Friday, January 31, 2020

Book Spotlight on Wicked Cowboy Wolf by Kait Ballenger (GIVEAWAY)

A shifter cast from his pack finds himself going home once again to save those he left behind and in the process finds himself working alongside a woman longing to keep those she loves safe.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Wicked Cowboy Wolf by Kait Ballenger, then add it to your bookshelf.  In honor of this third installment in the Seven Range Shifters series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of the previous book in this series too!

To his enemies, he's known as the Rogue. To her, he's her only chance at survival...
Years ago, Grey Wolf Jared Black was cast from the pack for a crime he didn't commit. Now, he's the mysterious criminal wolf known only as the Rogue, a name his former packmates won't soon forget. But when a vampire threat endangers the lives of their entire species, Jared must confront his former packmates again, even if that means betraying the only woman he's ever loved...
Ever since Maeve Gray escaped the pack's bloodsucking enemies, she's been determined to save her species—and fast. Each passing day risks the lives of her friends and family. But when a wicked cowboy wolf shows up on the Grey Wolf ranch, offering everything Maeve's heart desires, her eyes are opened to a whole new world beyond the packlands.  For this cowgirl, sleeping with the enemy could prove as desirable as it is deadly...

EXCERPT:

The pink summer sunset had long since faded to nightfall by the time Mae returned to her cottage on the other side of the Grey Wolf compound. As she approached home, she cringed at the thought of the poor excuse she’d given Alexander. There was no way he’d bought her lie. Sure, she and Maverick had scheduled Alexander for a meeting with the Pact, which was a small step forward, but if they didn’t get him on board and fast, their prospects were limited. But Mae was determined. She would find a way to save her pack. She had to.
Feeling more than a little defeated, she shuffled up to her door, scanning the other nearby pack cabins. Hers was one of many adjacent to the dining hall and the main compound building, which housed the elite warriors and the main pack offices. She grabbed her keys from her purse. As she did so, she glanced over her shoulder, as if she might find the Rogue lingering there in the darkness. But she didn’t. He’d disappeared without a trace.
She released a long sigh. From what she knew of his dangerous reputation, it was just like the arrogant bastard to trod right into a pack of alphas that would just as soon see him torn apart. He really was a rogue with a devil-may-care attitude to match his title. She gripped her keys tighter in her hand.
After unlocking her front door, she slipped inside.
Immediately, the taps of tiny hooves clopping against tile sounded from the darkness. She flicked on the dim entryway light. Tucker, her teacup pig, stared up at her from the white tiled floor, his beady black eyes sparkling with pleasure at her arrival. He let out a pleased oink. Mae grinned.
Bending down, she scooped him into her arms, coddling him like a baby as she cooed at him. Still a piglet, Tucker was no bigger than a small dog, and according to the breeder, he’d been the runt of the teacup litter and would likely stay small.
With Tucker cradled against her, Mae made quick work of feeding him a bottle of milk replacer before snuggling him into his fluffy, pink dog bed in her living room. Once the piglet was rocked to sleep, she showered before she changed into her nightgown and settled into the comfort of her bedsheets. The day had left her worn out, but her mind refused to calm.
Had she really seen the Rogue, or had it all been in her head?
That question still plagued her. She wasn’t sure how he would have gotten onto the ranch without detection, especially considering the heightened security for the reception.
She shook her head. It must have been her imagination, a memory triggered by the stress of Alexander’s questions. The Rogue couldn’t possibly have shown up at Wolf Pack Run only to disappear again.
Though it had felt so real...
She sighed, sinking deeper into her mattress. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d thought of him since their encounter in the vampire coven.
Heat rose in her cheeks. She’d dreamed of him almost every night since—and not in the way she should have. The memory of the night when her life had been threatened by bloodsuckers was a dark one, but when she dreamed of that night, of him, her dream often took a completely different course from reality. Instead of dreaming of the danger she’d faced, she’d woken more than once to the thought of his uncharacteristic heroism as he whisked her from the vampires’ cells, only to find her own hand exploring between her legs.
It was sick. She knew it. She shouldn’t be attracted to a dangerous criminal like him. Despite that, he stirred something primitive inside her. She knew what sort of dark circles he traveled in, yet she couldn’t seem to help it. A wolf like the Rogue was everything forbidden to her: a non–Grey Wolf, a vigilante. Not to mention one of her brother’s enemies, and the antithesis of every criterion she should consider for a mate. Somehow, that only made him more appealing.
By her birthright, she was destined for a Grey Wolf alpha warrior. She shuddered at the thought. The Grey Wolf warriors were all fine men, handsome cowboys, but they were practically her brothers. Mae tossed and turned in her bed as she tried to put the Rogue from her mind, but still his face taunted her.
Eventually, her hand trailed beneath her nightgown. Maybe if she eased this ache, the desire would go away. Maybe then, sleep would claim her. Slowly, her fingers probed the folds between her legs, locating her own clit. She knew her body, what she liked.
Gently, she massaged and probed as she remembered how it had felt when the warmth of his breath had brushed against her ear, the deep timbre of his voice thrumming through her.
You won’t regret this, he’d whispered.
She imagined his lips trailing downward.
What would it be like to be with a criminal like him?
Something told her every touch, every caress would be more powerful, more sinful...just more. Soon, she was moaning in climax, the walls of her core tightening in a delicious wave that sent a rush of moisture straight to her center. She cried out, arching her back against the pillows.
As the last throes of her orgasm shook her, she relaxed into her sheets, sated, though it was little more than a fantasy. At that thought, a pang of sorrow thrummed through her. That was all her dreams would ever be—fantasy. Not just him, but all her heart’s desires. She wanted more than she could have. She always had. She loved her pack, but the duties that bound her to them had never been her choice.
She may have been a Grey by birth, but if she were braver, she’d live her own life. She’d make her own choices.
If she were free...
Mae lay there, the weight of the things she’d never have pressing down on her, constraining her chest so much that she struggled to breathe.
If only...
At least she could dream. Her dreams and desires were hers alone. She released a long sigh, switching on the light of her bedside table as she reached for a book to read. Until the sound of a familiar voice came from the darkness.
“Evenin’, Princess.”

