Tag Archives: contemporary and literary fiction

Giveaway – Hott Shot by Serena Bell @XpressoTours @serenabellbooks

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Hott Shot
Serena Bell
Publication date: September 19th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Beauty salon… and the Beast

Quinn: Working at the family wedding resort wasn’t exactly on my Bingo card. But it’s the only way for my siblings and me to get our grandfather’s inheritance, so here I am, staffing the Hott Spot Spa and Salon front desk. It’s an absurd gig for a man who makes Oscar the Grouch look like a people-person.

Still, I’m a hard worker. I’ve made a fortune off my scientific discoveries, and if I can engineer groundbreaking drugs, I can do anything, right? Not according to Sonya Rossi, the spa’s smoking hot and relentlessly perky manager. My grumpy approach is testing even sunshine-y Sonya’s patience. Meanwhile, I’m not sure whether I want to rain on her parade—or kiss the smile off her face.

Then the universe throws another curveball, putting us under the same roof. The closer Sonya gets, the more I like it—and her. I want to get to know her better and let her see the side of me I never show people. Until now, I’ve only believed in what I can touch, sense, and prove. I definitely don’t believe in love… but Sonya’s making me wish I could.

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, under-one-roof, forced proximity standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

The person behind the desk is a stranger.

It’s a man with long, wild reddish-brown hair, a beard that hasn’t seen a trim in probably months, and thick, assertively male eyebrows with a whole zip code of their own. He’s sprawled out, wide legged, in the receptionist’s chair, dwarfing it.

He’s also vaguely familiar, which means he’s probably the groom Hanna said she’d send my way, a guy whose bride put her foot down at the eleventh hour and demanded he spend a day getting “the works.” Lily must have left the door open when she came in, and he helped himself to a warmer place to wait, even though it’s not yet ten.

“There are plenty of chairs in the waiting area if you need a place to sit!” I call out cheerily, gesturing at the comfy armchairs on one side of the room. “That one’s mine.” I approach the desk. “Let me block some time out for you. You’re in luck because we’ve got plenty of room for walk-ins this morning. I’ve got someone who can do the hair and beard, and I can do your eyebrows if you want that, too.”

His eyes widen. “What’s wrong with the hair, beard, and eyebrows?”

Yikes. I definitely got the wrong end of that one. “I’m so sorry! I was expecting a client with a beard this morning, and I totally assumed you were him. But you’re…obviously not. You must be here for something else. Massage? Or a dip in the springs?” Ugh—it’s never good to start the day off insulting a potential client, even if he’s sitting in my chair. “There’s a ten-percent-off coupon here with your name on it, an apology for my making assumptions about who you were—”

“No.” He scowls. “I’m not here for any of that. I’m here because due to circumstances beyond my control and yours and probably even God’s, I’m your new receptionist.”

I laugh, reflexively. And then I realize I’m the only one laughing and my laughter sort of…falls off a cliff.

“Yeah,” the bearded stranger says. “It’s not even remotely funny. Although I think my grandfather would have disagreed. I’m pretty sure he’s laughing all the way to hell.”

“Your grandfather,” I repeat. I’m so lost, I couldn’t find my best self with a compass and map.

He stands and holds out a hand. And I realize he actually wasn’t manspreading. He was taking up all that space in the chair because he’s legitimately huge—at least six-two and built like a warrior god. He wears worn jeans and a T-shirt that reads, I’m a chemist. To save time, let’s assume I’m never wrong.

“Quinn Hott,” he says. “Hanna’s brother, Fox Hott’s second-youngest grandkid. And your new receptionist.”


Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter


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Giveaway – The Golden Manuscripts by Evy Journey @ireadbooktours

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Book Details:
Book Title:  The Golden Manuscripts: A Novel (Between Two Worlds, Book 6) by Evy Journey
Category:  Adult Fiction 18+, 340 pages
Genre: Women’s Literary Fiction
Publisher:  Evy Journey
Release date:  April 2, 2023
Content Rating:  PG: Some kissing, no bad language, no sex scenes



Book Description:

Clarissa, an Asian/Caucasian young woman has lived in seven different countries and has no lasting connection to any place. She thinks it’s time to settle somewhere she could eventually call home. But where?

She decides to live in the city of her birth. There, she joins a quest for the provenance of stolen illuminated manuscripts—a medieval art form that languished with the fifteenth-century invention of the printing press—hoping it would give her the sense of belonging she craves. But will it be enough?

For her, these ancient manuscripts elicit cherished memories of children’s picture books her mother read to her, nourishing a passion for art.

