Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Sassy Blonde...

Today we have the release day blitz for Sassy Blonde by Stacey Kennedy! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Sassy Blonde

Author: Stacey Kennedy

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

About Sassy Blonde:

From USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy comes a steamy contemporary romance featuring a brooding hero with too much baggage, a spirited heroine who is always up for adventure, and a sexy-as-hell road trip that will change their lives forever. Maisie Carter has always been a free spirit. An artist by nature, she has no idea what she's doing as co-owner of Three Chicks Brewery. But she's determined to prove to her older sisters that she can be an asset to their grandfather's beer legacy. The best way to do that? Make the rounds at Colorado's craft brewery festivals and turn Foxy Diva, their top beer, into an award winner. Unfortunately, after more than one "beer mishap," it becomes clear that she's going to need some help. Hayes Taylor knows he has a chip on his shoulder, but he has no interest in working through his traumatic past. He just wants to work on his horse farm, alone. The last thing he needs in his life is a woman, especially his dead wife's best friend, the sweet-as-pie Maisie Carter. But she's always brought out his protective instincts, and he can hardly say 'no' when she asks for his help... As the two embark on the festival tour, beer filled days turn into lust filled nights, and neither Maisie nor Hayes can deny their growing attraction. But Hayes knows love leads to heartbreak.... Can Maisie show him that their love is worth the risk?  

Grab Your Copy Today:

Amazon | B&N | Apple Books | Googleplay | Kobo

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

“You’re fired.” Maisie balked at Clara, trying to ignore the dinging alarm coming from the hospital room across the hallway. She’d been in the hospital for six terribly long hours now. After she’d been knocked out, and an orthopedic surgeon realigned the fracture fragments, they’d given her a horribly ugly splint. While that all sucked, the worst part was that she had hurt her dominant hand. No painting. No drawing. No creating. For…weeks? That was bad. But this? “You can’t fire me,” she implored. “You and Amelia gave me full control of running the business, so I obviously can,” Clara said, placing her hands on her hips. “Even before your accident, I seriously doubted you could do this. Now? Maisie, let’s be real here, you can’t handle the festivals.” Defeat sank in, and even Maisie doubted herself, but yet, she still asked, “Who says I can’t?” Clara waved at the saline bag attached to Maisie’s hand and then pointed at Maisie’s broken finger. “I’d say today is evidence enough this isn’t working out.” Her sister’s expression softened, and she took Maisie’s uninjured hand and squeezed tight. “I know you wanted to do something more for the brewery than the logos and signage, and you tried. We’re proud of you.” Amelia nodded and gave a soft smile. “So proud.” Clara added, “But you’ve been struggling at this before you even hit the ground running. We’ll just have to find you something else to do within the company.” But there wasn’t anything else for Maisie to do, and they all knew it. Clara was the brains of the operation. Amelia was creator of the beer. Even, Penelope, their cousin, had taken over the brewery tours since Maisie, well…sucked at that too. Maisie was the painter, the dreamer, the woman trying desperately to fit into the box that she didn’t fit in. “Okay, I know having the keg fall on my hand wasn’t my finest moment,” she hedged, “but I can fix this.” Clara’s brows rose. “How?” “I’ll figure that out soon,” Maisie said with a smile. Clara frowned. “That sugary sweet smile has gotten you many, many chances, but I’m afraid you’re out of them.” No! No. This couldn’t happen. Clara and Amelia had been fulfilling their end of their bargain. Maisie may have broken her finger, but she was determined to do the same. To help fulfill Pops’s final wish. “Just give me one more try,” she pleaded. “Please.” Obviously taking pity on Maisie, Amelia cut in, nudging Clara’s arm. “It’s not going to hurt anyone to give her one more chance.” A muscle near Clara’s eye twitched. Like, maybe a few of those gray hairs she dyed lately were because of Maisie. She finally huffed, then said to Maisie, “I don’t even pretend to know how you’ll pull this off, but fine, one more chance. That’s it, though, Maisie. Our reputation is riding on these festivals.” “Got it,” Maisie said with a firm nod. Clara loosed another breath and stepped closer to the bed to drop a kiss on Maisie’s forehead. “I’m sorry about your finger.” Clara wasn’t all tough. She had an incredibly soft heart. It was just that her heart had thorns around it, ready to hurt, if need be. Maisie couldn’t blame her. Clara had Mason to think of, and being a single mom was a big weight. The brewery had to succeed. “Thanks,” Maisie said, studying her finger in the splint. “It actually doesn’t even hurt anymore.” She smiled at her sisters. “But maybe that’s the morphine talking.” Amelia chuckled, her eyes twinkling. “Probably, but since you are feeling better, how about I go see about getting you out of here?” “Lord, yes, please.” Maisie had been stuffed into a semi-private room, the blue curtain separating her and the next bed. She didn’t want to be there when that next person came in. Clara grabbed her purse off the seat. “I need to pick up Mason from the sitter. She’s probably wondering where I am.” When Clara reached the curtain, she turned back. “You’re really okay?” Maisie nodded. “The only thing hurting right now is my ego.” Clara’s brow wrinkled, obviously disbelieving. “Okay, call me if you need me. I’ll stop off at the pharmacy and pick up your painkiller prescription” Maisie often felt bad for Clara. The burden of responsibility always rested on her shoulders. Maisie couldn’t remember the last time Clara ever did anything for herself. “Thanks. Love you.” She forced a smile, giving her sisters a quick wave before they shut the curtain closed behind them. The moment they were gone, tears pricked Maisie’s eyelids. One more chance, and then what? Before she broke her finger, she had doubts she could pull off the beer festivals without epically screwing up. Now? Even she knew the finish line was near impossible to reach. She couldn’t even move a damn keg without it falling on her. This was beginning to feel like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. Being a disappointment to her sisters was normal. She’d always been Maisie, the baby who always got caught sneaking out and never followed the rules. But disappointing her grandfather, not seeing his final wish for the girls he’d raised come true, was harder to stomach. She slowly breathed through the pain, knowing one thing for certain—she could not fail. Voices stirred next to her as nurses rolled a bed in. A moment later, a high feminine voice snapped, “Sir, you need to stay in your bed.” “I’m fine. If you’d just let me go, I’d show you.” There was a muffled creak as the person adjusted in the bed before the nurse practically growled, “I’m going to sedate you if you don’t stay put.” Maisie fought her laughter at that low baritone voice. Only one man would cause someone so much grief. She slid off the bed, grabbed the curtain, and whisked it open. First, she met the nurse’s scowl. Then she met Hayes’s whiskey-colored eyes. He practically filled the hospital bed with six-foot-two feet of pure, hardworking muscle. And just the sight of him warmed Maisie’s belly. That was a problem lately. Hayes had always been Laurel’s guy. Then Hayes had become a friend. But over the last few months, something had shifted between them, and Maisie still couldn’t figure out why her heart suddenly wanted him. But there was no denying the draw there, the want, the need. She’d tried to fight her growing attraction, feeling horribly guilty, but there was no point. Her heart demanded Hayes. While she knew Laurel would want them to be happy, Hayes hadn’t acted on the attraction, and neither had Maisie. Yet. To keep things light, she joked, “Aw, you felt so bad I was in here, you wanted to join me.” Hayes’s mouth twitched, his eyes warming when they met hers. “Didn’t want you feeling left out,” he said. A snort came from the doorway. Maisie glanced up, catching Beckett’s bemused expression. “I told him to wear armor. He didn’t listen.” Maisie smiled at Beckett, but her smile fell when she glanced at Hayes. “What happened?” Hayes looked more than annoyed, his eye twitching. “After your sisters brought you here, I went back to the farm. I had little a disagreement with a horse.” “No,” the nurse said. “He fell off a horse, and that’s why he needs to stay in this bed.” Maisie gave Hayes a totally fake chastising look. “You’re not being a terrible patient, are you?” Hayes set his jaw. “I don’t want to be a patient at all.” The nurse frowned at him. “You might have a concussion. The doctor wants you to stay overnight, just to be safe.” “Yeah, that’s not happening.” Hayes sat up, his large frame filling up the small space. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, sand falling off his cowboy boots. Maisie took in the dirt covering his worn blue jeans and black T-shirt, realizing he most definitely did have a fall. When he went to stand, she grabbed him by the arm with her uninjured hand, desperately aware of the muscles stretching and flexing beneath her fingers. “Don’t be stupid.” She pressed her hand to his chest and he willingly let her push him back on the bed. When the warmth of his eyes returned to hers, time stopped. She became instantly lost, trapped by the intensity she saw on his face. He slowly wrapped his fingers around her wrist, and maybe because it was the anniversary of Laurel’s death, or something else altogether, but she remembered the last time his fingers wrapped around her wrist. “Maisie. Go home.” Maisie stood in the dark bedroom in the empty house. She had no idea how bad Hayes’s depression had gotten, when she’d been so deep in her own. Then Beckett called and begged her to help. Now, here, with Hayes, she couldn’t believe her eyes, and yet, she understood, having been so lost herself. The beautiful, expensive property that Hayes bought when he moved back to River Rock had been gorgeous when she’d come for the spreading of Laurel’s ashes on the weeping willow hanging over the creek. Now, without him mowing the lawn or tending to the property, everything was overgrown. The three-bedroom house had no furniture. Hayes slept on a camping mat on the floor, the curtains on the windows were drawn. The darkness of the place was near stifling. She’d been right where he was. Until her sisters’ love brought her back to life. Determined to get Hayes there too, she moved to the curtains and whisked them open, letting the sunlight spill inside. She turned back, finding Hayes lying curled on his side, looking thin, his hair long, his beard far past scruffy. “You’re getting up,” she told him. “We’re going outside.” When he didn’t move, she dropped to her knees next to him. He rolled onto his back and she placed her hand on his chest. “Laurel would be devastated if she saw you like this. You’re going to get up and face each day, with me here, until we both have some kind of life worth living.” Tears welled in his eyes. His fingers wrapped around her wrist tight. “I’ve got nothing left.” “That’s not true,” she said, hearing the raw emotion in her voice. “You’ve got me.” She grabbed the blanket and yanked it off, paying no attention to the fact that he was naked. She tossed him the jeans that rested in a heap on the floor next to him. “Get dressed. I’m making you breakfast.” Maisie blinked away the memory of the day Hayes had become her friend, instead of just Laurel’s husband. They’d come through dark times together, and they had history together. So much history. Some good. Some bad. Some unimaginably painful. But this new thing that had sprung out of nowhere over the last few months made her cheeks hot, and she averted his gaze. What was once friendly between them had become taut with tension that seemed to get tighter every day. This man staring at her wasn’t broken anymore. Hunger lived in his eyes. “You need to stay here,” she told him. “Let them look you over.” “I’m fine,” he said, his voice lower than before. Not wanting to, but knowing she had to, she slowly took her hand off his chest, watching her fingers drag against the hard muscles, feeling like touching him wasn’t all that friendly anymore. “I’ve been here all day,” she pointed out. “You can endure getting looked over.” He held her stare. “Fine, I’ll get looked over. But there”—he glared at the nurse—“is no way in hell I’m staying the night.” The nurse turned away, but even Maisie saw her roll her eyes as she left the room. Beckett laughed. Maisie nudged Hayes’s shoulder. “Be nice. You’re really annoying her.” Hayes snorted, lying his head back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling, that muscle in his jaw twitching again. “Believe me, the feeling is mutual.”  