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  iBOOKS  |  KOBO  |  INDIEBOUND  |  BaM

AUTHOR INFO:

Kait Ballenger earned her B.A in English from Stetson University followed by an M.F.A in Writing from Spalding University. After stints in multiple careers, Kait finally decided that her eight-year-old self knew best: that she was meant to be a writer. Kait lives with her husband and young son in Florida.  Visit her website HERE.

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

Book Cover Reveal for Kiss the Stars by A.L. Jackson (GIVEAWAY)

A single mom finds herself drawn to the rockstar next door, a drummer with a dark past that has him longing for revenge, in this emotionally intense romance of opposites attracting.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Kiss the Stars by A.L. Jackson, then start counting down the days until this book hits the shelves on March 5th!  In honor of this first installment in a series that’s a spin-off of the Bleeding Stars series fill out the form below for the chance to win a complete signed set of the books in that series too!

A Falling Stars STAND-ALONE NOVEL from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson...
A single mother.
An up-and-coming drummer with a sordid past.
Their paths never should have crossed.
But when a senseless crime rocks Mia West’s entire world, she agrees to spend the summer hiding out at her rock-star brother’s mansion in Savannah until the storm blows over.
What she never expected was the gorgeous, brooding drummer living in the guest house.
His darkness a lure.
His gaze a trap.
She knows better than to go after what will hurt her most.
Leif Godwin has two focuses in his life: his band, Carolina George, and seeking retribution for what was stolen from him.
Mia was never supposed to be a part of the equation.
Her eyes an appeal.
Her body a temptation.
Touching her is nothing but a sin.
But will loving her destroy them all...


FIND AT GOODREADS here.

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FIND AT AUDIBLE here.

VOTE FOR KISS THE STARS AS THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK here.

AUTHOR INFO:

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, FIGHT FOR ME, and CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART novels. Watch out for her upcoming stand-alone, KISS THE STARS, releasing March 5th.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson - Sign up to receive her newsletter HERE or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

FACEBOOK  |  READER GROUP  |  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  |  BOOKBUB  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM

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Book Spotlight on The Kissing Game by Marie Harte (GIVEAWAY)


A sensual bet brings together two very different people in this fun and flirty rom-com.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Kissing Game by Marie Harte, then count down the days until this book hits shelves on February 4th!  In honor of this standalone story fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 3 copies of this book too!

She's one kiss away from finding Mr. Right!
Rena Jackson is ready. She's worked her tail off to open up her own hair salon, and she's almost ready to quit her job at the dive bar. Rena's also a diehard romantic, and she's had her eye on Axel Heller for a while. He's got that tall- brooding-and-handsome thing going big-time. Problem is, he's got that buttoned-up Germanic ice man thing going as well. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Rena's about ready to give up on Axel and find some other Mr. Right.
At six foot six, Axel knows he intimidates most people. He's been crushing on the gorgeous waitress for months. But the muscled mechanic is no romantic, and his heart is buried so deep, he has no idea how to show Rena what he feels. He knows he's way out of his depth and she's slipping away. So, he makes one crazy, desperate play...
"I bet you a kiss you can't resist me.”
Game on.