The trail of the manuscripts leads to an American soldier who served in World War II. Clarissa is anxious to know what motivated him to steal and keep the artwork for fifty years. But instead of easy answers, she finds bigger questions.

Immersed in art, but naïve about life, she’s disheartened and disillusioned by the machinations the quest reveals of an esoteric, sometimes unscrupulous art world. What compels individuals to steal artworks, and conquerors to plunder them from the vanquished? Why do collectors buy artworks for hundreds of millions of dollars? Who decides the value of an art piece and how?

The Golden Manuscripts: A Novel is inspired by the actual theft of medieval manuscript illuminations during the second world war.


Giveaway – Cusp Of Redemption by Olivia Preya @XpressoTours #cuspofredemption #olivia preya

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Cusp of Redemption
Olivia Preya
(The Cusp Series, #2)
Publication date: August 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Crime, Romance

Salvatore de Marco

It was always about her.
Taking care of her.
Making sure she had everything she needed.
School. Apartment. Living expenses.
I took care of it all. For her.
And I’ll never regret the decisions I made to keep the smile on her face.

But she left me once, and I’ll be damned before I let her leave again. As the Cafarelli family enforcer, I can provide her with more than I could before–money and protection. I’ll do everything in my power to protect her from whatever demon made her run the first time. But what if it turns out the demon was me?
If there’s one thing I know, it’s that our connection is undeniable; I can feel how hot she is for me.
Even if she won’t admit it.
Yet.

—

Naya Okpara

It took a long time to get to where I am now.
From foster kid to private investigator, I do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Even if that means working for the Cafarelli family.

I thought he was long gone—a distant memory tainted by a figure from our past. But time and distance did nothing to ease my hunger for his touch. Nor did it erase the betrayals that shattered me.
When the man who lights my skin on fire appears before me, I’m forced to face the realities I spent years avoiding. Now, Salvatore and I are working for the same family, and I can’t let the connection of our past ruin my future.

But what if he is my future?

Cusp of Redemption is book two of the Cusp series but can be read as a standalone. It has a guaranteed HEA, swoon-worthy anti-hero, and badass heroine. This is an interracial mafia romance containing explicit sex scenes, graphic violence, and is recommended for readers 18+.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“If you wanted me to hunt you down, all you had to do was ask.” I muffled a scream with my hand as Salvatore’s deep voice startled me from his place at my tiny kitchen table. “But from now on, each and every chase will end with you on your back.”

“What the fuck?” I snapped, barely able to comprehend the scene in front of me. With only two barstools and a round surface barely large enough for a pizza box, Salvatore somehow seemed to make himself at home despite dwarfing the area.

He wore a gray sweatsuit, a complete contrast to the suit from last night, but by the grace of some god, he looked even more delicious. His hoodie pulled across his broad chest and defined his shoulder muscles. My eyes traveled up his thick neck and to his mouth where a mischievous smirk curved his mouth.

A glint of light brought my gaze down to his hand fiddling with…a knife?

Salvatore gave me a slow once-over that made me contemplate hopping back in the shower—for a cold one this time. His dark eyes held me captive, taking in every inch of my being at a leisurely pace. An appreciative glint shone in his eyes.

I took the time to look at him. Really look at him. His dark hair cropped short and connected to his perfectly sculpted beard. With high cheekbones and full lips, he’d make a killing as one of those models on the cover of romance books. Especially with the jagged scar running from the middle of his right eyebrow straight down to an inch or so below his cheekbone, he was a sight to behold. While I couldn’t see his torso, there wasn’t a sliver of doubt in my mind his abs were as defined as the rest of him. My mouth watered at the memory of how hard he was as I flopped over his shoulder.

Salvatore and I had stumbled across each other’s paths a few times over the past year, and I was just as captivated and entranced by him as ever. Each time seemed to make the pull even stronger. The way his presence drew me to him was infuriating. And right now was the first time we’d been alone and so close since we last saw each other ten years ago.

But the physical attraction was undoubtedly still there.

He was bigger than before. More demanding. More dominating in his presence.

And my body couldn’t get enough. But I had to keep reminding my brain there was a reason we weren’t together anymore. He left me. I’d need to chant that mantra every time we were together.

“Diana Diamond has nothing on you.” Salvatore rumbled, his voice caressed me from head to toe and dripped in appreciation. He was referring to yesterday’s disguise. I resisted the urge to preen. I would not fuss over my appearance. It didn’t matter what Salvatore thought of me. He didn’t matter.

