Tag Archives: friends to lovers

Giveaway – A Patch Of Romance by J C Valentine @xpressotours

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A Patch of Romance
J.C. Valentine
(A Coffee Break Mystery, #4)
Publication date: October 25th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance

Callie’s status as a single mom is about to end when she meets up with local dad, Scott Prince, at the pumpkin patch. Love is definitely in the air…or is that just pumpkin spice? Either way, Callie is about to embark on a seriously satisfying journey. That is, until the mystery knocker comes knocking. Is it just a Halloween prank, or is someone trying to send her a message—the deadly kind?

As Callie and Scott traverse the dating life with one another and ring in the holidays with the hope of uniting them all as one big, patchwork family, the lingering question of who keeps knocking and what they want looms in the shadows, waiting to be answered. Will Callie and Scott reveal the truth behind the eerie knocking before something it’s too late? And will they ever get their happily ever after?

Follow Callie and Scott’s journey from wary strangers to soulmates in this feel-good holiday romance. With a friends-to-lovers romance, family bonding moments, cozy Christmas traditions, and a found family trope, this wholesome love story will get you in the holiday spirit. Curl up with a mug of hot cocoa and let the magic of the season bring this unlikely pair together one knock at a time.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Okay, you wild banshees, costumes are ready to go!” I called up the stairs. Instantly, I heard the pounding of little feet as Lily and Ethan raced down the stairs, with Lily predictably in the lead, eager to transform into their Halloween alter-egos.

“Beware the Headless Horseman!” Lily cried, tossing her hooded cape dramatically over her grinning face. Next to her, Ethan was assembling his white boxy Minecraft costume, complete with pixelated foam sword.

I knelt down and made the final adjustments, securing Ethan’s headpiece and Lily’s belt, then ushered them toward the door. “Let’s hit those sidewalks before all the good candy is gone!” I declared.

It was still light outside when we stepped out onto the porch. Ghosts, superheroes, princesses, and witches were already parading up and down the street as families got the trick-or-treating underway. The crisp air twinkled with magic and excitement as neighbors called out compliments on costumes, and I inhaled the heavenly, smoky scent of burning wood that several people were using to keep warm as they passed out candy.

We weren’t far into our route when I heard rapid footsteps approaching. Lily and Ethan’s faces lit up as Scott and his son came into view dressed in matching blow-up dinosaur costumes. I couldn’t help laughing as I watched their giant dino heads bobble to and fro as they swished toward us.

“Hey, guys!” Scott greeted, slightly out of breath. Since our pumpkin carving hangout, we’d been planning for the kids to do Halloween night trick-or-treating together too. I was relieved he was making it easy for me to take this second opportunity with no strings attached.

“Dad, can we go show Ms. Molly our costumes?” Lily asked eagerly.

I nodded indulgently, enjoying seeing my kids having a good time. After waiting a few moments for Lily, Ethan, and Stanley to run up the walkway to show off their costumes to their principal, we began a slow, easy walk from house to house, stealing pieces of candy here and there, as the kids ran back and forth down driveways and bonded with each other more.

Author Bio:

J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn’t sorry.

Living in the Northwest, she has three amazing children and far too many pets. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor’s in English and when she isn’t writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors.

Sign up for J.C.’s newsletter and never miss a thing! http://bit.ly/1KxXWWB

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter


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Giveaway – This Will Hurt II by Cara Dee @xpressotours

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This Will Hurt II
Cara Dee
(June 2nd 2023)
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Part II of II Angst Awakening Friends to Lovers Family

Buckle in. Roe and Jake have mountains to climb, walls to tear down, and countless private moments to bring them even closer in this final part of their journey.

The ground beneath me had finally settled. I was content. I was all right. I could move forward and live with my choices.

Then I found Jake’s damn journal from… therapy. That was right. My best friend, who defined “man of few words,” was in therapy. The ground started shaking again. I got desperate. I got angry. I…almost lost him on the job when he saved my life.

Nothing was settled anymore.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

What the fuck did you wear to a country concert?

I grabbed a pair of jeans and boxer briefs from the closet, then walked back into the bedroom and picked up my phone from my nightstand. I sent Jake a message.