EXCERPT:

Rena watched her go, so happy for her cousin. And so envious.
She looked around at the many smiling faces of those she’d come to care for, seeing the love that gathered them all together.
So much love brought tears to her eyes. Most were from happiness, but a few came from the knowledge she’d arrived solo. Again. Never with a plus one. For the past year, she’d been too busy getting her new business together to have time for a man. And she wanted one. No question.
Too bad the one she wanted moved at the speed of a glacier.
Axel Heller had no trouble making time for those fists of fury, but God forbid he ask her out or anything. She might have asked him, but the rare moments they had any time together at Ray’s lately, Axel turned mute, disappeared behind a menu, or got sucked into conversation with J.T. and friends, the guys who worked at Del’s garage.
So not romantic.
She sighed again, wondering how she’d be described as a character in one of her much-loved romance books. Desperate? Pathetic? Cute but lonely? A future CLA—Cat Lady of America? Hmm. Maybe I should get a cat.
J.T. saw her and smiled. He left his fiancée to join Rena by the food and glanced down at the plate she was holding.
“That’s a lot of corn dogs.”
She forced herself to stop moping and laughed. “They’re Del’s. I’m just holding them while she hits the bathroom again.”
Past the birthday parents, Rena spotted her uncle arriving with his own fiancée in tow. Geez. Was anyone left who hadn’t coupled up...besides Rena and the one-year-old?
For a woman who lived with a romance book under her pillow, another on her nightstand, and hundreds more filling several bookcases, to say Rena was a romantic was like saying Picasso had toyed with painting. Rena read romances. She watched them on TV. She saw them play out with friends and family and always offered helpful advice. She ate, drank, and slept with the idea of happily ever after in her blood.
“J.T., why am I still single?”
His expression softened, and he wrapped a huge arm around her shoulders. The big lug stood a good head taller and took after his father in size if not looks. Unlike Uncle Liam, J.T. had the same medium- brown skin Rena did. His sister, Del, on the other hand, had ash-blond hair in funky braids, sleeves of tattoos covering white-girl-with-a-tan arms (J.T.’s description, not hers), and gray eyes. They didn’t look much like family, but the Websters were thick as thieves. That Rena was included in their dynamic somewhat soothed the part of her always wishing for a forever love of her own.
“Well, it’s not for lack of looks.” J.T. smiled. “You look prettier than Aunt Caroline every day. But don’t tell her I said that.”
Rena’s and J.T.’s mothers had been sisters, both always trying to one-up the other. J.T. thought it amusing to continue the tradition of teasing Rena’s mom. Rena chuckled. “I won’t let you get her started. You know Mom’s vain.”
“But still beautiful. Looks just like Bridget.” His own mother. J.T. looked over at his father. “He’s been talking more about her. It’s been nice.”
“Good.” Rena knew her uncle had loved deeply, and when Aunt Bridget had passed away, he’d grieved for her for years. Until he’d met a special McCauley. Like daughter, like father. “So he and Sophie are seriously getting married on Valentine’s Day?”
Uncle Liam would be getting married on Rena’s favorite holiday, enjoying his honeymoon on the most romantic day of the year. Rena would be nursing a hot cup of tea, eating chocolates she’d buy for herself, and binging on Hallmark movies while she wallowed in self-pity.
“Yep. I can’t believe it.” J.T.’s large grin showed his pleasure at the thought. “You going to bring a date to the wedding?” He paused, still looking at his dad. “Heller’s back in town to stay.”
“Don’t talk to me about that man,” she fumed. “Heck. The reason I’m single is probably because he’s been keeping everyone away from me.” He wouldn’t ask her out, but he didn’t like anyone else paying attention to her. The big, sexy Viking. No, the big, unsexy jerk.
J.T. turned to regard her with concern. “Now, Rena, Heller’s not like that.”
Blaming her loneliness on Axel felt better than thinking her inability to attract a man might be her own fault. Heck, she couldn’t remember the last time anyone had flirted with her. “Oh? He comes into the bar and smiles at me, then glares at everyone else.”
J.T. grunted. “Good. I don’t want you dating the guys who hang out at Ray’s anyway.” “You hang out there.”
He nodded. “Exactly.”
She shook her head. “You make no sense.”