Although, I was mildly pleased by the fact he was alive. I didn’t like the guy, but I didn’t want him dead either.

Yet.

He sat, absently flipping the knife back and forth between his fingers. The metal glinted in the morning light. “Are you trying to intimidate me with your little knife show?”

He glanced down, mildly surprised. “Habit,” he said simply before flipping the blade down and tucking it in his pocket. “I hardly believe a knife would be enough to intimidate you.”

He stood and slowly stalked closer to me.

“And what do you think intimidates me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. He was right, I picked up skills over the years to outmaneuver a knife. But he didn’t know that.

I held my ground as he came toe to toe with me. I had to crane my neck to look him in the eye. His presence was overbearing, the spicy scent of his cologne flooding my senses. I licked my lips, and his eyes tracked the movement. “You need something more physical. Skin on skin. Overbearing. The full weight of a man pressing you down to submit. You wouldn’t give in to something as meager as a piece of metal.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, hating how he read me so well. His eyes dropped to my lips, and I couldn’t resist darting my tongue out to lick my lips. The image of him pressing me into a bed flashed before me and I nearly choked on the need that coursed through my veins and pooled in my core.

A ghost of a smile wafted on his face, breaking the spell. I stepped to the side and out of his intoxicating presence.

Salvatore closed his eyes briefly and took a deep inhale before shifting, so we were facing each other once again.

Wait.

“You broke into my house?” I whisper-yelled, remembering I never invited him in. I didn’t even know he knew where I lived and as much as I wanted to cuss him out, I was worried about the thin walls and curious neighbors.

“You stole my car.” He shrugged.

Author Bio:

Olivia Preya is a romance fanatic and author living in Toronto, Canada. She writes about what she loves—love, spice, and panty-dropping men with a soft spot for the love of their lives. When life gets a little tough or bland, she finds that fictional men are the best medicine.

Olivia considers herself to have two personas, like Wonder Woman, but with a pen––corporate marketing specialist by day and spicy romance author by night. She also likes to embrace all forms of sensuality, from pole dancing and erotic novels to good food; she believes that sometimes the best things in life are a little sinful.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


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Giveaway – Wicked Desires by Nancy Brown @XpressoTours #NancyBrown

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Wicked Desires
Nancy Brown
(Wicked Series, #2)
Publication date: August 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He’s a rock star in need of a girlfriend. She’s an attorney in need of a husband. What could possibly go wrong?

Victoria Davison has had her heart shattered. She’s has sworn off men forever, a plan that has worked stunningly well until about five minutes ago, when she found out she needs to be married before her thirty-second birthday if she wants access to the one hundred-million-dollar trust fund her grandfather set up for her.

Grayson Pierce is the devastatingly seductive, illegally gorgeous front man for Ruin. He’s the hedonistic saint of sin, wrapped in leather, whiskey, and fame… He’s living the dream until his record company tells him he needs to clean up his image or he’s done.

Their worlds collide. Electricity sizzles in the air between them. Tori tells herself she’s immune to his lethal charms when she walks away.

Love maker.
Heartbreaker

Unable to get her out of his head, Grayson makes Tori a tantalizing offer: act as his girlfriend for six months while he promotes his new album. This could be the solution she has been looking for. Tori counters with a proposal of her own.

A contract is signed.

This is for convenience only…with a time stamped expiry date.

Love is strictly out of bounds.

But when music’s crown prince of mayhem touches her, sparks fly.

Tori’s not about to trust her heart to rock’s most legendary lover. Her body, though? Maybe.

As it turns out, pretending to fall in love is incredibly sexy…

And falling in love for real, with a man she promised not to fall for?

Irresistible.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

It’s three forty-five and the four of us down a shot, just one. Benji’s approved this, so fuck what the record company says. We do shots before every show. It’s part of our pre-show routine, and no matter what anyone says, that is not going to change…ever. I usually like to have a quick fuck before I go onstage, but unfortunately, that isn’t happening here. We are standing in the middle of Times Square with just a curtain separating us from the crowd. I’m not shy, and the guys have seen me fuck women a million times before, so it wouldn’t bother me or them, and there is no shortage of women who would be happy to accommodate me, but I promised Benji I would behave. Aside from the shot I just did, I also haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since I left the bar with Tommy yesterday afternoon, and as far as I can tell, neither has Dylan or Shawn. Tommy is on something, but he’s not going to be a problem. He always holds his own onstage and has never let us down. He’ll be okay. We just need to get through three songs and then we are out of here.