About Stacey Kennedy:

 
Stacey Kennedy is a USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romances full of heat, heart, and happily ever afters. With over 50 titles published, her books have hit Amazon, B&N, and Apple Books bestseller lists.   Stacey lives with her husband and two children in southwestern Ontario—in a city that’s just as charming as any of the small towns she creates. Most days, you’ll find her enjoying the outdoors with her family or venturing into the forest with her horse, Priya. Stacey’s just as happy curled up indoors, where she writes surrounded by her lazy dogs. She believes that sexy books about hot cowboys or alpha heroes can fix any bad day. But wine and chocolate help too.   Stacey absolutely loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at stacey@staceykennedy.com.  

Connect with Stacey:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Website

 

Enter Stacey’s Giveaway:

Monday, June 15, 2020

Red Sky Over Hawaii...



Red Sky Over Hawaii: A Novel
Sara Ackerman
On Sale Date: June 9, 2020
9780778309673, 0778309673
Trade Paperback
$17.99 USD, $22.99 CAD
Fiction / Historical / World War II
352 pages
MIRA Books

ABOUT THE BOOK:

For fans of Chanel Cleeton and Beatriz Williams, RED SKY OVER HAWAII is historical women's fiction set in the islands during WWII. It's the story of a woman who has to put her safety and her heart on the line when she becomes the unexpected guardian of a misfit group and decides to hide with them in a secret home in the forest on Kilauea Volcano.


The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, all she can do is untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property in the forest on Kilauea Volcano. America has been drawn into WWII, and amid rumors of impending invasion, the army places the islands under martial law. When they start taking away neighbors as possible sympathizers, Lana finds herself suddenly guardian to two girls, as well as accomplice to an old family friend who is Japanese, along with his son. In a heartbeat, she makes the decision to go into hiding with them all.

The hideaway house is not what Lana expected, revealing its secrets slowly, and things become even more complicated by the interest of Major Grant Bailey, a soldier from the nearby internment camp. Lana is drawn to him, too, but needs to protect her little group. With a little help from the magic on the volcano, Lana finds she can open her bruised heart to the children--and maybe to Grant.

A lush and evocative novel about doing what is right against the odds, following your heart, and what makes a family.


