.

I held back a snarl and substituted it with a grin. “I can carry my own things, but thanks.”

“Very good, Ms. Brenna.” Tattoo—I mean Gerry—dipped his shaved head. “Please follow the red carpet to the gravel path. The signs will direct you to the reception building, where our staff will check you in.”

“Thanks.”

Gerry turned his attention to the next guest behind me—Meg—and I continued on the red carpet, squinting from the hot summer sun beating down on the top of my head.

My first impression of the place was that everything felt too perfect, like a movie set or theme park. Yes, the tall trees were real, and the birds of paradise sprouting from beds of bright red and yellow flowers were real, too, but even the gravel path I followed through the dense jungle didn’t have a single pebble out of place.

As I walked, the muted giggles and laughter of the ladies behind me echoed through the trees. All I felt was my skin crawling and those eyes—from the shadow—still watching me.

Stop it, I told myself. You’re letting your imagination get to you.

I slid my cell from my purse to check for texts or messages from my dad. Crap. No bars? Not even one little flicker? I guess I wasn’t surprised. This island couldn’t stay a secret if people were posting their location on Facebook along with vacation pics.

After a very short walk, the shaded path ended at a large, two-story house with an enormous porch and hanging flowers of every color imaginable. It reminded me of those old coffee plantation homes with whitewash paint and pillars.

I walked up the steps to the porch, my body already dripping with sweat. “Jesus, this place is like living inside a wet volcano,” I muttered. I couldn’t say I was a fan of humidity before this and now I absolutely loathed it.

I stepped inside the house, where a gentle breeze from the ceiling fans drifted against my hot skin, giving some relief. The white wood-paneled room had fresh flowers atop two white desks, where two pleasant-looking women awaited us. Oh, look. We’re being checked in to heaven. Every perfect detail of this shitty place pissed me off.

The guests formed a line and then gave their names to the women in blue-and-white blouses behind the desks. After that, another woman, different every time, quickly whisked them off down a hallway.

My turn. I stepped up, feeling nervous as hell. I wasn’t great at lying, but there was no other way. I’m a guest. A happy guest.

“Hi. I’m Stephanie Brenna.”

The young woman with cocoa skin and her black hair pulled into a neat ponytail smiled and then checked my name off her list. “There you are, Ms. Brenna. Julie will be checking you in and going over the island’s amenities and rules during your stay.”

Julie, a brunette wearing white shorts and the standard Hawaiian blouse, appeared with a bright smile. “Ms. Brenna, hello. Please come right this way.”

“What is this?” The whole whisking people away and separating the guests made me uneasy.

The receptionist continued smiling like she was high on life or had just gotten her wings. “Ah, yes. Well, our check-in process is a little different than your standard resort.” She leaned into her desk and whispered, “Because of the unique nature of our services.” She winked.

“So you mean there’s sex paperwork,” I said.

She pointed her pencil at me. “You got it. And a safety orientation.”

“And Mr. Rook? When do I get to meet him?” I asked.

The smiles on the women’s faces melted so fast, one might have assumed I’d just told them I’d like to eat their livers.

“What?” I asked. “This is his island, isn’t it?”

Julie, my check-in hostess, swallowed something in her throat. “I’m afraid that Mr. Rook doesn’t manage the day-to-day operations of the island—he’s a very busy man. However, if you have any concerns or needs—anything at all—I will be your personal concierge for the week.” Her fake smile reappeared. “And if there’s anything I can’t manage, the island’s executive manager, Mrs. Day, can see to it.”

“So I won’t get to meet the famous Mr. Rook?” I asked.

They smiled politely, but didn’t speak. I got the distinct impression that they were not allowed to say no to a guest.

“All right. Is he even on the island?” I prodded.

The receptionist offered me a bone. “Mr. Rook does have a personal residence here, but we are not kept informed of his schedule or whereabouts. Is there anything we can address? Any concerns?”

The two women eyed the line of rowdy drunk guests behind me. Apparently, one of them had to pee, a fact she happily shared with us all.