We step onto the makeshift stage that was erected only a few hours ago. There are no bells and whistles, just the bare bones we need to get the job done. Dylan is standing on one side of me, and Shawn is on the other. Tommy takes up the rear, behind his kit. Someone out front is speaking to the crowd, and then my heart rate kicks up with a familiar rush when I hear, “Ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a real treat this afternoon. Get ready for Ruin!” The crowd goes crazy. Tommy counts us down, and we start to play just as the curtain rises in front of us.

We crush the first two songs, and the crowd continues to grow. There are a shit ton of security around us, along with police on horseback, keeping the crowd under control. Things could go sideways in a heartbeat, but that’s not our concern. We are here to perform, and that’s exactly what we do—we are killing it. There’s not a lot of room up here on this tiny stage. I like to move around, but I’m limited to a few feet in any direction, so I focus on the crowd instead.

We slow things down for the third and final song. I’m singing one of our biggest hits. It’s about a dark-haired, green-eyed girl who steals hearts and never gives them back. I look out over the crowd and my heart almost fucking stops when I see her. She’s fucking gorgeous. The auburn highlights in her long dark hair shine in the sun, and she has the biggest green eyes I’ve ever seen. She’s the fucking girl in my song and I can’t take my goddamn eyes off her. She is so close, I feel like I can almost reach out and touch her, and her eyes are riveted on me. I smile and point at her. She slaps her hand over her heart, and then points right back at me as she flashes me a megawatt smile in return. I feel like I’ve been hit by a lightning bolt as electricity zings between us. I force myself to move on, to give my attention to the rest of the crowd, but I can’t seem to stop my eyes from returning to the green-eyed girl. To me, one girl is as good as the next, but fuck, there’s just something about her.

The song comes to an end, and the curtain drops as soon as the last chord dies off, blocking any chance I might have had to find out who she is. I’ve never, ever regretted the end of a song as much as I do in this moment. I don’t know what the hell it is that I’m feeling, but I can’t let it go. The need to find out who she is, is overwhelming.

I jump off the stage and pull the curtain aside. My eyes zero in on the spot where she was sitting, but she’s not there, and my heart sinks. I frantically look around, trying to find her. Where the fuck did she go? There are literally hundreds of people moving around out there. She could be anywhere in that crowd. I narrow my eyes as they skim over the crowd, I search for a couple more seconds before I give up and drop the curtain. She’s not there. I need to forget about her and move on—but my mind refuses to let it go.

Who is she?

How can I find her?

She was only on my radar for the length of a single song, but somehow, she’s managed to get under my skin. That never happens. The need to know what it is about her that is different from all the rest is overwhelming.


Author Bio:

Nancy Carolyn Brown is an author of contemporary romance, fond of writing love stories about hunky badass men endowed with massive hearts, and strong heroines with just the right mix of sweet and sass… flaming hot chemistry and thrilling nail biting suspense is always guaranteed!

She loves cosmos and chocolate and a swoony good book with a strong storyline.

She lives in sunny southern Alberta, Canada with her high school sweetheart husband and naughty Bengal cat. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys the simple things in life like spending time with family and friends, reading and running with her favorite playlist blasting in her ears.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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Giveaway – Mr Right Is A Myth by Melina Druga @XpressoTours @MelinaDruga

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Mr. Right is a Myth
Melina Druga
Publication date: August 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

This heartfelt follow-up to Sexual Awakening follows its ambitious diarist to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where her hopes and dreams for the future are further tested by a string of social hiccups.

Cassie Economos has rules. If a new boyfriend can’t wait two months to have sex with her, he’s not the guy for her. If he refuses to wear a condom, he’s not the guy for her. And if dating him would mean maintaining a long-distance relationship, he’s… well, you get the picture.

She’s got her life planned out, and she knows better than to try to make things work with someone who can’t agree on the basics, like where to live and whether to have kids. But Cassie isn’t perfect, and the more disappointing situationships she finds herself in, the more she wonders if there’s even such a thing as a “Mr. Right.”

But Cassie doesn’t have time to worry too much about that. Her four years at U of I are passing quickly, which means it’s time for her to chart her final course: toward Chicago, the city of her dreams.

Readers are in for a rollicking ride through college life in the ’90s here, as Cassie and her friends wade through continental relationship shifts.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“I’m going to the bathroom. Have fun deciding who gets the piece of man meat.” I finish what’s left of my virgin daiquiri – virgin, what a laugh – and pick up my purse. “If I’m not back in 10 minutes, you know I fell in.”