BUY LINKS:


~~~***~~~***~~~
EXCERPT:


THE ROAD
December 8, 1941

WITH EVERY MILE CLOSER TO VOLCANO, THE FOG thickened, until they were driving through a forest of white gauze with the occasional branch showing through. Lana considered turning the truck around no less than forty-six times. Going back to Hilo would have been the prudent thing to do, but this was not a time for prudence. Of that she was sure. She slowed the Chevy to a crawl and checked the rearview mirror. The cage with the geese was now invisible, and she could barely make out the dog’s big black spots.
Maybe the fog would be to their advantage.
“I don’t like it here at all,” said Coco, who was smashed up next to Lana, scrawny arms folded in protest. The child had to almost yell to be heard above the chug of the motor.
Lana grabbed a blanket from the floor. “Put this over you. It should help.”
Coco shook her head. “I’m not cold. I want to go home. Can you please take us back?”
Goose bumps had formed up and down her limbs, but she was so stubborn that she had refused to put on a jacket. True, Hilo was insufferably hot, but where they were headed—four thousand feet up the mountain—the air was cold and damp and flimsy.
It had been over ten years since Lana had set foot at Kı¯lauea. Never would she have guessed to be returning under these circumstances.
Marie chimed in. “We can’t go back now, sis. And anyway, there’s no one to go back to at the moment.”
Poor Coco trembled. Lana wished she could hug the girl and tell her everything was going to be okay. But that would be a lie. Things were liable to get a whole lot worse before they got any better.
“Sorry, honey. I wish things were different, but right now you two are my priority. Once we get to the house, we can make a plan,” Lana said.
“But you don’t even know where it is,” Coco whined.
“I have a good idea.”
More like a vague notion.
“What if we don’t find it by dark? Are they going to shoot us?” Coco said.
Marie put her arm around Coco and pulled her in. “Turn off that little overactive imagination of yours. No one is going to shoot us,” she said, but threw a questioning glance Lana’s way.
“We’ll be fine,” Lana said, wishing she believed that.
The girls were not the real problem here. Of greater concern was what they had hidden in the back of the truck. Curfew was six o’clock, but people had been ordered to stay off the roads unless their travel was essential to the war. Lana hadn’t told the girls that. Driving up here was a huge risk, but she had invented a story she hoped and prayed would let them get through if anyone stopped them. The thought of a checkpoint caused her palms to break out in sweat, despite the icy air blowing in through the cracks in the floorboard.
On a good day, the road from Hilo to Volcano would take about an hour and a half. Today was not a good day. Every so often they hit a rut the size of a whiskey barrel that bounced her head straight into the roof. The continuous drizzle of the rain forest had undermined all attempts at smooth roads here. At times the ride was reminiscent of the plane ride from Honolulu. Exactly two days ago, but felt more like a lifetime.
Lana’s main worry was what they would encounter once in the vicinity of the national park entrance. With the Kı¯lauea military camp nearby, there were bound to be soldiers and roadblocks in the area. She had so many questions for her father and felt a mixed ache of sadness and resentment that he was not here to answer them. How were you so sure the Japanese were coming? Why the volcano, of all places? How are we going to survive up here? Why didn’t you call me sooner?
Coco seemed to settle down, leaning her nut-brown ringlets against her sister’s shoulder and closing her eyes. There was something comforting in the roar of the engine and the jostle of the truck. With the whiteout it was hard to tell where they were, but by all estimates they should be arriving soon.
Lana was dreaming of a cup of hot coffee when Coco sat upright and said, “I have to go tinkle.”
“Tinkle?” Lana asked.
Marie said, “She means she has to go to the bathroom.”
They drove until they found a grassy shoulder, and Lana pulled the truck aside, though they could have stopped in the middle of the road. They had met only one other vehicle the whole way, a police car that fortunately had passed by.
The rain had let up, and they all climbed out. It was like walking through a cloud, and the air smelled metallic and faintly lemony from the eucalyptus that lined the road. Lana went to check on Sailor. The dog stood up and whined, yanking on the rope around her neck, straining to be pet. Poor thing was drenched and shaking. Lana had wanted to leave her behind with a neighbor, but Coco had put up such a fuss, throwing herself onto her bed and wailing and punching the pillow, that Lana relented. Caring for the girls would be hard enough, but a hundred-and-twenty-pound dog?
“Just a bathroom stop. Is everyone okay back here?” she asked in a hushed voice. Two low grunts came from under the tarp. “We should be there soon. Remember, be still and don’t make a sound if we stop again.”
As if on cue, one of the hidden passengers started a coughing fit, shaking the whole tarp. She wondered how wise it was to subject him to this long and chilly ride, and if it might be the death of him. But the alternative was worse.
“Deep breaths…you can do it,” Lana said.
Coco showed up and hopped onto the back tire. “I think we should put Sailor inside with us. She looks miserable.”
“Whose lap do you propose she sits on?” Lana said.
Sailor was as tall as a small horse, but half as wide.
“I can sit in the back of the truck and she can come up here, then,” Coco said in all seriousness.
“Not in those clothes you won’t. We don’t need you catching pneumonia on us.”
They started off again, and ten seconds down the road, Sailor started howling at the top of her lungs. Lana felt herself on the verge of unraveling. The last thing they needed was one extra ounce of attention. The whole idea of coming up here was preposterous when she thought about it. At the time it had seemed like a good idea, but now she wondered at her sanity.
“What is wrong with that dog?” Lana said, annoyed.
Coco turned around, and Lana felt her hot breath against her arm. In the smallest of voices, she said, “Sailor is scared.”
Lana felt her heart crack. “Oh, honey, we’re all a bit scared.
It’s perfectly normal under the circumstances. But I promise you this—I will do everything in my power to keep you out of harm’s way.”
“But you hardly know us,” Coco said.
“My father knew you, and you knew him, right?” Lana said. “And remember, if anyone asks, we tell them our story.”
They had rehearsed it many times already, but with kids one could never be sure. Not that Lana had much experience with kids. With none of her own and no nieces or nephews in the islands, she felt the lack palpably, smack in the center of her chest. There had been a time when she saw children in her future, but that dream had come and gone and left her sitting on the curb with a jarful of tears.
Her mind immediately went to Buck. Strange how your future with a person could veer so far off course from how you’d originally pictured it. How the one person you swore you would have and hold could end up wreaking havoc on your heart instead. She blinked the thought away.
As they neared Volcano, the fog remained like a curtain, but the air around them brightened. Lana knew from all her time up here as a young girl that the trees got smaller as the elevation rose, and the terrain changed from towering eucalyptus and fields of yellow-and-white ginger to a more cindery terrain covered with red-blossomed ‘ohi‘a trees, and prehistoriclooking ha¯pu’u ferns and the crawling uluhe. At one time in her life, this had been one of her happiest places. Coco reached for the letter on the dashboard and began reading it for the fourth time. “Coco Hitchcock. It sounds funny.” The paper was already getting worn.
Marie swiped it out of her hands. “You’re going to ruin that. Give it to me.”
Where Coco was whip thin and dark and spirited—a nice way of putting it—Marie was blonde and full-bodied and sweet as coconut taffy. But Lana could tell even Marie’s patience was wearing thin.
“Mrs. Hitchcock said we need to memorize our new names or we’ll be shot.”
Lana said as calmly as she could, “I never said anything of the sort. And, Coco, you have to get used to calling me Aunt Lana for now. Both of you do.”
“And stop talking about getting shot,” Marie added, rolling her eyes.
If they could all just hold it together a little bit longer.
There was sweat pooling between her breasts and behind her kneecaps. Lying was not her strong suit, and she was hoping that, by some strange miracle, they could sail on through without anyone stopping them. She rolled her window down a couple of inches for a burst of fresh air. “We’re just about here. So if we get stopped, let me do the talking. Speak only if someone asks you a direct question, okay?”
Neither girl said anything; they both just nodded. Lana could almost see the fear condensing on the windshield. And pretty soon little Coco started sniffling. Lana would have said something to comfort her, but her mind was void of words. Next the sniffles turned into heaving sobs big enough to break the poor girl in half. Marie rubbed her hand up and down Coco’s back in a warm, smooth circle.
“You can cry when we get there, but no tears now,” she said.
Tears and snot were smeared across Coco’s face in one big shiny layer. “But they might kill Mama and Papa.” Her face was pinched and twisted into such anguish that Lana had to fight back a sob of her own.

Excerpted from Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman, Copyright © 2020 by Sara Sckerman. Published by MIRA Books.