Okay, well, if Mr. Rook didn’t run things on a daily basis, then he wasn’t the only person with answers. Of course, the big boss would have to know if a guest went missing, so I would still need to meet him.

“No.” I flashed a smile to make nice. “No concerns at this time.”

“Then follow me!” Julie turned for the hallway. “In a few short minutes, I’ll have you on your way to a week of pure pampering and relaxation.”

“Fabulous.” I followed behind her.

“Unless your version of relaxation requires something more vigorous.” She glanced over her shoulder and winked.

What’s with the damned winking? This entire place gave me the heebie-jeebies. “Can’t wait.”

MIMI JEAN
PAMFILOFF is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling romance author.
Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the
corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the
romance closet and follow your dream. Mimi lives with her Latin Lover hubby,
two pirates-in-training (their boys), and the rat terrier duo, Snowflake and
Mini Me, in Arizona. She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and
continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.
 

Release Day Launch: My Kinda Night by Lacey Black

Posted on by
Reply

Today we have the release day blitz for My Kinda Night by Lacey Black! Grab your copy today!

Title: My Kinda Night (Summer Sisters, Book 2)

Author: Lacey Black

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Photographer & Cover Design: Sara Eirew

About My Kinda Night:

Payton Summer doesn’t have time for love. Between running her own business in her hometown of Jupiter Bay and her monthly night out with her sisters, Payton has no room for men, dating, or the drama that it entails. Her life is fine just the way it is. Yet, her attraction to the one man she shouldn’t want can’t be ignored.

Dean McIntire has one rule: don’t date clients. It’s a lesson he learned the hard way, and sees the consequence every day when he looks at his five-year-old daughter. It’s not a rule he’d break again. Until he meets the gorgeous Payton Summer, and suddenly, Dean finds himself ready to throw the rule book right out the window.

What happens when the sparks of lust can’t be denied? One night turns in to two, and two turns in to more. Payton and Dean find themselves unable to stay away, but can they survive when their secrets are exposed?

*Though part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone. It is intended for those 18 and over due to graphic language, descriptive sex, and the world’s most inappropriate grandparents.

Get your Copy Today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | iBooks | Kobo | B&N | Goodreads

Catch up on the series today!

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | IBooks | Kobo | B&N

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

It’s a Summer sister tradition that on the first Saturday of each month, the six of us get together. We take turns picking the location or activity, anything from margaritas and a movie to wine and painting classes at the small gallery uptown. One thing, though, is as certain as the sun rising over the Chesapeake Bay every morning; there will be alcohol involved.

Always.

Tonight, it’s another stupid painting class. Create and Paint, that’s what this class is called. I prefer to call it “Painting sucks, let’s get drunk!” while I chug my fruity Moscato because that’s the only wine worth drinking. Abby whips out red every once in a while and I swear to God Almighty that I’m going to shrivel up and die like those nasty, sour grapes used to create red wine.

I’m the oldest of six Summer girls. Of course, I’m the boss, the leader, and the best at everything (except painting, obviously). As I approach my thirty-third birthday in a couple of weeks at the end of January, I also realize that spending time with my sisters as much as I do is going to become more of a challenge.

Jaime is three years younger than me. She’s the sister who ran away to college and never came back. Well, at least until her fiancé left her the week before the wedding. She moved home, had to move in with our dad and grandparents, and worked for me at Blossoms and Blooms for a short period of time.

Then she met Ryan. Watching those two discover their love for each other was like watching soft porn. Sparks and hormones flew like fireworks every time those two were within a fifty-foot radius of each other.

AJ is the third sister at twenty-eight, or Alison Jane as her birth certificate states. Though, we’ve called her by her nickname for as long as I can remember. She’s the eighth grade math teacher at Jupiter Bay Junior High, home of the Hawks, where she’s taught ever since receiving her teaching degree. She has also enrolled in online classes for her Master’s degree. As of January twentieth, AJ will be a night student.