My experience with Jesse forced me to add more things to my list of criteria to avoid in men, and my list grows longer with every ex. When I told Mom over the summer what I’m looking for in a man, she (ignorant of my history) said I’m too picky, whereas Vanessa wasn’t picky enough. I’ll end up bitter and alone, Mom said, while my sister is happily married, playing mommy.

I have stretches where I’m in a relationship and intervals where I’m single. For someone to be in my life long-term, he and I need to be partners, equals, a power couple. But how do I find a guy like that? And who would want to be my partner for life anyway? My family says I’m too stubborn, too opinionated, too independent, wear too much black and too much makeup. Not exactly the sort a man commits to.

I follow a waitress’ directions to the back of the club where young women – some dressed sexy, others casually like my friends and me – stream in and out of the restroom. I wonder how many of these chicks are in partnerships and how many are in relationships where the man wields the upper hand. I want a partnership, damn it!

I’m so engrossed in thought I don’t notice a guy standing by the last table before the restrooms taking a step backward until he bumps into me. Losing my balance, I wobble.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he says, placing his hand briefly on my arm. “I hope you’re okay. I didn’t step on your foot, did I?”

Holy shit! This guy is tall, fit and blond. Now that’s what I consider God’s gift to women.

I smile and shake my head. “No, I’m okay. Don’t sweat it.”

He nods and turns back to his friends.

Author Bio:

Rumor has it that Melina Druga came out of her mother’s womb with a pen in her hand. While we can neither confirm or deny this, you could say she was destined to become a writer.

Melina was so young when she began writing that she can’t remember exactly when the urge began. She does remember, however, her first novel – an historical fiction story about two sisters living in an Ohio canal town in the 1840s – that she wrote at age 10.

Music keeps Melina sane, and it has gotten to the point that she cannot write without it. It keeps her awake, alert, motivated and productive. Music has even inspired her fiction. And not just The Rock Star’s Wife series. The My Chemical Romance song “Mama” was the inspiration for her historical fiction novel Angel of Mercy.

Melina lives in the Midwest with her husband, daughter, black cat, books and CD collection.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Cover Reveal – The Boyfriend Countdown by Tori Samuels @XpressoTours

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The Boyfriend Countdown
Tori Samuels
Publication date: November 7th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Margo Diaz has a reputation as a workaholic. Everyone knows where she eats her lunch — at her desk, and where she spends her Friday nights — at the office. But when her ex-boyfriend announces his engagement to the same woman who broke up their relationship, she finds herself tangled in a lie. Because what’s worse than working with your ex, is telling everyone you have a boyfriend when you don’t.

Forced to plan a New Year’s gala to impress a client, Margo finds herself promising everyone will meet her plus one. And with her name in the running for a promotion, she really can’t screw this up. She has to find a boyfriend, and a twelve-day online blind dating service is just the ticket she needs.

Everything is fine, Margo has a plan. That’s until she discovers her blind-date is Richard, the tall, sarcastic man she bumped into a few weeks ago. Not needing any distractions, she’s determined to keep the lie going to show everyone she can have it all — a career, a family, a (fake) boyfriend. Except, Richard isn’t what she thought and her attraction for him grows harder to ignore. Yet Margo is committed to keeping herself away.

How will Margo convince everyone she’s been dating a man she’s never met? Can she risk telling the truth or will she let her lie hurt more than her reputation? With a week left before the gala, the boyfriend countdown is on.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order


Author Bio:

Tori Samuels, author of the HoliFATE series, can be found sipping peppermint mochas, snuggling with her dogs, and dreaming up the next perfect contemporary romance novel. A native resident of Bolton, Canada, Samuels uses her hometown as the backdrop for her witty and swoon worthy cast of characters. Looking for your next holiday-themed read, then grab your favorite dessert coffee and get cozy.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


—

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Giveaway – Wicked Persuasion by Patti O’Shea @XpressoTours @Patti_OShea

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Wicked Persuasion
Patti O’Shea
(The Paladin League, #5)
Publication date: August 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A Special Forces officer has a second chance with his first love…if he can keep her alive.

Special Forces Captain Decker Nguyen doesn’t make big mistakes, but he really messed up when he made love with the woman who’d been his best friend. And then ghosted her.

Now, years later, he sees Francesca again. In Puerto Jardin. While he’s undercover as a mercenary and on a high-risk op to topple the empire of an international arms dealer.

Francesca “Frankie” Lewis believes she put Deck out of her head and heart. Until she sees him again. But she’s not falling for him a second time, not when it took so long to put the pieces back together after he disappeared.