I’m fresh out of chaps and cowboy hats. What should I wear, hoss?

While I waited for his response, I removed the towel around my hips and put on the boxers and jeans.

“Dada, I’m-wa no baff!”

I glanced over at the door as my boy ran in, with Sandra hot on his tail.

I grinned faintly and swooped him up. “Look out, we got a runner ova’ hea’.” I peppered his face with smooches, and he giggled up a storm. “You can’t escape bath time, baby boy. But you know what comes after, don’t you? Mommy’s gonna read you a story.”

“Nooo,” he complained.

“Yeees,” I mimicked.

Sandra sighed and smiled ruefully. “Let’s go, sweetie. We’ll get extra bubbles and everything.”

“Hear that? We love those bubbles.” I handed over the clinging monkey to her and pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

“I don’t wannaaa,” he whined.

Sandra carried him out, only to stop in the doorway and turn back to me. “You sure you don’t wanna cancel?”

Positive—and I wasn’t fighting with her about it again.

“I won’t be late,” was all I said.

The teasing glint in her eyes faded, and she walked out.

I released a breath.

My phone dinged on the nightstand, and I walked over and read Jake’s text.

I’ll tell you you’re pretty no matter what you wear, sugar.

I laughed silently and shook my head.

Helpful.

Whatever. I returned to the closet and dug out a long-sleeved tee that made my biceps look good. We were going to an outdoor place up in Griffith Park, so it was bound to get chilly. But I liked that it wasn’t a huge concert. Only some five thousand people. It beat going to the Staples Center.

Jake picked me up downstairs fifteen minutes later, and the most country thing about him continued to be his truck. It made no sense to drive a truck in LA. But he loved it, and I really had no room to argue choices of vehicles. I was still a laughingstock after buying a sports car before Casper was born. Worst deal ever. I’d probably lost twenty grand when I’d traded it in for a family-friendly SUV.

“Hey, pretty.” Jake pulled out from the curb. “I see you found clothes.”

“No thanks to you.” I smiled and buckled my seat belt. “Will I see a lot of chaps tonight?”

“If I drop you off in West Hollywood instead, I’m sure there’s a club for you.”

I laughed. Funny.

“Oh, this is a good one.” He cranked up the volume on the stereo. “He’ll probably play this tonight.”

I side-eyed him, more interested in studying Jake than hearing a song. There was something inherently sexy about how he drove. He made life look easy when he was on the road. One arm along the edge of the window, the sleeves of his open flannel shirt rolled up—some serious forearm porn going on—two fingers gripping the wheel loosely at the bottom. He tapped his foot to the rocky beat, and his lips moved subtly to the singer’s voice.

Ratty USMC ball cap on the dash. Since he always wore it backward, he took it off when a headrest was in the way.

Fitting lyrics, about holding on to things you believed in.

Of course, it being a country rock song, the topic was the singer’s truck.

“It’s the miles that make a man.”

How many miles till I fell out of love with him?

“I’d be nothing without you, so I’m holding on.”

Surprisingly, a line not about the truck.

“I’m not the openin’ act,” he chuckled. “Quit starin’.”

That was the fucking problem, wasn’t it? He was the headliner.

Author Bio:

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Newletter / Bookbub / Instagram


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Giveaway – Entirely by Talya Blaine !XpressoTours

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Entirely
Talya Blaine
(Transformation Series, #3)
Publication date: April 25th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

“…the deep interplay between the two main characters adds a special intimacy to the novel.” -Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize

“a fantastic story…with many surprises and exquisite intimacy. …an excellent read for romance fans and anyone new to the genre.” -Literary Titan

A startling revelation. A secret that speaks to who we are and who we hide. A choice that forces one heartbreaking question: Can their love survive?

Quinn and Jonathan’s journey continues in Entirely, the third novel in the Transformation series. Outfitting a wedding barn and planning Becca’s reception has Quinn furiously busy and—except for a stinging writing rejection—optimistic. Jonathan watches her self-protective walls crumble as their relationship begins to bloom.

Until Octavia calls with an urgent plea.