After AJ comes Meghan. She’s twenty-six and a hygienist at the local dental office. How someone can work inside another’s mouth all day and not get grossed out is beyond me. But she does it. Daily. Meg is also engaged to Josh, a man who treats her like the princess she is. Meg and Josh became engaged in December during a romantic trip to New York City for their anniversary. He went all out: Empire State Building, fancy dinner, down on one knee. It was perfect, just like they are.

Rounding out the Summer sisters are the twins, Lexi and Abby. Lexi, short for Alexis, gives me a run for my money in the boss department and is a hairdresser uptown. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, Chris, who rarely attends any of our family functions. He’s busy trying to take over the financial world, and believes that the only way to achieve that is to work nonstop. I don’t think it’s all roses and fairytales at the Jacobson house.

Abby, or Abigail, was born mere minutes before Lexi, but is as different as can be. She’s reserved, quiet, and shy in ways that the rest of us aren’t. Abby is an English Literature major and works as an editor for a major publishing house out of California. She’s on her computer all day, and rarely ventures out of her little apartment. It’s my goal in this new year to get her out and into the dating world, especially in light of the fact that her love for her best friend is unrequited. Levi is a great friend, but doesn’t see the wonderful woman before him. He’s too busy sticking his penis inside of every woman in the state of Virginia. (I say that lovingly.)

Let’s not forget our father, Brian, and our grandparents, Orval and Emma. Inappropriate doesn’t quite adequately describe the older couple who helped raise all six of us after our mom died. I was seventeen when she succumbed to ovarian cancer, leaving my father behind to get six girls through the teenage years. Enter the grandparents. I’ve got stories for miles, but we’ll get to those later.

Born and raised in Jupiter Bay, a small town of about eight thousand along the Chesapeake Bay, I’ve become accustomed to the small town lifestyle. I own the local flower shop, where I devote every ounce of my soul to making it a success. I’m not gonna lie, I had my doubts there at the beginning. I didn’t know anything about running a business, but was determined to make it work. It’s a lot of work, especially with a small staff of one other employee to keep overhead down, but I’m successful. And proud of it!

And that brings us to tonight. It’s the first Saturday of the New Year and we’re busy celebrating with sandcastles and wine. Hops and Grapes, a local retailer for microbrews and wines made on the east coast, is the place for tonight’s Paint and Create class. Right now, my beach scene resembles something a kindergartener would draw with finger paints.

“Mix together a little white with the brown until you get the light sandy color you’re looking for. Dab your brush in the water and then in the paint, and make long strokes across the canvas.”

Giggles erupt beside me. “She said long strokes,” Lexi whispers not so quietly.

“I get to make long strokes. Ryan is impressively large in the man-junk area,” Jaime says, gulping the last of her wine.

“Yes, we know. You tell us every chance you get.” This from Abby.

“Yeah, it’s starting to get annoying. If I had an impressive man-sword waiting for me at home every night, I’d never leave the house,” AJ adds.

“Not worth it. I’ll take my rabbit over a man any day. That baby has seven speeds and a rotating head,” I grumble, making a mess out of my sandy beach.

“Stop being so grumpy. Maybe if you actually had the real deal for a while, you wouldn’t be so damn cynical all the time,” Jaime says from across the table. She never takes her eyes off her canvas as she makes smooth, straight brushstrokes.

My face burns and I pray the vultures I share genes with don’t notice. Of course I don’t get so lucky. I’ve always said if it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all. Trying to concentrate on my masterpiece, I keep my eyes down and focused on the sandcastle in the corner of the scene.

“I think there’s more to the story! Do you see her blushing?” Meghan’s laughter flits from the opposite end of the table. How in the hell she can see my face is beyond me. It’s probably that sister-radar all of us possess. It’s so damn annoying.

“I am not.” It’s a weak defense, I know, but it’s all I’ve got.

“Deny it all you want, big sister, but your face is definitely blushing,” Lexi adds.