Besides, she’s working. The Paladin League sent her to Puerto Jardin to track down the Lost Treasure of Trujillo. But her team isn’t the only one searching for it and others will kill to find it first. With her life on the line, the only person she trusts with her safety is the one man she wants to avoid.

Deck is determined to win Frankie back. He just needs to keep her alive and convince her to take another chance on him.

Wicked Persuasion is a stand-alone romance with a HEA. There are references to events that happened in earlier books, but it’s not necessary to read them to enjoy this story.

Indulge in a protector hero who’s in Special Forces, a second chance romance between former best friends, a heroine who is an archivist (not a librarian, secret agent, or superhero), action, adventure, and romance. And don’t forget the rest of the Special Forces team, some of whom will have their own stories coming up.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Over the years, Francesca Lewis had imagined many scenarios when they’d run into each other again. His saving her from being mugged wasn’t one of them. “Hello, Deck,” she said, managing to sound calm. “Thanks for the rescue.”

“De nada.”

She met his gaze head-on, trying to keep her expression dispassionate. Her hands were shaking. Frankie took a deep breath and clutched her fingers around her tote bag. They’d been twenty-two years old the last time she’d seen him, and he’d had a youthfulness about him then.

Deck was all man now. His chest and shoulders had broadened, and he had muscles everywhere. Impressive muscles. Frankie took another long breath.

The boy-band/rock-idol hairstyle was gone, replaced by a more conservative cut—longer on top, short over the ears and nape—but his dark hair was shaggy as if he’d skipped a few barber appointments and it appeared as if he hadn’t bothered to shave for days. Those velvet-brown eyes of his still did things to her. She looked away, not wanting him to realize how much he could affect her. He was gorgeous, even better-looking now than back then, and he’d been damn hot in college.

Deck had majored in business because his parents had decided he would join the family company. So why was he here in fatigue pants and combat boots?

“Is your firm conducting a hostile takeover in Trujillo?” She gestured toward his clothing.

Deck grinned and Frankie locked her knees to keep from swooning. Damn it, he wasn’t supposed to be able to do this to her any longer.

“I never joined my dad’s company.” He changed the subject. “You’re wearing your hair long now. I like it.”

The frisson of pleasure irritated the hell out of her. Slinging the leather straps of her tote over her shoulder, Frankie said, “Good to see you, Deck.” That was a lie. “Thanks again.” She pivoted and began to head toward the inn.

To her frustration, he caught up to her. “I’ll walk you to your hotel. Where are you staying?”

She didn’t want to tell him. She wanted to leave and pretend she’d never seen him again. “Thanks, but it’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. You don’t know if those gang members are waiting up ahead to finish what I interrupted.”

“Odds are they’re more interested in evening the score with you than stealing my bag.”

Deck continued to keep pace with her. “I claimed you as my woman. They could attack you to get back at me. Now which hotel are you staying at?”

Frankie recognized the stubborn expression on his face. Deck wasn’t about to surrender the battle, and she was shaking from being accosted, leaving her without the energy to argue with him indefinitely. “Palacio Monasterio,” she admitted grudgingly.

He whistled low, under his breath. “Librarians must be paid more than I thought.”

She bit her tongue. He was trying to get a rise out of her and she wasn’t giving him the satisfaction.

“Sorry.” Deck smirked, not even slightly remorseful. “I meant archivist.”

No, he didn’t. She focused on the road in front of her. “Did you really think I would fall for that?”

“You used to.”

“I’m not twenty anymore.”

“No, you’re definitely all grown up.”

Was that admiration in his voice? Frankie refused to glance over and see if she was right.

Author Bio:

Patti O’Shea’s passions are writing, airplanes and traveling. Fortunately, she’s been able to enjoy all three. After receiving a degree in advertising copywriting, she took a job with a major U.S. airline and now works in 757 Engineering. Besides teaching her about the planes she loves, it’s given her an opportunity to travel to places like Australia, Papua New Guinea and Canada’s Yukon Territory.

Writing, though, remains her primary love. Patti created her first romance when she was in junior high school and has been hooked ever since. She should have figured out she was a writer years earlier, however, since her dolls had such involved lives, complete with goals, motivation and conflict.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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Giveaway – The Worst Darcy by Robyn Gynne @XpressoTours

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The Worst Darcy
Robyn Gynne
Publication date: August 15th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Brodie Bishop is the worst.

Vivian Trent is desperate. Her family doesn’t approve of her life as a single mom and the small town of Austen still won’t accept her as one of their own four years later. Playing Elizabeth Bennet at the annual Jane Austen Festival is the perfect way to win over the locals and prove that she’s thriving. But when Austen’s favourite festival hero is replaced by his tattooed, metalhead brother, how is she supposed to achieve perfection with such a bad boy playing Mr. Darcy? He’s never read the book. He’s brash and unpolished. He’s… blond?!