PRE-ORDER LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  iBOOKS  |  KOBO  |  INDIEBOUND  |  BaM

AUTHOR INFO:

Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestseller Marie Harte is a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether biking around town, hiking, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit marieharte.com and fall in love.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Book Tour for No Easy Catch by Jaqueline Snowe (GIVEAWAY)


A young woman blogging about carefree topics stumbles across something serious when a senior baseball player finds a possible scandal on his team and demands she help him find the truth.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of No Easy Catch by Jaqueline Snowe, then discover even more about this book by visiting the other sites hosting this tour.  In honor of this fourth installment in The Cleat Chasers series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $25 bookstore GC too!

A jock and a party girl teaming up—makes total sense, right? Actually, maybe...
Ambar Hernandez is a senior communications major who has no idea what she wants to do in life. She spends most of her time working on her blog after gaining a lot of readers with a story she wrote junior year and...never followed up on. The last thing she expects is an angry jock accusing her of involvement in a scam that could shake the college to its foundations.
Jeff Maddow should be focused on his senior season of baseball and not the suspicious activity happening on the team. It’s his time to shine and get drafted, but after seeing incriminating evidence, he can’t not investigate. And his first lead is the campus blogger...who’s related to a name in the document he saw.
Ambar’s been coasting, writing about campus fashion and hook-ups rather than politics and economics, but when Jeff shows up at her place spouting wild accusations, she agrees to help him just to prove the stubborn athlete wrong.
Long nights, impassioned arguments, close quarters...both Jeff and Ambar find opposites more than attract when things heat up.

EXCERPT:

He rolled over and slowly opened his sleepy eyes. His voice was all husky and gruff when he asked, “You watching me sleep?”
Busted. “Maybe?”
“Join me.” He moved to the back of the bed and painted a perfect image with his messy hair, clear gray eyes and playful smirk. The smile was new and I shut the laptop to move into his inviting arms. His body heat comforted me when he wrapped his large arms around me, snuggling his nose into my neck. “Mm, you smell good.”
“Thank you,” I said, hating how the longer the lie went on, the more it physically affected my insides. “I didn’t wake you, did I? You were sleeping so peacefully.”
“You didn’t, but I wouldn’t have minded you waking me up.” He began kissing along my neck and bit down on my earlobe. Goosebumps broke out all over my arms and he giggled, all low and deep. “I love your body’s reaction to me.”
“She betrays any resolve I have.” I squirmed when he moved his hands up my shirt and caressed my bare skin. It felt so damn good. “Are-are you sure you shouldn’t be sleeping?”
“Ambar,” he said in a very serious tone. “You’re about the only thing in my life right now that is good. I want to enjoy you and forget about the shitstorm we started.”
Pain began in the back of my throat at the tender way he looked at me. He meant those words and I forced myself to close my eyes to prevent tears leaking out. I’m protecting him. That’s why I’m not telling him. His lips parted and he looked like he was about to say something and I couldn’t handle hearing anything else. I gripped the back of his neck and brought his face down to mine, capturing his lips in the most passionate kiss I could. It was hard to try and apologize and show him I would do anything to protect him without words, but I gave it my all.

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  UNIVERSAL

AUTHOR INFO:

Jaqueline Snowe lives in Arizona where the "dry heat" really isn't that bad. She identifies as a full-blown Gryffindor and prefers drinking coffee all hours of the day. She is the mother to two fur-babies who don’t realize they aren’t humans and a new mom to her adorable son. Her life revolves around balancing her day job in education and her incessant need to write and explore the world with her wonderful baseball-loving husband.

WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM

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Book Teaser for Walking the Line by Janine Infante Bosco


Fans of MC-fueled romances rejoice today with this glimpse of an emotionally intense tale that brings together two very different people in an unforgettable romance.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Walking the Line by Janine Infante Bosco, then add this third installment in the Satan’s Knights Prospect Trilogy to your bookshelf when it releases on February 18th!

I broke the number one rule as a Satan's Knights prospect.
I'm in love with the former vice president's wife.
If anyone deserved a happy ending it was Carrie.
What she got instead was a damn tragedy.
*****
Walking the line, exercising self-control, and respecting boundaries was never my thing.
Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife—it’s one of the ten commandments and the number one rule you don’t break when you’re a prospect for the Satan’s Knights. I fell in love with the former vice president’s wife. A lethal mistake on my behalf, that only left me bitter and standing on the edge of an overpass.
I would’ve jumped if it hadn’t been for the terrified girl, crying on the other side of the fence. She was seventeen and the district attorney’s daughter. She was also pregnant with my little brother’s baby. Desperate to avoid the wrath of her powerful father, she hid her pregnancy and protected us all in the process.
If anyone deserved a happy ending it was Carrie.
What she got instead was a damn tragedy. The kind of unimaginable horror that crushes your soul and breaks your heart. Now, we’re both standing on the edge of the overpass, walking a different kind of line, ready to jump.