“Ladies, when you get your sandcastle the way you want it, we’ll add a few details and highlights before moving on to the water.” The woman instructing our class has worn a constant smile the entire hour we’ve been here, and frankly, I’m starting to think she hit the sauce way before our arrival tonight.

“Why does my sand look like cellulite?” AJ asks. “I give up. I’m just drinking from here on out.”

Jaime glances over at our sister’s painting. “My God, that’s horrible. Thank God you’re not the art teacher!”

“Cheers,” AJ replies, raising her glass and tapping it against Jaime’s.

“Any wedding plans yet, Meg?” Abby asks, wetting her brush before swiping it through the paint. Always the perfect student, that one.

“Not yet. We’re thinking fall, though.” Meghan’s face lights up at the mere thought of her pending nuptials to Josh.

“That’ll be the perfect time.” Abby’s able to keep her smile happy when she’s in discussion, but I’ve seen the desolation in it too. Even tonight, I see something in her eyes that makes me sad. I’m sure her best friend is the root of her anguish, but I won’t call her out on it tonight. That’s a conversation to have at another time (with less alcohol).

By the time our three-hour torture session is up, each of us has painted waves rolling onto the beach, with a shovel, pail, and sandcastle. We pose as a group for pictures, each of us proudly displaying the fruits of our labor. My sisters each discuss where they’re going to hang their newest creation, while I contemplate which closet I’ll throw it in.

“Yours is great,” Abby says with a big smile.

“Helen Keller could have done a better job,” I retort with a snort of laughter.

As we say good night and thank the instructor, we all walk out together into the crisp early-January night. Not surprisingly, Josh and Ryan are waiting. Jaime and Meg practically run towards their men, each one jumping into their arms as if it’s been days since they’ve seen each other instead of a few hours. Longing rips through my chest and settles into my stomach, heavy and unrelenting. I try to push those pesky feelings aside, but sometimes, it’s just no use. They plant in my chest and brain and dig in deep.

“Good night,” Abby says, pulling me into a hug.

“You going out tonight?” I ask, recalling her mention of Levi’s gig earlier in the evening.

“No, I’m going to take my new painting home and hang it on the wall.”

“Wow, don’t overdo it now on a Saturday night, Abs. Too much excitement will cause wrinkles.”

“I just, I don’t really go to his gigs anymore.”

“Why?” I ask, though already knowing the answer.

She shrugs her shoulders and gives me a small smile. “Just not feeling up to it.”

I let it go. I already know she doesn’t go anymore is because it’s too painful to watch him leave with some skanky bimbo with a dress size bigger than her IQ. Levi may very well never know what he’s missing with Abby, but the romantic in me is still hopeful of him getting his shit together and realizing he loves her.

Hey, I may be cynical as hell in the love department, but I’m still a woman. And this woman wants only the best and a happily ever after for every one of her sisters.

As for me? Well, I’ve decided that my happily ever after will be in the form of cats. I’ll be the little old lady wearing hair curlers and her bathrobe around town, picking up every stray feline she can find.

And you know what? That’s okay. Not everyone is cut out for the spouse, house, and perfect postcard life. Despite what they tell you in the romance novels or in Disney movies, there isn’t someone out there for everyone. Sometimes, a person is just supposed to be alone.

That’s my destiny.

 

About Lacey Black:

Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and a chocolate lab. Lacey loves watching NASCAR races, shooting guns, and should only consume one mixed drink because she’s a lightweight.

Lacey’s debut novel, Trust Me, was released in August 2014 and has been an Amazon Bestseller twice for Free e-books, as well as #1 for Contemporary Romance. All of the Rivers Edge books have been bestsellers in the Romance and Contemporary Romance categories.