You must allow me to tell you how ardently I dislike you.

Brodie’s used to being the town disappointment, so when Vivian turns her nose up at him, he’s not surprised. Hot librarian or not, she’s way too uptight. But once the festival gets underway, they see new sides of each other. When he finds out her dark secret, suddenly she’s much more endearing. She’s vulnerable, but strong. And the way she looks in that gown only blurs the lines between playing the part and falling for her for real.

But when her goal is within reach, can Vivian go off-book and choose Brodie, if it means risking everything she thought she wanted?

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

—

EXCERPT:

Cuppabeans was the only cafe in town, a cute little corner shop with a mint green and white striped awning out front, knotty pine framing inside, and a constant, thick miasma of warm, rich Arabica beans in the air.

Inhaling deeply as I stood in line, I tapped my foot and checked the time. It was fine. I still had a good cushion to get this done before I had to be at the library. I reached the front and ordered the largest size they had.

“Name?” the perky teenage server called over the morning din.

“Vivian,” I said.

“Lydia?” she asked.

I emphasized each syllable so she could at least read my lips. “Vivian.”

She nodded in a way that made my hopes plummet. I crossed my arms and stepped to the side to let the next person up. I blinked as I saw the man who’d stood behind me. He wore black head to toe, including a thick pair of leather cuffs at his wrists, the dark shade contrasting with his fair skin. The only hint of colour on him popped from the tattoos covering his forearms and the wheat blond of his overlong hair. He left his black aviators on as he put in his order and came to stand beside me, crossing one long leg over the other as he leaned back against the wall.

I watched him in the mirror on the opposite side of the cafe. He crossed his arms and appeared generally standoffish, the sharp line of his jaw ticking as he clenched it. I watched the muscle move as discreetly as I could. By the look of him, he was hardly a Prince Charming candidate, but I could still appreciate a nice jawline. I was only human, after all.

But then a smirk kicked up one corner of his mouth and he tipped his sunglasses down, revealing that his eyes were locked on mine in the mirror. My heart squeezed in surprise. Not only from the frantic feeling of being caught staring, but the shock of how incongruously dark brown his eyes were against that hair, stark in his only slightly sun-kissed face. They tilted up slightly at the outer corners, reminding me of a cat. He nudged the shades off his face and turned to me with a matching feline languor.

I flicked my eyes to the ground, face flaring with heat.

“Don’t like tattoos?” he asked, his voice a slightly gravelly tenor. By that grungy, heavy metal look, he’d probably spent his life screaming into a microphone.

“I wasn’t looking at your tattoos,” I said with a sharp shake of my head. Hopefully, my neck wasn’t going blotchy with embarrassment.

“Yeah?” he asked. In my periphery, I saw him lean closer. “What were you lookin’ at?”

I threw a desperate glance at the server and she held a cup up with a nod. Relief flooded me as I grabbed it and pivoted on my heel to escape this awkward encounter. But as I passed the man, I faltered, frowning down at the cup. It read Vanilla. “Oh, come on,” I grumbled under my breath.

A snort drew my eyes back up to the man. His dark eyes sparked with a mocking amusement. “Hey, at least she got the V right.”

I rolled my eyes and marched past him, ignoring the snicker that followed me out the door.


Author Bio:

Robyn writes spicy contemporary romances about resilient women and memorable men. Having self-published numerous short romances over the years under different pen names, she is pleased to present her first full-length novel, THE WORST DARCY. When she’s not writing, you can find her catching up on her TBR pile, watching spooky movies, and woodburning crafts. She lives in the Greater Toronto Area with her husband and son.

Website / Goodreads / TikTok / Instagram / Newsletter


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Cover Reveal – Dirty Daddies 2023 Anniversary Anthology #dirtydaddies #anthology

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Dirty Daddies 2023 Anniversary Anthology
Publication date: October 17th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Another year, another round of smoking hot daddies and sassy brats giving them a run for their money.

Packed with stories from your favorite names and rising stars in the Daddy genre, this anthology has something for all the Daddy lovers out there! Whether it’s a strict Dom who loves to be called Daddy as he lavishes his partner with pleasure, or a Daddy looking for a Little one to rely on him for all their most private, personal needs, there’s a story for everyone in these pages!