PRE-ORDER LINKS:  AMAZON (US)  |  UNIVERSAL

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Book Release Blitz for Firecracker by Kelly Jamieson (REVIEW)


A woman who’s forced into starting over finds herself attracted to her brother’s best friend, who just so happens to be living next door to her in this fun and flirty romance.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Firecracker by Kelly Jamieson, along with my impressions of it, then add this contemporary romance to your bookshelf.

Arden Lennox’s charmed life may be in pieces, but she’d sooner get her hoohaw bleached than move back in with her parents. She’s no longer the prom-queen princess married to the football star. She’s a broke, penniless widow, and it’s time she stood on her own two feet.An under- construction unit in a quaint Chicago brownstone is cheap (free), but it comes with an unexpected surprise. Tyler Ramirez, her brother’s gawky high school best friend, is now a smoking hot firefighter who spends most of his spare time in her unit hammering, drilling, and screwing. Usually with his shirt off—a temptation she has no intention of indulging.
Tyler can’t believe his high school crush is living right across the hall, or how fast his fierce lust for her comes blazing back. She’s still gorgeous—a little sadder, a little quieter, but still with the amazing smile and sweet body that fueled his awkward teenage fantasies.
Despite her best intentions, Arden can’t resist grown up Tyler but the sparks between them send her into full retreat. And by the time she realizes the heat between them could last a lifetime, it could be too late to tell him...

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  iBOOKS  |  BN  |  KOBO


MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a fan of second chance romances I found much to like about this contemporary tale.  With a deliciously charming and sexy firefighter and a strong-willed heroine who’s starting over, readers will find a couple worth rooting for in a romance that’s sizzling and sweet.  Surrounding this likable main couple was a cast of secondary characters, a group of friends who lend a familial vibe to the story and who have me wanting to know more about them.

Arden Lennox was the popular girl in high school, a smart cheerleader who dated the quarterback and married him after they graduated.  Their early years together were picture perfect, an illusion that she slowly started to see.  With his suicide though she’s left with nothing and must start over.  Loaded down with guilt regarding the truth about her marriage and her husband’s secrets, Arden has no interest in opening her heart.  She just wants to get her life together. Moving to her brother’s apartment gives her the perfect chance to start over, surrounded by people who care about her and step in whenever she needs something.  Arden’s leery of asking for help though and is determined to stand on her own which I applaud as she became more empowered throughout the story.  Reuniting with her brother’s best friend throws her for a loop as he’s no longer the geeky high schooler she once knew.  He’s now a strong and sexy firefighter who she’s more than happy to start a casual connection with, until things take a more serious turn.  Arden’s clearly been bruised by fate at the start of the story.  She seems a bit numb and uncertain...until she meets Tyler, who awakens her heart and soul to HEA.

Tyler Ramirez was the proverbial high school geek.  He was the kind of teen who was smart, dorky, and unmemorable.  Arden was clearly out of his league back then which made him feel unrequited love for her with feelings that never went away.  With her moving in next door he finally gets another chance to claim her, if only he can keep his protective instincts from becoming too much for her.  Tyler’s a decadently delightful hero, sweet and sexy with his words and deeds.  He agrees to a casual relationship with Arden at first but is determined to make things more permanent the longer they’re together. Tyler’s the perfect book boyfriend as he’s caring and supportive.  He has a sad history too that made me ache for him and explained why he’s so protective.

Tyler and Arden are a crackling couple with a connection that teemed with sexual tension before becoming even hotter.  Arden became stronger as the story progressed, started to accept the truth about her husband and their life together so she could move on.  I was sometimes frustrated by her though as it took her way too long to admit how good Tyler was for her.  Parts of their storyline were a bit obvious too but as a whole this was an entertaining story with an appealing main couple and an equally likable cast of secondary characters.  Mila and Jamie definitely stood out for me, and with a connection that scorches, I hope to see their story told soon.  Readers will find this a fun and flirty read of second chances in a romance that feels familiar at times but still satisfies by the turn of the final page.

My rating for this is a B+

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.