Connect with Lacey:

Email: laceyblackwrites@gmail.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthLaceyBlack

Blog: https://laceyblack.wordpress.com

Enter Lacey’s Giveaway:

A Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Blitz + Giveaway: I Knew You Were Trouble by Lauren Layne

Posted on by
Reply

A feisty beauty must choose between
winning back Mr. Right 
or giving in to Mr. Wrong.
I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE
Oxford Series #4
Lauren Layne
Releasing June 13, 2017
Loveswept

New York City’s hottest bachelors are stirring up trouble in this fun, flirty Oxford Novel, as a love triangle forces a feisty beauty to choose between winning back Mr. Right or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

Taylor Carr has it all—a sleek job in advertising, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and the perfect man to share it with: Bradley Calloway. Even after Bradley dumps her for a co-worker on move-in day, Taylor isn’t worried. She’ll get her man eventually. In the meantime, she needs a new roommate. Enter Nick Ballantine, career bartender, freelance writer—and longtime pain in Taylor’s ass. Sexy in a permanent five-o’clock-shadow kind of way, Nick knows how to push Taylor’s buttons, as if he could see right through to the real her.

Nick’s always trying to fix people, and nobody could use a good fixing more than Taylor. Sure, she’s gorgeous, with mesmerizing silver eyes, but it’s her vulnerability that kills him. Now that they’re shacking up together, the chemistry is out of control. Soon they’re putting every part of their two-bedroom apartment to good use. Then Taylor’s ex comes crawling back to her, and Nick figures she’ll jump at the chance to go back to her old life—unless he fights for the best thing that ever happened to him.


AVAILABLE NOW!

 

Author Bio:

Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: Amnesia by Cambria Hebert

Posted on by
1

Amnesia
Cambria Hebert
Publication date: June 12th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

I washed ashore in a little lake town.
A place where everyone knows everyone, yet…
No one knows me.
I don’t know me.
If a woman doesn’t know her own name, does she really exist?
I don’t know my natural hair color, my birthdate, or where I live.
I am invisible.
To everyone, to everything, even to myself.
Except to him.
I see the recognition deep in his stare, the way it lingers on my face as if I’m a puzzle he’s desperate to put together.
I just want answers, the truth… knowledge.
His lips are sealed. Still, his eyes beguile me.
I can’t trust anyone, not even myself. Someone wants me dead, the same someone who tried to bury me in a watery grave.
They’ll come for me again… I won’t know their face.
I don’t even know mine.
I am amnesia.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Slivers of light pricked my eyelids, which up until this moment seemed far too heavy to lift. As I lay against something soft at my back, thought and awareness barely registered.

The gritty feeling as I struggled to raise my eyelids scraped and burned over my eyeballs as if warning me it wasn’t a good idea. Swallowing past the sandpaper in my throat, I stopped working and lay still. Cognizance slowly came forward in the form of something weighing me down and the echo of footsteps nearby.

Adrenaline jackknifed through me, and my body arched upward with the force of my gasp. The weight of whatever held me caused severe panic to fill me, and I began to fight against it.

“No!” I screamed, flailing about, trying to escape the binds. “Let me go!”

High-pitched beeping filled my ears, and the footsteps I’d heard grew more insistent and much closer.

He was coming!

“No!” I screamed.

Strong hands grabbed my arms and pinned me down. I tried to fight back, but they were much stronger than me. Kicking my legs, I tried to free them, but even more weight came down, holding them still until I was gasping for breath and ready to beg.

“Please!” I pleaded as wetness coated my cheeks. It made me realize the grittiness under my lids was rinsed away, and my eyes sprang open.

A man was leaning over me. He had graying hair and wore some kind of white shirt. The scream that ripped right out of me scared us both.

More hands and voices came out of nowhere, and I thrashed around again.

“Miss!” the man yelled. “Miss, calm down.”

“Get away from me!” I screamed again.

“Miss!” another voice yelled, a woman this time. Turning in her direction, I saw a pair of kind brown eyes staring at me. “We aren’t trying to hurt you.”

I calmed some, but the thundering of my heart made me feel as if I might spiral out of control. “You aren’t?”

“No.” The woman, who was also dressed in white, spoke. “You’re at a hospital. You were in an accident.”

“W-what?” I stammered, collapsing back against the bed, no longer straining against the binds.

“You’re at a hospital.”