Pre-order


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Review – Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton #DylanNewton #netgalley #ChangeofPlans

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I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton. I cannot recommend this book enough!!!!!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

What an amazing surprise Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton was. I have read a couple of her stories, so I grab anything of hers I see. I love this fun cover and the romance inside. There are some fun moments and lots of romance. The characters are addictive.

Imagine, if you will, the ringing of the phone. You answer and you are told your brother and his wife died and named you guardian of their three young children. Of course, the wicked grandparents think you are incapable of raising them and sue you for custody. As I read along, I thought, why didn’t she take a vacation and have the children stay with them. I think they may change their mind.

The children: five year old Addison, who refuses to take off her fairy wings. I can picture her, spinning around the room with a smile of innocence on her face. Then we have eight year old Cecily who won’t bathe. Once we found the reason why, it all made sense. Tween, June hates everything about life and is constantly in trouble, lippy and standoffish.

Bryce, their guardian, struggles to cope. I feel for her. Not only is she doing her best to take care of the children and find work in a new place, she is grieving for the loss of her brother. She has no family left. No support system. Her breathing exercises to calm herself in high stress are familiar to me. The garbage plate in Rochester, New York, been there done that. I love a book that has a taste of reality for me.

Ryker left the Marine corp because of the loss of his leg. He has PTSD and nightmares haunt him as her relives the worst day of his life. He avoids everyone, tinkering in his garage, where he restores vehicles. He rarely ventures out, but a visit to the grocery store changes his life forever.

Cecily had dropped her lucky rock under a grocery shelf and gets stuck.

“Let go of the change and the rock so I can pull you out, and I’ll give you a dollar.

“Two dollars,” bargained her niece, “and I get to pick out the cookies this week.

I was laughing out loud. I think I picked the perfect time for me to read Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton. I laughed and laughed. I cried and cried. I shared in Bryce’s lack of confidence in her new role, her grief. The writing is heavy and light at the same time and flows so smoothly, I reached the end before I was ready.

“I’ve been waiting to see him in his fairy wings. Only Aunt Beamer says the fairies don’t leave heaven ’cause the gates are locked. Have you ever seen a fairy, Mr Ryker:”

When Ryker found them in the grocery store, saved Cecily and played pirate with Addison, I found myself grinning like a fool, then her heartbreaking cuteness was like a punch in the gut. The tears flowed, so I will warn you to have a box of tissues handy.

The moment they met it changed both their lives. They slowly began to open up and think they could have the happiness everyone desires. Of course, we have a communication problem. Doesn’t that always happen in a romance story or real life? I thought she was too quick to do what she did, but I can understand her hurt. Other than that, I couldn’t find a single thing wrong with the book.

No matter what genre is your favorite, I can’t recommend a better book than Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton. to give you your emotional requirement of ups and downs, highs and low, bliss and despair, and…and…and…and…

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In this charming romantic comedy, a hometown hero comes to the rescue of a chef unexpectedly left to care for three little girls—who may end up saving him too.

When disaster strikes and chef Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three young nieces, her life goes from cooking with fire…to controlling a dumpster fire. Five‑year‑old Addison refuses to remove her fairy wings, eight‑year‑old Cecily won’t bathe, and tween June is majoring in belligerence. With all this chaos, Bryce jettisons hope for a life outside of managing her family and her new job.
 
It’s been years since Ryker Matthews had his below‑the‑knee amputation, yet the phantom pain for his lost limb and Marine career haunts him. To cope, he focuses on his vehicle restoration business. He knows he’s lucky to be alive. Yet, “lucky” feels more like “cursed” to his lonely heart.  
 
When Ryker literally sweeps Bryce off her feet in the grocery store’s baby aisle, they both feel sparks. But falling in love would be one more curveball neither is ready to deal with… or is it exactly the change of plans they need?

  • Genre: Adult, Comedy and humor, Contemporary, Fiction, Literary, Romance, Chick LIt
  • Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 1, 2023 by Forever Grand Central Publishing

ABOUT DYLAN NEWTON

Dylan Newton

Dylan Newton was born and raised in a small town in Upstate New York where the local library was her favorite hang-out. Despite earning a degree in English Literature, Dylan spent more than a decade sidetracked by an executive position in corporate America where she swears she contracted testosterone poisoning. After leaving, she dedicated herself to more estrogen-rich passions, like motherhood, writing romance novels and her never-ending quest for the perfect date night.

Dylan married her high-school sweetheart and they are busy living out their own happily ever after in sunny Florida with their two incredible daughters.

Stalk Dylan:  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest

MY DYLAN NEWTON REVIEWS

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