~~~***~~~***~~~


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sara Ackerman is the USA Today bestselling author of The Lieutenant's Nurse and Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories. When she's not writing or teaching, you'll find her in the mountains or in the ocean. She currently lives on the Big Island with her boyfriend and a houseful of bossy animals. Find out more about Sara and her books at www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on FB @ackermanbooks.


SOCIAL LINKS:
Facebook: @ackermanbooks
Twitter: @AckermanBooks
Instagram: @saraackermanbooks

Friday, June 12, 2020

Tempting Series Sale...

Today we have the sales blitz for Sara Whitney’s TEMPTING Series! Check it out and grab your copy of this fun series today!

 

Title: Tempting Heat

Prequel Novella

 

About Tempting Heat:

“Finn, we don’t have to do anything here. We can—” “Don’t you dare. I want it all. Everything.” Her voice was savage, and his blood surged at the sound of it. Time to drop the leash. Tom Castle ended up in the wrong apartment on the wrong day. Now a ferocious snowstorm has him trapped with his onetime crush and longtime regret, which is pretty much in line with his lifelong bad luck. Finn Carey has no choice. Although it’s tempting to let Tom take his chances on the streets of Chicago, she doesn’t want anyone to die in a snowbank— not even the man who hurt her so badly years ago. At first, Tom and Finn do their best to ignore each other in the close quarters. Then the power goes out, and things between them heat up as the secrets start to flow. Which will thaw first: the storm raging outside or the ice protecting their hearts? While Tempting Heat is a novella, the rest of the books in the feisty, funny Tempt Me series are full-length novels. Each one is a standalone with plenty of heat and no cliffhangers, so slip on your fuzzy socks and get reading!  

Get Your Copy

Title: Tempting Taste

Book 1

 

About Tempting Taste:

“You’re exceptionally good at talking when you put your mind to it." A cocksure smile slid across his face. “Oh, I’m just getting started at showing you what I’m good at.” After a chaotic childhood, all Erik Andersson wants is quiet and stability. What a shock, then, to find himself quitting on the spot after a tornado of a woman storms his workplace and exposes the toxicity of his boss. Although Erik should be focused on locking down his next gig, he instead agrees to a wild business proposal from the beautiful chaos agent intent on upending his life. Josie Ryan spent years chasing her mother’s approval and now fills that void by wowing clients with her buzzy PR events. So when the brooding baker with the gorgeous cakes ends up jobless, Josie leaps at the chance to prove her worth by turning his talent into an empire—assuming she can work alongside a reserved hunk who charms her with every grumble. Keep it professional. That’s the first rule of a good partnership. Soon enough, though, Josie and Erik have dropped their defensive walls to explore the potential of their sweet-and-salty relationship. But as the business grows, their clashing definitions of success threaten their happy equilibrium. Can they resolve their differences to form the perfect fusion, or will they always be a recipe for disaster? Tempting Taste is book 2 in Tempt Me, Sara Whitney's hot and humorous contemporary romance series. It's a standalone opposites-attract novel with no cliffhangers, so grab your favorite pastry and get reading!  

Get Your Copy!

Title: Tempting Talk

Book 2

 

About Tempting Talk:

Deejay Mabel Bowen rocks the morning airwaves, but once she signs off, she’s happy going home alone; a long-ago humiliation taught her that women in the public eye should be cautious about dating. Then she meets the Clark Kent-ish accountant overseeing the sale of her radio station and starts wondering if she should break her own “girl, don’t date him” rules. Since he was teenager, Jake Carey has worked to lift his family out of poverty, and he’s now on the verge of a promotion that’ll secure their financial future. Why, then, is he so quick to set aside his spreadsheets whenever the gorgeous morning show host is around? After years of using work as an excuse to avoid searching for emotional connections, he’s now jumping at every chance to spend time with Mabel and her maple syrup voice. Despite their initial reservations, Mabel and Jake move from conversations over coffee to flirty office lunches to a night out that obliterates all their previously drawn lines. Then a professional betrayal sends Mabel fleeing back to the safety of her single-girl rules. But Jake isn't ready to give up on this once-in-a-lifetime love and sets out to balance their work/life books. Can he convince Mabel to turn up the volume on their future, or will she decide that the numbers don’t add up? Tempting Talk, a 2019 RWA© Golden Heart© award finalist, is book 3 in Sara Whitney's funny, feisty contemporary romance series, Tempt Me. Turn on your favorite playlist and get reading!  

Get Your Copy!