AUTHOR INFO:

Kelly Jamieson is a USA Today bestselling author of over 40 romance novels and novellas.
Her writing has been described as “emotionally complex”, “sweet and satisfying” and “blisteringly sexy”. She likes black coffee, white wine and high heels...and of course cheering on her Winnipeg Jets during hockey season!

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Book Spotlight on Cold Nose, Warm Heart by Mara Wells (GIVEAWAY)


A man on a mission to build fancy condos in the neighborhood finds himself at war with a strong-willed woman determined to keep the local dog park open as enemies slowly become oh so much more.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Cold Nose, Warm Heart by Mara Wells, then start counting down the days until this book hits shelves on January 28th.  In honor of this first installment in the Fur Haven Dog Park series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 3 copies of this book too!

A poodle, a black lab and a Chihuahua walk into a dog park...
All Caleb Donovan has to do to redeem his family name is take a rundown Miami Beach apartment building and turn it into luxury condos. Easy, right?
Unfortunately, that would also turn the local dog park into a parking lot and the neighbors aren't having it. Caleb is faced with outright revolt, led by smart, beautiful building manager Riley Carson and her poodle, LouLou.
For Caleb, this project should have been a slam dunk. But even more challenging than the neighborhood resistance is the mutual attraction between him and Riley. It would be so much easier just to stay enemies.
Can Riley and her canine sidekick convince Caleb that what's best for business isn't always best for the heart?

EXCERPT:

“LouLou!” a hoarse voice called. “LouLou!”
“Over here!” Caleb yelled, not sure where the voice was coming from, but hearing the pain in it and wanting to do anything in his power to make that pain stop. What could he say? Rescuing furry damsels in distress brought out his mushy side.
Through the sheets of rain, he spotted Riley limping along the sidewalk across the street from dog park. She didn’t look much better than LouLou had, hair flattened and plastered to her head, clothes sticking to her as though she’d taken a dunk in the ocean. And was she barefoot? All those shoes outside her front door, and she’d run out in the storm without so much as a flip-flop to protect her?
“You’re a pair, aren’t you?” He whispered to LouLou, waving frantically to get Riley’s attention. “Over here! Riley, I’ve got LouLou!”
Riley looked across the road, and he knew the moment she saw them. She collapsed to her knees, hands over her face, and a giant sob racked her body. So they’d be staying out in the rain a little longer. He crossed over and knelt beside her, the soaked poodle between them.
“It’s okay. She’s okay. You’re okay.” He sounded like an idiot. He knew it, but he kept saying stupid things anyway. “I’ve got her. She’s right here.”
Riley sucked in a big breath and looked up at him with her tilted eyes. “Thank you.” She held out her arms for LouLou. He shifted the dog’s weight to Riley’s hold, but LouLou curled her paw around his wrist, tight.
Riley’s chin sank. “I deserve that.”
“No, it happens.” Caleb didn’t know what he was talking about. What happened? Rain? Dogs running loose in the streets? “You didn’t do anything wrong.” He knew that part at least was right.
“I couldn’t find her.” She scrubbed at her face with the heels of her hands, eyes red and lids swollen from crying. “And now she’s hurt. What happened to her paw?”
“She’s fine, just a small piece of glass.” He pried LouLou’s paw off his wrist and handed the dog over, surprised at how giving her back felt like a loss. If he felt this attached after such a brief time with the dog, how bad must Riley have felt when she realized LouLou was missing? The impulse to make Riley feel better kept his assurances flowing. “Eliza patched her up, and she’ll be good as new in no time.”
“Thank you.” She buried her face in LouLou’s fur and stood, but as soon as she did, she lost her balance and keeled over with a squeak.
Caleb reached out to steady her. “What’s wrong?”
Riley closed her eyes and leaned heavily on him. “Think I stepped on something.”
“Let me see.”
Feeling a sense of déjà vu, he crouched to inspect the bottom of her foot, dark with dirt and specks of gravel stuck to it. “Looks like a bad bruise. Maybe from a rock.”
Riley bit her lower lip. “Sounds right.”
“Can you walk?” He levered her back to standing on her own.
“Of course.” One careful step forward. Then another. “Thanks for taking care of LouLou, but you don’t have to hang around.” She winced and took another step, face as white as the knuckles clutching her dog.
“I’ve got it from here. No problem.”
It was painful to watch. Still, she’d said to back off, so he did. Until she stumbled, almost dropping the poodle, and a car horn blared at her for hogging up the road.
“This is ridiculous.” He scooped her up, exactly like he’d done with her dog. Unlike LouLou, she wasn’t grateful.
“Hey! What’re you doing?” Riley couldn’t bat at his chest because she was holding onto her dog, but she glared. “You can’t swoop in and take over everything.”
“Hang on tight. I’m taking you home.” Caleb clutched Riley and LouLou against his chest, her legs over his arm like in some damn rom-com movie, and strode back toward her condo. If he wasn’t mistaken, he could hear Eliza’s cackle following them, but he didn’t care. It felt good to save LouLou, and it felt even better to have Riley in his arms.