Quinn can’t refuse Octavia’s request, while Jonathan sees red. The erotic arrangement she proposes to make it up to him yanks him straight out of his comfort zone. He rises to the challenge, though, taking them to stratospheric heights of pleasure and closeness.

When a shocking discovery forces Quinn to make an impossible choice, will their story end with a chasm of hurt and betrayal between them, or can they find their way back to each other?

Intensely intimate, sensual, and emotional, Entirely concludes the first Transformation trilogy. (No cliffhanger.)

• Friends to lovers, slow burn, second chance, fish out of water—readers will click with the themes in this edgy contemporary romance.
• Third-person, alternating points of view
• Characters over 40 and a sexy beta hero

Note: Mature themes, strong language, dungeon and super-steamy open-door bedroom (among other places) scenes. Entirely is Book 3 in the Transformation series; the novels should be read in order.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

Q&A with Talya Blaine:

What was your favorite scene or theme in Entirely to write?

My favorite scene to write was the one in which Quinn and Jonathan are standing in her kitchen in the early hours of the morning, after Becca’s wedding reception. They listen to Becca’s voicemail and then they go to bed. Funny, sexy, intimate–and before the realization of a secret that threatens to pull them apart. Writing that scene was a pleasure.

What was the hardest part of the story to write?

Without spoilers, it was when Jonathan makes his “discovery.” I felt terrible for him because I knew he would feel so utterly betrayed–it was hard to write the scenes where he’s trying to process what happened.

Entirely completes the first trilogy of the Transformation series. What’s next?

Plans are underway for the release next year of some shorter, lighter, funnier stories, more like sexy rom-coms. And with the chemistry between Quinn and Jonathan, as well as all the twists and turns I imagine their life–and the other characters’ lives–taking, expect to see more of them soon.

What’s at the top of your TBR (to be read) pile right now?

The pile is high and always growing but since I’ve been writing a lot lately, I haven’t had as much time to read. Also, when I’m writing fiction, the stories and characters really inhabit my life (or I, theirs), and it’s hard for me to get into other stories and worlds. That said, I’m excited because next up are:

  • The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell, a locked-room whodunit on the set of a British reality TV baking show. (Big grin)
  • Winter’s List by Jordyn Kross, a ménage tale about a law-school graduate who meets two sexy strangers on a flight to the Caribbean.
  • War’s Peace by Raisa Greywood, the first Club Apocalypse novel. I’ve been wanting to check out more of these last two authors’ work since reading their short stories at the end of 2022 in a Holiday Shorts anthology.
  • Last but not least, Big Swiss by Jen Beagin. Transcriptionist for a sex therapist falls for one of his clients and the two accidentally meet IRL? I’m in.

Where can readers find you online?

Visit my blog, and to be notified of new posts, book releases, and special offers, add your email to my list. And/or let’s connect on BingeBooks, BookBub or Goodreads.


Author Bio:

Talya Blaine writes later-in-life contemporary romance that’s emotionally intense and thought-provoking, spicy and sweet. She writes “older” characters (40+), sexy beta heroes, and explores how relationships of all types change over time. Silently (Transformation Series Book 1) is her debut romance, with Secretly (Book 2) and Entirely (Book 3) completed and releasing soon.

Website / Goodreads / Bookbub


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Giveaway – Timeless: Zane & Fiona by Kaylene Winter @XpressoTours

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Timeless: Zane & Fiona
Kaylene Winter
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

TIMELESS:

A Steamy, Coming-of-Age, Friends-To-Lovers, Rockstar Romance

“I vowed nothing would keep us apart…”
Fiona Reynolds is my other half.
It’s been that way from the day I was born.
I’ve dedicated my life to keep my promise.
Fate just laughs in our face.
She’s always out of reach, this time for good.
I’ll do anything to prove she’s my destiny –
if only she’d trust me one more time.

“After what I’ve done, how can I deserve him?”
Zane Rocks is my everything.
There’s no one I love or trust more than him.
It wasn’t his fault when he left me.
I always knew he’d find his way back.
Fear overwhelmed me, and I broke his heart.
Will the most celebrated musician on the planet,
really give me another chance?

When a rash decision changes their lives forever, hope for their future is all but shattered.
Stakes are high.