“You’re trying to hold me down!” I accused.

“We don’t want you to hurt yourself.” the woman explained. The hands, even the man’s, remained.

“I don’t like it,” I admitted, recoiling.

The man straightened, stepping back. The nurse was slower to withdraw, but she did so after a few seconds.

“My legs,” I rasped. Suddenly, my throat hurt.

“It’s just the blankets.”

A quick glance down proved I was covered with blankets. Between suspicious glances at the people crowding my room (there were four), I gazed around, concluding I was in fact in a hospital.

“I don’t understand,” I admitted, all my weight pressing into the bed.

“It’s okay,” the man replied. He was a doctor, with a name badge and a stethoscope. “It’s completely normal and expected to be confused after the ordeal you’ve been through.”

“What ordeal?” I asked instantly, anxiety pressing in on my ribcage.

“We were hoping you could tell us,” the doctor said.

“What?” My brows furrowed.

The nurse leaned close, over the side of the bed. I noticed the railings were pulled up on each side. It made me feel as if I were in jail. Instantly, I hated it and began shoving at the bars, trying to push them down.

“Okay, hang on,” the nurse said and put the rails down. Once it was done, she pinned me with an insistent stare. “You have to stay still. You can’t thrash around. You’ll rip out your IV and reinjure yourself.”

“What happened to me?” I asked for what felt like the fifteenth time. I looked around at the four people in the room, hoping one of them would just spit it out.

The doctor motioned to two of the nurses and then quietly left the room.

I glanced back at the nurse. “Can you tell us your name?” she asked.

“My name?” I nodded once, then opened my mouth… only nothing came out.

Anxiety spiked in me again; I started to become agitated. “I… don’t know.”

“Calm down.” The nurse reminded me.

How dare she tell me to calm down? I couldn’t even remember my name.

Oh my God, I didn’t know my own name!

“I don’t remember!” I gasped, jerking up into a sitting position. “Why can’t I remember?”

Before I could fling the covers off and jump out of bed, the doctor was there, pinning me back down. “If you don’t calm down, we’ll have to sedate you. I don’t want to do that. You’ve been out long enough.”

I stilled. “How long?”

“A while.” The nurse hedged.

I ignored her. She was terrible with questions. “How long?” I demanded.

“A little over two months,” the doctor replied.

I gasped. “What’s my name?” I yelled.

I’d been here for two months and they were asking for my name? Shouldn’t they know it?

The doctor wasn’t looking at me; he was looking at the nurse, giving her a curt nod. She rushed out of the room.

“No!” I shouted. “No drugs! Please! Tell me my name. I just want to know my name.”

“You need to calm down. You’ve had a great deal of trauma, miss.”

I dropped back against the pillow, boneless. He called me miss. “You don’t know my name, do you?” I asked, meek.

Sensing all my energy was drained away, he moved back. A frown pulled at his lips. “You were brought in with no identification.” He began.

Fear unlike anything I’d ever felt wrapped around my heart and squeezed. I searched every corner of my mind for something. Anything.

There was nothing.

“I don’t remember…” I whispered.

The doctor seemed to soften. “I know this must be very scary, to wake up and be so disoriented.”

I laughed, but it wasn’t a humorous sound. I wished I were disoriented right then.

“You’ve been through a lot. Give it a few days. Now that you’re awake, your mind will catch up and you will remember.”

“I will?” I asked.

“There’s a good chance.”

Disappointment speared me. “If I don’t?”

“Let’s take it one day at a time.” He placated me.

“Easy for you to say. You know your name.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. “Time.” He reminded me.

The nurse came through the door, holding a syringe, and I cringed away.

“I don’t think we’re going to need that,” the doctor told her.

I let out an audible sigh.

He glanced around again. “Now that you’re awake, I’ll get you down for testing.”

“What kind of testing?” I asked.

“Routine stuff for someone who’s been in a coma.”

Nothing about this was routine. I was in coma… for two months. And I didn’t even know my name.