PRE-ORDER LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  iBOOKS  |  KOBO  |  INDIEBOUND  |  BaM

AUTHOR INFO:

Mara Wells loves stories, but especially stories with kissing. She lives in Hollywood, Florida with her family and two rescue dogs—a poodle-mix named Houdini Beauregarde, and Sheba Reba Rita Peanut, a chihuahua-mix. To find out more about Ms. Wells and her books visit HERE.

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Saturday, January 25, 2020

Book Spotlight on Whiteout by Adriana Anders (GIVEAWAY)

Readers will be on edge from the very first page with this tale of romance and suspense as two people try to outrun the danger chasing after them with only the wilderness surrounding them.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Whiteout by Adriana Anders, then start counting down the days until this book hits shelves on January 28th. In honor of this first installment in the Survival Instincts series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 3 sets of Ms. Anders’ emotionally powerful Blank Canvas series too!

With a storm coming and a killer on the loose, every step could be their last...
Angel Smith is finally ready to leave Antarctica for a second chance at life. But on what was meant to be her last day, the remote research station she's been calling home is attacked. Hunted and scared, she and irritatingly gorgeous glaciologist Ford Cooper barely make it out with their lives...only to realize that in a place this remote, there's nowhere left to run.
Isolated with no power, no way to contact the outside world, and a madman on their heels, Angel and Ford must fight to survive in the most inhospitable—and beautiful—place on earth. But what starts as a partnership born of necessity quickly turns into an urgent connection that burns bright and hot. They both know there's little chance of making it out alive, and yet they are determined to weather the coming storm—no matter the cost.

EXCERPT:

They finished dinner, cleaned up, and went about getting ready for bed. “Better take care of those feet,” he said.
A low sound of protest emerged from inside the sleeping bag, where Angel had already taken up residence. “Can it wait till the morning?”
“Frostbite’s not something to mess with. Let’s see them.” He didn’t intend to sound quite so bossy.
“I’ll do it.” Her words were slurred.
“You can barely move.” He held on to the kit, obstinate—and something else. Responsible, maybe. “I saw you limping out there. Your knee’s bugging you. Don’t deny it.”
She threw him a glare, but surprised him by complying.
He took hold of one slender foot and stripped it gently but quickly, since even in shelter, the risk of frostbite was real. It was light in his palm and mostly warm enough to alleviate his worry, though her toes were chilly. He touched each one. “Any numbness?”
She shook her head.
With great care, he peeled the bandages off, cleaned her skin, and reapplied fresh ones where needed, slipping the sock back on before starting the whole process with the other foot.
He couldn’t say exactly when it occurred to him that he held her naked foot in his hand, but once the realization popped into his head, it wouldn’t go away. Hung around like an itch he couldn’t get to.
A foot, for God’s sake. Ridiculous.
But the foot didn’t feel ridiculous right now. He gently squeezed it and expelled a harsh breath.
It felt...improper. Especially in comparison with the rest of her fully clothed body. And secret, somehow. He knew things about her now. He knew her second toe was longer than the big one, that her arches were high and elegant, her skin already roughened from two days of marching in the freezing desert air. He knew she’d put on a bright red nail polish at some point. It’d worn mostly off, but it made her toes look like candy. And he’d never craved sugar so badly.
The best course of action, now that she was all bandaged up, was to give her back her foot. But he couldn’t.
Instead, he ran his thumb along the central curve, pressed forward beneath her toes, then down to her heel. The sounds she made were—he swallowed—obscene. A shocked gasp that urged him to look her way. He didn’t, though, because if their eyes met, he might have to stop.
And that was the last thing he wanted to do.
Another rub, deeper this time, bearing down on aching muscles. But it didn’t sound like pain when she moaned, low and guttural, and though he knew better, he let his eyes slide up her body to her face.
He froze. He’d never seen anything hotter—not on-screen or in the throes of sex or in his darkest fantasy.
Mouth open, eyes closed, cheeks flushed, everything about her screamed pleasure. Just to be sure, he stroked back and pressed again, wanting—no, needing—to know which notes this spot would play on her ever-changing face.
And she didn’t disappoint. Every feature cringed, slowly, sensually, in a magnified expression of pleasure-pain.
Sweeping up to caress her toes now was sheer torture, because he was hard—shocking in this cold—and her reactions, though subtle, were more intimately real than any peepshow.
He could’ve gone on forever, rubbing, rapt, eyes glued to her face as she showed him just how good he made her feel, picturing how amazing she’d look if he were kissing her, or—
Her eyes popped open, ensnaring his in their velvet trap.
Everything went quiet, stilling as if the storm had taken a breath. Or maybe it was him going a little deaf, like when his ears needed popping in a plane. Except he could hear the things happening in this tent. Could feel and smell with overwhelming precision every fine detail blown up under a microscope.
They shared a couple hard inhale-exhales, the tension between them as palpable as the frigid temperature.
The press of his fingers lessened, his caresses slowed, until he did nothing but grasp her foot while she just as steadily held his gaze.
“That feels amazing,” she said in a bedroom whisper that he could feel deep in his bones, though it couldn’t possibly be loud enough to hear.
Her mouth closed and his attention flicked down, watching her swallow with something awfully close to hunger before sliding back up to find her eyes boring into him.