But Zane’s determined to prove a love this pure is TIMELESS.

TIMELESS ENCORE:

A steamy, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance between a sexy billionaire rockstar and his plus-size soulmate

“Restraint is not my strong suit.”

I’m finally reunited with the woman I’ve loved since birth.
Why do I feel so untethered?
Fiona’s living her dream and I’m doing my best to support her.
But, with so many dark secrets revealed, my very foundation is rocked to the core.
Will we ever outrun our past to have the life we deserve?

“My lifelong dream blew up in spectacular fashion”

Zane and I overcame many obstacles to achieve our destiny.
We’re best friends and soulmates—with a love life other couples only dream of.
Anxiety and self-doubt still threaten my confidence.
When neither of us have reconciled our past,
Can we find the courage to embrace our future?

Happily ever after can mean so many things.
Life happens.
Faith is tested.

Will Zane and Fiona overcome decades of deception?
Is true love really TIMELESS?

TIMELESS ENCORE is Book 8 in the Less Than Zero Rockstar Romance Series, and is the sequel to TIMELESS

It is strongly recommended you read Books 1-4 before reading any of the “ENCORE” sequels, otherwise you’ll be spoiled!

Goodreads / Amazon


EXCERPT

It’s kind of like being suspended in time when you drown.

Slowly you slip down, sinking farther and farther into a vast, aqua-blue ocean. At first, the sun flitters at the surface, making the sea look like glittery, blue diamonds. It’s like heaven. Dreamlike. Floaty. Beautiful.

Once the light begins to dissipate, suddenly your surroundings feel ominous. The water feels heavy, not light. Stifling. Claustrophobic. The sea turns midnight blue. Then it is so dark you can’t even see your hand inches from your face.

That’s when survival instinct kicks in. Arms sluice upward. Your legs scissor and kick in attempt to reach the surface. All you want is to find the light again. Just one more time.

All of this happens in a minute, though it feels like hours. Days. Weeks. Years.

But it’s too late. Your lungs fill. When you try to breathe, all you do is suck water into your windpipe. You panic. Flail. Gasp. Scream. Fight with everything you have, because if you don’t reach the surface…

I shoot up in bed, clutching my chest. Gulping in air. Tears stream down my face. I can’t catch my breath. My heart pounds.

Goddammit.

This sucks so bad. I can’t keep having these drowning dreams. They’re freaking me the fuck out.

I’m pulled from behind into a full-body hug.

“Your doctor said this would pass in another week or two. Stick with it, Fee. Subconsciously you know I’d never let you drown.” He nuzzles my neck with his scruffy face, tickling me a bit.

I lean back against Zane. My best friend. My lover. My everything from the day I was born. “I know you wouldn’t. It’s just a lot freakier than they said it would be. If I’d known it was this hard to wean myself off Xanax, I’d never have started taking it in the first place.”

”You’ve been under tremendous amounts of stress with Mia’s custody stuff for so long, babe.” Zane eases me down so he’s spooning me. “It was either that or not sleeping. Now that Corey-fucking-Johnson is firmly in the rearview mirror, you just need a little recoup time and you’ll be as good as new. The world is ours for the taking. At-fucking-last.”

My entire body relaxes against him. “Yeah, I knew I had to stop when I realized I was taking double my dose. There’s no way I’m going down that path. Obviously.”

Addiction has taken so much away from my man, there’s no way I’d ever do that to him. Not after we’ve overcome so much to have our happily ever after.

Author Bio:

When she was only 15, Kaylene Winter wrote her first rocker romance novel starring a fictionalized version of herself, her friends and their gorgeous rocker boyfriends. After living her own rockstar life as a band manager, music promoter and mover and shaker in Seattle during the early 1990’s, Kaylene became a digital media legal strategist helping bring movies, television and music online. Throughout her busy career, Kaylene lost herself in romance novels across all genres inspiring her to realize her life-long dream to be a published author. She lives in Seattle with her amazing husband and dog. She loves to travel, throw lavish dinner parties and support charitable causes supporting arts and animals.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Giveaway – Secretly by Talya Blaine @XpressoTours

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Secretly
Talya Blaine
(Transformation Series, #2)
Publication date: February 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Unquenchable chemistry. The rare gift of a second chance. Choices that could destroy it all.