Title: Tempting Lies

Book 4

 

About Tempting Lies:

Thea needs help renovating her house. Aiden needs help renovating his reputation. Will a fake engagement fix both of their problems, or will it create new ones?   After her widowed mother rushed into a marriage they both regretted, Thea Blackwell vowed never to commit to anything. Not jobs. Not hairstyles. Not men. Still, part of her wishes she had enough money—and enough courage—to buy her dream house and have it renovated by the gorgeous former neighbor who never spared her a second glance.   Aiden Murdoch put his playboy ways behind him to help his ailing father run the family business, but his scandalous past refuses to go quietly­. Then his childhood friend Thea shows him the listing for a tumbledown fixer-upper, and he stumbles on the perfect solution: he'll provide the labor on her new house, and she'll make him look happily domesticated in front of his father’s nervous clients.   But when fake kisses lead to real feelings, that simple arrangement gets complicated fast, leaving Thea unsure if her pretend fiancé has truly given up his wild ways and Aiden aching to prove that he’s worth a lifelong commitment. Can they tear down the lies they’ve told about themselves, or will the future they’re building turn to sawdust?   Tempting Talk is a sassy, sexy standalone novel in Sara Whitney’s Tempt Me series with no cliffhangers and the happiest of endings guaranteed!  

Get Your Copy!  

Thursday, June 11, 2020

The Breakup Bucket List...

Today we have the release day blitz for THE BREAKUP BUCKET LIST by Cassie Cross! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: The Breakup Bucket List

Author: Cassie Cross

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

About The Breakup Bucket List:

Ever since Lindsay Castillo was a little girl, she dreamed about living in Port City. As an adult, she learns the difficult lesson that dreams aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. With a broken heart, an apartment full of boxes and a moving company booked, Lindsay jots down everything she wants to do before she leaves Port City and heads back home to start over.   She has a month to mark off everything on The Breakup Bucket List.   Evan Roberts is doing his best to live up to the high expectations that come along with having his last name. As Port City royalty, he’s been following a strict path to success since the day he was born. He’s looking for a little fun—something to shake up the monotony of his life—when he runs into Lindsay. He’s captivated by her and welcomes the challenge of helping her complete her bucket list.   It doesn’t take much convincing for Lindsay to agree; there are some things she wants to do before she moves that only someone with Evan’s access can help her with. What starts off as a simple partnership grows into more as Lindsay and Evan race against the clock and Lindsay’s moving day draws closer…  

Grab Your Copy!

Exclusive Excerpt:

The question startles me so badly that I kick my shoes right off my feet. I sit up quickly, pressing my hand against my chest to make sure my heart is still somewhere inside my body instead of flopping around on my blanket. Handsome impostor picks up my shoes, placing them neatly beside me. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he says with a smile that brings out this dimple in his cheek that makes him almost too cute to be mad at. “You scared me, too.” “That’s okay,” I say attempting to catch my breath and sound unaffected at the same time. “I guess I thought I was the only trespasser up here.” He laughs. “You are.” He tugs on the badge that’s attached to the lanyard that’s hanging around his neck. I lean in close enough to read it. It has the logo of the company on the background, along with what has to be the world’s best ID photo, and his name. Which is Evan Roberts. Okay, so my somewhat calmed heart is racing again. “Evan Roberts of the Roberts Industries? Or is that just a happy coincidence.” “Guilty as charged, I’m afraid.” He’s trying to be friendly, but I’m worried this is some kind of an act to get me booked on misdemeanor trespassing charges. “How do I know you’re you and not someone who’s just claiming to be you?” He grins, and that damned dimple comes rushing back. “You don’t think I’m me?” “I’m appropriately skeptical, I think.” “Would you like me to have a background check run on…myself?” It’s a tempting offer, but… “I think I would like a third party of my choosing to check up on you. To make sure you are who you say you are and also to make sure you’re not a creep.” That surprises a laugh out of him. He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Please do. I can provide references if you’d like.”    

About Cassie:

Cassie Cross is a Maryland native and a romantic at heart, who lives outside of Baltimore with her two dogs and a closet full of shoes. Cassie’s fondness for swoon-worthy men and strong women are the inspiration for most of her stories, and when she’s not busy writing a book, you’ll probably find her eating takeout and indulging in her love of 80’s sitcoms.    

Connect with Cassie:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrossWrites Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiecrosswrites/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassiecrosswrites

   

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

The Marriage Game...

Today we are excited to share the release of THE MARRIAGE GAME by Sara Desai! This is a sexy, romantic comedy that you won't want to miss.

Check out the purchase links for the book below.

Go to Sara's FB page for a release day giveaway

 

PURCHASE NOW

Amazon  |  Apple  |   Nook  |  Kobo  |  Google Play

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

A Standalone Novel   |   Available Now

Add it to Goodreads

Book Blurb:

One of Oprah Magazine's Most Anticipated Romances of 2020 A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy. After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door… As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he's forced to share his space with the owner's beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life. As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

PURCHASE NOW

Amazon  |  Apple  |   Nook  |  Kobo  |  Google Play

-------------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 
Sara Desai has been a lawyer, radio DJ, marathon runner, historian, bouncer and librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, kids and an assortment of forest creatures who think they are pets. Sara writes sexy romantic comedy and contemporary romance with a multicultural twist. When not laughing at her own jokes, Sara can be found eating nachos. Visit Sara at www.saradesai.com.

FIND SARA DESAI:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram  |  Goodreads

Temptation...

Today we are sharing some news about TEMPTATION by Ivy Smoak! For a limited time, you can read a deleted scene from the book in Ivy's Facebook Group. Temptation is the first book in the Hunted Series.

Follow Ivy's facebook page for updates on her upcoming releases.

Available in Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/3cLBCvf

 

Join Ivy's Facebook Group for Details.