PRE-ORDER LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  | iBOOKS  |  KOBO  |  INDIEBOUND  |  BaM

AUTHOR INFO:

Adriana Anders is the award-winning author of the Blank Canvas series. Under Her Skin, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2017 and winner of two 2018 Holt Medallions, has been featured in Bustle, USA Today Happy Ever After, and Book Riot. Today, she resides with her tall French husband and two small children in France, where she writes the gritty, emotional love stories of her heart.  Learn more about this author and her books HERE.

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Friday, January 24, 2020

Book Cover Reveal for Teacher I Want to Date by Mia Kayla

It’s a flirty and sensual romance amongst the pages of this upcoming read between a man trying to care for his niece and the strong-willed teacher who temps him mercilessly.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Teacher I Want to Date by Mia Kayla, along with getting a glimpse of this charming book cover, then start counting down the days until this book hits shelves on February 13th!

Dear V̵e̵r̵y̵ ̵H̵o̵t̵ Crazy Woman.
You didn’t have to call the cops on me.
I was just looking after my niece.
Okay... maybe I shouldn't have been spying on her date. But I know how teenage boys think and what they want.
Did it make you feel good scolding me in front of everyone for just being a good uncle? B̵e̵c̵a̵u̵s̵e̵ ̵d̵a̵m̵n̵,̵ ̵y̵o̵u̵ ̵s̵u̵r̵e̵ ̵l̵o̵o̵k̵e̵d̵ ̵g̵o̵o̵d̵ ̵d̵o̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵i̵t̵.
I’m almost positive you were cussing me out and if I understood a lick of Spanish, I’d have ̵s̵h̵u̵t̵ ̵y̵o̵u̵ ̵u̵p̵ ̵w̵i̵t̵h̵ ̵a̵ ̵k̵i̵s̵s̵ told you exactly what I thought about your meddling, even if you are her teacher.
In fact, I’d like to schedule a d̵a̵t̵e̵ ̵o̵v̵e̵r̵ ̵d̵i̵n̵n̵e̵r̵ ̵a̵n̵d̵ ̵w̵i̵n̵e̵ parent teacher conference to discuss our differing views on raising the youth of today s̵o̵ ̵w̵e̵ ̵a̵r̵e̵ ̵o̵n̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵s̵a̵m̵e̵ ̵p̵a̵g̵e̵ ̵w̵h̵e̵n̵ ̵w̵e̵ ̵h̵a̵v̵e̵ ̵c̵h̵i̵l̵d̵r̵e̵n̵—̵p̵r̵e̵f̵e̵r̵a̵b̵l̵y̵ ̵t̵o̵g̵e̵t̵h̵e̵r̵.
Y̵o̵u̵r̵ ̵F̵u̵t̵u̵r̵e̵ ̵H̵u̵s̵b̵a̵n̵d̵ Mason Brisken

FIND AT GOODREADS here.


AUTHOR INFO:

Mia Kayla is a USA Today Bestselling Romance writer who lives in Illinois. She is the wife to the husband of the year, and mommy to three unbelievably cute little girls who have multiplied her grey hairs.
In her free time she loves reading romance novels, jamming to boy bands, catching up on celebrity gossip and designing flowers for weddings.
Most of the time, she can be caught on the train with her nose in a book sporting a cheeky grin because the main characters finally get their happily-ever-after at the end.
She loves reading about happy endings but has more fun writing them.