Quinn and Jonathan’s erotic journey continues as sizzling tension tests their “friends for now” pact.

After a desperate call interrupts a failed platonic dinner—and a water main break renders Quinn homeless—she’s left with little choice: Take Jonathan up on his just-friends-no-benefits offer to share his apartment.

But getting closer? A romantic relationship? Not an option. Even after that one impulsive and magical but heartbreaking kiss.

Damn, that kiss. It tells Jonathan all he needs to know about Quinn’s feelings and only deepens his desire to build a life with her. Until her defensive walls throw him back into reality. The reality in which his sweet gig as Spice of Life’s travel show host is on the line. The reality in which he can’t fully accept Quinn’s involvement at Octavia’s dungeon. The reality in which the woman he adores is still grieving—and not ready to hear the three words he needs to say.

The second novel in the Transformation Series, Secretly turns up the heat: A secret trip to a Parisian chateau dungeon, a last-minute wedding to plan, a bold, perhaps impulsive, career decision. Quinn and Jonathan each make choices that alter the course of their lives. Can they forge a shared future?

A story about discovery and desire, friendship and boundaries, freedom and risk. About the delicate balance between intimacy and autonomy. About the struggle to love again and how we choose to live the second chapter of our lives.

Friends to lovers, slow burn, second chance, fish out of water—readers will click with the themes in this edgy contemporary erotic romance. Features characters over 40 and a sexy beta hero. Mature themes, strong language, kink, dungeon and steamy open-door bedroom scenes.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

Q&A with Talya Blaine:

How did you come up with the idea for Secretly?
As I was writing one of the later scenes in the previous book, Silently, the scene where Quinn is in the hospital and Jonathan climbs into bed with her and they talk–really talk–I realized there was too much growing between them for their story to end. After I finished writing Silently, that feeling continued–I could not get Quinn and Jonathan out of my head. So I began writing Secretly, and the two of them took it from there.

What was your favorite scene or theme in Secretly to write?
That’s easy. Wait, actually I have two favorites. The first is when… Hmm, how to say this without spoilers… The first is when Jonathan catches Quinn off guard at one point and she’s a sweaty mess in the summer heat, and she’s SO awkward with him. He gloats a bit rethinking it later, but in the moment he’s himself–sweet and sexy and relieved she’s not angry with him. They’re both so real with each other in that scene.

And the other scene I loved writing is when they think they see each other in Paris. During revisions, I was this close (pinching fingers together) to cutting it. But I kept it in and I believe the book is better for it. I think it shows that, at the end of the day, no matter what issues have arisen between them, they’re just really connected to each other.

What was the hardest scene or theme to write?
The hardest theme through all three books was Quinn’s grief. Although it lessens over time, it was difficult to balance showing the depth of her sorrow with keeping the story moving forward. In a way, I had to do the same thing to her that the characters were doing — trying to respect her feelings, her experience, her healing process while also nudging her on at a pace that felt “right” for the story.

Your blog says you love-love-love to read. What are you reading right now?
A funny, sharply written erotic romance with fake dating and multiple partners, Mint to Be by Madelynne Ellis, and I just finished–and am still thinking about (in the best way)–Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

What’s your writing routine like?
Writing routine. Hah, that’s a good one. I’m more of a fits and starts kind of girl. I wish I could say otherwise but that’s the truth. I don’t always write everyday. But when I’m in the middle of a draft, with the ideas clamoring to be put onto the page, I will write every single minute of the day that I can.

How can readers find you online?
Visit my blog, or connect with me on BingeBooks, BookBub or Goodreads. To keep up with new releases and special offers, the best way is to add your email to my list.

Author Bio:

Talya Blaine writes later-in-life contemporary romance that’s emotionally intense and thought-provoking, spicy and sweet. She writes “older” characters (40+), sexy beta heroes, and explores how relationships of all types change over time. Silently (Transformation Series Book 1) is her debut romance, with Secretly (Book 2) and Entirely (Book 3) completed and releasing soon.

Website / Goodreads / Bookbub


GIVEAWAY!
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  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!