Temptation by Ivy Smoak

Available in Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/3cLBCvf

Book Blurb:

Now a top 50 Amazon bestseller! Shy student Penny Taylor always follows the rules. At least, that’s how it appears to her classmates. But she has one illicit secret – she’s fallen hard for her professor. And she’s pretty sure he’s fallen for her too. Everyone loves Professor Hunter. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. And completely unobtainable. But it’s the secrets hiding behind his deep brown eyes that allures Penny. Secrets darker than she could ever imagine. James Hunter gave up his billionaire lifestyle in NYC last year to become a professor. The easiest new rule to follow: don’t fraternize with the students. It’s easy to follow because he’s become quite the recluse in his new town – the only way he knows how to keep his secrets buried. But he never expected to be teaching such a beautiful student. He has to resist her. He needs to walk away. Penny deserves better than a man with his demons. But she’s daring him to cross the line. And he’s never been one to resist temptation.

BY INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR IVY SMOAK ★★★★★ "Professor Hunter is a total heartthrob." ★★★★★ "SCORCHING HOT!" ★★★★★ "Holy sexiness that teacher is yummy." ★★★★★ "Full of scandal!" ★★★★★ "The best series I have read in a while." ★★★★★ "If you like Fifty Shades of Grey then this is the book for you!" ★★★★★ "OMG this book was amazing!"

Go to Ivy's Group to get the deleted scene: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Smoaksters/


--------------------
EXCERPT:

Coffee splashed onto my shirt as my cup fell to the ground. As I began to slip, I suddenly felt two strong hands on me, holding me steady.


"I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" said a deep voice.


"I'm fine." I kept my eyes on the ground. "It wasn't hot anymore." I left off the fact that it was cold because I had been sitting in the coffee shop for half an hour acting like a crazy stalker.


His hands slowly fell off my waist. "I'm afraid I've ruined your shirt."


I looked at the brown coffee stains that showed clearly on my blue tank top. "Oh, crap, I have an 8 a.m. I don't have time to change." I wished I had worn a coat to protect myself from the cool rain instead of bringing an umbrella.


"Here," he said. He put down his satchel and lifted off his gray sweater. The white dress shirt he was wearing underneath lifted slightly as he pulled off the sweater, and I caught a glimpse of his abs. I let my eyes wander to his face. It looked like he had stepped out of the pages of a magazine. He looked older, possibly a grad student. His hair was dark brown and wet from the rain. The way it was sticking up made it look like he had just run his hands through it. His jawbone was sharp and there were dimples in his cheeks. His eyes were a deep brown like his hair and they were staring at me intently. My heart began to beat fast. He handed me his sweater.


"That's okay. I can't take that," I laughed uneasily. "I'll be fine." I moved to the side so he could pass by me. I felt my cheeks begin to blush.


"I insist." He had a slight smile on his face. "First day of classes," he shrugged. "You'll want to make a good first impression."


I took the sweater from him. "Thank you," I said quietly. I pulled the sweater over my head. It was huge but comfortable. The scent of sweet cologne drifted off of it. It made me feel slightly dizzy. I could feel myself staring at him. "I'm sorry, I have to go, I'm going to be late." He was so handsome that I was acting even more awkward than usual.


His lips parted like he was about to say something, but then they closed again. I smiled gratefully and walked out of the coffee shop. As I made my way to my class I knew I must look ridiculous. A baggy sweater, leggings, and bright red rain boots. I must look like a child. But I was grateful. Coffee stains down the front of me would have been worse than a baggy sweater.

-------------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 
Ivy Smoak is the international bestselling author of The Hunted series. When she's not writing, you can find her binge watching too many TV shows, taking long walks, playing outside, and generally refusing to act like an adult. She lives with her husband in Delaware.   

FIND IVY SMOAK:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub | Instagram  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Monday, June 8, 2020

Power Surge Cover Reveal...

There's more coming in Kennedy L. Mitchell's Power Play series with the release POWER SURGE on June 22nd. Check out the cover and blurb and be sure to pre-order your copy today!

About POWER SURGE

Now what?

Everything has changed, and not for the better. The not-so-perfect life I had as VP is gone, along with the team that’s been by my side each step of my political journey. Every move I make, every breath and thought, now affects millions, and the weight wears me down without Trey as a welcomed distraction.

They tell me war is coming, and I’m the one who has to stop it. But how is the question no one can answer. Past enemies lurk in the shadows while new ones hide in plain sight, stalking, watching, and waiting for the right moment to take me out. I need Trey back. I need them all by my side and ready to fight for me.

Can I undo the mess that my predecessor left in his wake, or will I break under the burden to save the world?

No pressure, right?

Power Surge is the fourth book in the five-book Power Play series and is a continuation of Randi and Trey’s epic love story. The books in this series cannot be read as standalones. All five books follow one main couple's relationship as it grows through a five-year time period. It's suspenseful, steamy, and oh so unputdownable. If you're a fan of Tiffany Snow, Meghan March, and Skye Warren, then this series is for YOU!

Add POWER SURGE to your Goodreads TBR!

Pre-order your copy of POWER SURGE now!

   

Power PlayPower Twist | Power Switch Power Surge | Power Play #5

 

About KENNEDY L. MITCHELL

Kennedy lives in Dallas with her husband, son, and 80lb Goldendoodle who still believes he’s a lap dog. A bookworm at heart, Kennedy loves to snuggle up in bed or by the campfire with an unputdownable book. She began writing two years ago with Falling for the Chance and has no plans of stopping. Her novels are witty, action-packed, and offer enough steam for a great facial. If you like strong heroines and sexy, tattooed men who can’t keep their hands off them, then this author is the one for you.