When both the nurse and doctor were gone and I was alone, my eyes overflowed with tears and a formidable feeling of dread crowded inside me. The doctor said there was “a good chance” I would remember my name very soon.

The problem was it wasn’t just my name I needed to remember…

It was everything.

 

Author Bio:

Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

XBTBanner1

Blog Tour + Excerpt + Giveaway: The Clover Chapel by Devney Perry

Posted on by
Reply

Today we have the blog tour for The Clover Chapel by Devney Perry! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!!

Title: The Clover Chapel

Author: Devney Perry

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

About The Clover Chapel:

She took a dare and fell in love. Truth would have been the smarter choice.

After years of living under her father’s thumb, Emmeline is ready to break free. She’s abandoned her life as a New York socialite to follow her dream of becoming a kindergarten teacher in a small, wholesome town. Seeing the man that nearly broke her was absolutely not what she had hoped to find in Prescott, Montana.

Nick hasn’t seen his Emmy in nine years, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten a thing about the woman he loves. After just one blissful night as man and wife, he gave her up, sacrificing his own happiness to keep her safe—far away from him. But the moment she walks back into his lonely life is the moment he decides never to let her go again. He won’t waste his second chance. All he has to do is win back Emmeline’s heart, keep her safe from the shadows in his past and prove to her that taking a wager on him is a sure bet.

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

 

 Excerpt:

Handing me my ticket, he asked, “Snacks?”

“Popcorn. Skittles. Junior Mints. Diet Coke,” I ordered. “What? Don’t give me that look. It’s my dinner.”

The lobby of the theater was packed full of people. Next to the small ticket box was a long concession counter where four high school kids frantically filled food and drink orders.

“Is it always this busy?” I asked.

“Tuesday night they run a special where everything is half off,” he said.

We waited our turn in awkward silence. This was not the place for a serious conversation but casual chitchat wasn’t an option either. We had too much baggage. After what felt like hours, we had our snacks and shuffled into the theater.

The two-story room was much larger than I would have guessed from the outside of the building. A small balcony hung above the main floor. The walls were draped in maroon curtains tied with gold, tasseled rope. The wood trim was carved in intricate swirls.

“This place is amazing,” I said, following Nick to a pair of open seats on the lower level.

“Yeah. A couple of years ago they renovated the place, but this has been the theater in Prescott since the early 1900s. Back then they used to do vaudeville shows. The stage beneath the movie screen is the original.”

“Very interesting. Do you come here often?” I spread my snacks around me for easy access during the movie.

“No.”

I jumped in my seat when I felt his breath on the side of my face. I’d been so busy arranging my popcorn that I hadn’t realized he’d gotten so close. The seats in the theater were squished so closely together that my arm would be rubbing up against his all night.

Shit.

Maybe the movie wasn’t such a good idea after all. At least with dinner, I’d have had a table separating us.

The movie started and though my eyes stayed locked on the screen, I wasn’t absorbing the film. All of my focus was on the man sitting next to me and the arm he’d draped around my shoulders. For two hours, Nick drew circles on my shoulder with his fingertips.

I should have pulled away and told him to stop. The words were right on the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t get them out. Why had I let him touch me?

Because I was bat-shit crazy. That’s why.

When the crowd stood to leave, I breathed a sigh of relief that the night was over.

“Good night,” I said when I was safely on the sidewalk, but before I could escape, Nick captured my elbow and spun me around.

“Tomorrow night. Dinner.”

“I can’t tomorrow. Thursday either. I need to spend some time finishing my lesson plans,” I lied.

My prep work for school had been done since the weekend, but I had to get some space from Nick. My mental stability was at stake. Spending last night with him at The Black Bull and then tonight at the theater was too much.

“Lesson plans? Don’t you teach little kids?” he asked.

“After you spend a day attempting to keep fourteen kindergarteners entertained without a lesson plan, you can question their necessity. Until then, trust me when I say they are vital.”

“Fine,” he said with a smug grin. “Friday. Dinner. Prescott Café. Six o’clock.”