Friday, June 5, 2020

Live Like Legends Review...


Live Like Legends
by Kate Cornell
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: June 1st 2020
Entangled Teen

Summary:

Princess Kalista has known her role from birth. She’s spent her entire life
preparing to be the socialite wife of a prince from a peaceful kingdom. But on
her big day, she is shocked when she is instead forced to marry the warrior
prince of a cursed land, who is as cold as the wintry kingdom he’ll one day
rule.

Carson has a throne no princess wants to share with him. An immortal beast
ravages their land, and he’ll do anything to stop it, even marry a complete
stranger on the day she was supposed to wed her betrothed. Let her hate him for
it, but Kalista is his only hope for peace.

Kalista knows she’s just a pawn on the chessboard of politics, but now she’s
expected to kill an unstoppable creature because of some legend about her
bloodline that Carson believes as truth. He trains her how to fight, and when
lessons in swordplay lead to lessons in love, her destiny puts more than just her
life at risk.

How far is she willing to go to save the prince she never wanted…but can’t
imagine living without?

~~~***~~~***~~~
EXCERPT

“I worked at the laces cinched up the side of my gown. The knot ended in the pit of my arm, and I couldn’t reach it. I needed to call for a chambermaid to assist me.

Somehow.

The humming had stopped.

I spun, clutching my arms to my chest as though to cover myself.

Carson was on his feet and almost next to me.

Big and silent. Shadowbear.

My face went hot. I was surprised someone who couldn’t understand me could make me so self-conscious, surprised that I could feel his gaze running the length of me like it had in the barracks, on the dance floor, without looking

“I can’t reach the laces,” I muttered, still clutching myself as though protecting my modesty while fully clothed. As if I still had any modesty to protect.

But being this close to him set off a flurry of butterflies within me.

It was silly, counting his toes and failing to take off my own dress. I didn’t want him to see me like this. I didn’t want him to get to know me this way.

If only I knew what he was thinking, if his face wasn’t so impassive.

He hummed that song again and stalked closer.

Almost unconsciously, I backed away from his approach.

It was a pleasant tune, reminiscent of one I’d heard before. He reached for me, cupping my shoulders in his enormous hands and turning me. He spoke, but I didn’t need words to know what he wanted. I lifted my arm.

He attacked the laces.

He did poorly.

At least it proved a formidable adversary for us both.

With each tug of the laces, the dress grew tighter and tighter. I winced on the next pull, gasped.

Carson spat out a word, another instance where his intention seemed clear.

I laughed, filing the word away for later use, in case I wanted to shock Emmett. The monk probably didn’t intend to teach me the curse words.

I said it back to him.

Carson stopped, looking at me, shocked. After a moment, he nodded and smiled. “Yes.”

“It’s hopeless. I guess it’s never coming off.”

Carson drew his knife. He held it up, his eyes shining with mock fury, grinning. “Is one way.”

Yep. That would do it.

With a flick of his wrist, he cut the leather cord below the knot. The dress was still cinched tight enough to stay on, but now it would need repair.

He grunted and nodded with satisfaction.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’m sorry.” For what? Inconveniencing him? But the words were the ones I was now most practiced with.

He grunted and nodded again.

He was very close.

It was different when there wasn’t an audience. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him swallow.

His fingers touched my forehead, catching a loose lock of hair and brushing it back. My head followed the sweep of his hand until I finally met his eyes. I imagined that glow inside the helmet, piercing, intense. Was there no part of him that was vulnerable? Did he ever drop his guard? Even the dance was a sort of war, a competition not unlike shooting targets for Reeven peerage.

Maybe it was easier not knowing what he thought, not knowing what he wanted, just believing that he and I performed our duties, our royal and religious obligation, creating a monster-slaying child of destiny. We were two players acting out prophecy. Our thoughts and wants didn’t matter.

He lifted my wrist. “One, two.” With each number, he slid one of his fingers between two of mine. “Three, four.”

“Five,” I whispered and he closed his grip with his thumb.”


~~~***~~~***~~~
REVIEW!!!
I absolutely loved this book.  It reminded me a little of The Wrath and The Dawn series by Renee Ahdieh plot wise and I loved that series as well.  So if you liked that series you will love this book as well.
Kalista was promised to somebody and had been studying his country and their practices but instead she is married to somebody she's never met.  As she is learning about her new kingdom and their language she is slowly falling in love with her new husband.  She is part of a prophecy and she knows that any kids she may have will be part of it as well.  When she mentions this to her husband he runs off to kill the monster of the prophecy.  Will he return?  Will they be able to make their marriage work?  Will they be happy?
I may have added yet another great author to my list of go to authors.  I am so glad I requested to review this book.  I have no words as to how much I enjoyed it.  It was a great story and I enjoyed reading it.  I absolutely look forward to reading more books by Kate sometime soon but I have a lot of books on my TBR list right now so it will have to wait.
5 monsterous stars!!
~~~***~~~***~~~

About the Author

Kate Cornell is the author of Live Like Legends published on June 1st, 2020.

She is currently writing a novel. This statement is always true. At any given time, she is writing a novel. She has contributed to After Dark with Julian Clark, TMI Hollywood and Top Story! Weekly at iO West.

She likes dogs, cats, and watching television shows about conspiracy theories.

Website: https://katecornellonline.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateCornell



Blog Tour Organized By:
YA Bound Book Tours