I nodded and rushed away before he could say anything else. What was with that arrogant smile he’d given me? Had I missed a joke?

It wasn’t until I was sitting in my driver’s seat that I realized why he had grinned. We had four dates left to fit into six days. If I delayed date two until Friday, it meant that I’d be seeing him Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

A whole weekend of Nick.

“Oh for the love . . .” I muttered before banging my forehead against the steering wheel.

About the Author:

Devney lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

 

Enter Devney’s Giveaway:

A Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal + Excerpt + Giveaway: A Pinch of Salt by Bethany Lopez

Posted on by
Reply

Today we are celebrating the cover reveal of PINCH OF SALT by Bethany Lopez. Pinch of Salt is the first book in an all-new contemporary romance series, Three Sister’s Catering. Check out the excerpt, teasers, and giveaway below for a pair of Kate Spade earrings. Pre-order your copy now!

 

 

Pinch of Salt by Bethany Lopez

(Three Sisters Catering, #1)
Contemporary Romance – Coming August 21

Cover by Makeready Designs
Add the book to Goodreads

 

Synopsis:

For the past year, talented chef Millie has been consumed with running her new catering business with her sisters, Dru and Tasha. It isn’t until Jackson walks through their door that she realizes something may be missing in the recipe of her life.

For the past year, Jackson has been dealing with the fallout of his wife’s abandonment. He’s had to learn how to be a single father to their eight-year-old daughter, and will do anything to fill the void her mother left. It isn’t until he commissions Millie for his daughter’s birthday party that he realizes he’s forgotten that he’s not only a father, but a man.

They both think they’re content in their lives, but sometimes the right amount of spice can turn an okay dish into a magnificent one. A Pinch of Salt may be all that’s needed to bring Millie and Jackson the flavor they’ve been missing.

 

Check out the Pinch of Salt Pinterest Board!


Pre-order for $3.99

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords

 


 

EXCERPT: Millie

 

Yes, I thought, I can help you with whatever you need, just look at me like that every day for the rest of my life.

“What can I do for you?” I asked, sure my cheeks were turning red.

Then he smiled, and two dimples appeared.

Seriously? I looked around the store for hidden cameras. Were my sisters playing tricks on me? This guy could not be real. Or any more adorable.

“I know it’s last minute, but I have an emergency. I need to hire you to cater my daughter’s ninth birthday party.”

And, there it was… the punchline. Mr. Adorable Dimples was married with a family.

I looked down at his ringed finger, smothered my disappointment, and gave him an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry, we don’t do children’s parties.”

When his face fell, I wanted to snatch the words back.

“We just don’t have those types of decorations on hand,” I added, hoping to soften the rejection. “There’s a party supply store around the block, I’m sure they’ll have what you need.”

He shook his head and I tilted my head back to get a better look at him. Damn, he was really tall.

“I wish it were that simple. Kayla’s outgrown the kind of birthday party I could give her. If we were still talking about Frozen, I could turn our living room into a winter wonderland and decorate the shit out of it,” he winced and said, “Sorry,” and I assumed he was talking about swearing. Which, jeez, could he get any cuter.

“What does she want?” I asked, even though I knew I should send him on his way and get back to work. I found I didn’t want him to leave yet.

I was such a brat.

“A tea party,” he replied, making tea party sound like a bad word. “I’ve never even had a drop of tea, let alone made an entire party out of it.”

I bit back a chuckle at his obvious distress, and asked, “Can’t your wife help?”

His face looked pained, then he let out a sigh and said, “She, uh, left us, almost a year ago. We haven’t heard from her since, so… no, I’m on my own with this one.”

 

 

A Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

A1nt0F1SfnL._UX250_
Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. She’s a lover of all things romance: books, movies, music, and life, and she incorporates that into the books she writes. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible. Some of her favorite things are: Kristen Ashley Books, coffee in the morning, and In N Out burgers.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Sign up for Bethany’s Newsletter

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon

InkSlinger-Blogger banner-New