Giveway – Reasons Why Not To Date Public Enemy CEO by Melanie Munton @XpressoTours @melanie_munton

Posted on June 24, 2022 by fundinmental

Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO
Melanie Munton
(Shell Grove, #1)
Publication date: June 21st 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

What happens when the most hated man in town goes after everyone’s favorite girl-next-door?

Reason #1: Big, bad CEO Aiden Beaumont wears his grumpy mask every day like a badge of honor. Mia Sparks wants nothing more than to honk his nose or throw a pie in his face, à la The Three Stooges, just to see if he’s capable of smiling. Unfortunately, she can’t. Because he’s technically her boss, and she’d like to keep her gig at the new five-star beach resort for longer than two weeks.

Reason #2: Everyone in her small hometown of Shell Grove, SC hates the man. He brought big business to their little beach town, and as far as her fellow citizens are concerned, that makes him the devil incarnate. But he won’t be staying forever, which works for Mia. She doesn’t go for the flashy city types anyway. She’s quite happy living her quiet life in Shell Grove. The faster the cranky—albeit stupidly hot—CEO is out of her life, the better.

Reason #3: Every time Aiden frowns at her, it hits her like a thousand-watt smile. He has a language all his own, and it’s starting to make way too much sense to her. She can’t avoid him in a town the size of a postage stamp, and it finally hits her that…she doesn’t want to escape him. This always-irritated, too-serious businessman couldn’t possibly be the stable safe haven she’s been looking for. Could he?

Aiden knows there’s a million and one reasons to stay away from the sugary sweet Mia. But who runs away from sunshine after living their entire life in a secluded cave? And when someone from her past unexpectedly emerges and tries to drive a wedge between the two of them? All bets are off. Aiden has never lost a fight in the boardroom, and he’s not about to lose the fight for the woman he wants to deserve. He just has to prove to her that he’s not the PUBLIC ENEMY CEO everyone thinks he is.

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Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO

“All players place your bets,” the dealer announced.

“This seat taken?”

Mia knocked over her stack of chips at the proximity of that growl.

God bless the US of Aiden.

Craning her neck, her gaze instantly clashed with her boss’s. But not before it took a cursory glance down his shredded body in that precisely tailored tux. As if he wasn’t devastating enough in those crisp suits he wore every day, he had to go and drop all the panties in the room by sporting a getup that made him even yummier than James Bond himself.

His devilish grin said don’t worry, baby, it’s real easy to take off.

Or maybe that was her own libido talking. Which incidentally, was blazing to life like the town bonfire on the Fourth of July.

“Good evening, Ms. Sparks.”

That voice curled around her like the aromatic notes of decadence drifting out from a gourmet kitchen. “Evening, Mr. Beaumont.”

For all that’s holy, talk normally. Not like a porn star.

He briefly paused at the breathy quality to her voice before taking the seat to her left. He and the dealer nodded to each other as Mr. Beaumont threw out his bet. Mia scooted her chips forward, placing her much smaller bet. All of a sudden, she was nervous. It didn’t help that it felt like her pink clam was going to peek out the bottom of her short dress at any moment.

“Are you having a good time?” Mr. Beaumont asked as the dealer passed out each player’s first card.

Mia re-crossed her legs under the table when she felt a distinct thrum down in the region of her coochie. “Wonderful. You?”

“I guess we’ll see by the end of this hand.”

She smiled at that. He seemed to be in one of his slightly less cranky moods. If this was his version of laidback, she’d hate to see what an actual vacation looked like for him.

“You know, there are two different categories of blackjack players out there,” he mused, watching the dealer while speaking to her. “There’s the play-it-safers and the risk takers.”

The dealer finished distributing each player’s two cards, leaving Mia with the king of hearts and a five of diamonds, giving her a score of fifteen. Mr. Beaumont had an ace and a six, which would give him a score of either seven or seventeen.

As the dealer started with Ernie and Jewel, waiting to hear whether they would hit or stay, Mr. Beaumont propped his elbows on the table and turned to Mia. “Which one are you, Ms. Sparks?”

Normally, she was a play-it-safer all the way. The only occurrences she was ever a risk taker were when she had Maggie by her side, cheering her on. But why did she always need Maggie to help her throw caution to the wind? She was capable of raising her own sails and taking on open waters by herself. What was stopping her?

When the dealer turned to her, Mia kept her gaze trained on the man whose face she’d fallen asleep to nearly every night for the past two weeks. “Hit.”

Mr. Beaumont’s eyes gleamed with approval.

The dealer turned over her card, revealing the six of clubs. “Blackjack.”

As pleased as Mia was with her prize for leaping instead of lying down, that feeling didn’t begin to match her absolute joy at being the recipient of the first real, open-mouthed smile she’d ever seen from Mr. Beaumont. It was…exuberant.

“See? Sometimes risk yields the sweetest reward.”

Instead of standing with his seventeen, he hit for another card, which Mia couldn’t say she would have done. The dealer flipped over his card, revealing the five of spades, bringing his score to twenty-two.

Everyone around the table sucked in breaths, wincing in sympathy.

But he merely shrugged. “And sometimes you’re just left with shit.”

Mia tipped her head back and laughed. Boisterously, with her entire body. And damn, it felt amazing.

For all of his begrudging frowns and terse words, he did something to Mia whenever he was in her orbit. It was like she became hyperaware of every molecule, every atom, inside her body and especially, of the way they reacted to his presence. If she didn’t know better, she would say all the cells in her body had somehow become magnetized, and Mr. Beaumont was the ferromagnetic material they were drawn toward. Even if he irritated her at times, she still felt a kind of static electricity humming around her that never seemed to spark around anyone else. Even when she was having fun with her friends, no sensation she’d ever encountered came close to what she felt around this man.

Her body just…buzzed…around him.

“When was the last time you took a big risk?” she asked, collecting the chips she’d won. “Other than that hand, of course.”

He didn’t smile again, like she half expected him to. Instead, his expression sobered, his eyes filling with…resignation, maybe? He took a healthy pull of his scotch before answering. “Showing my face here tonight.”

Her grin slipped away and got absorbed by the depth of his sandy bottom eyes. Funny, because the color reminded her of shallow ocean waters, just near the shoreline. Not the rich navy blue in the middle of the sea. She suspected that much like the ocean itself, his eyes reflected the life teeming inside him. But he banked it for some reason, closed himself off to it.

“Then why did you come?”

His gaze ran over her hair, her eyes, her lips. “You said you’d be here.”

Author Bio:

Melanie grew up in the Midwest, but she loves living in the Southeast (where the beaches are!) now with her husband and daughter.
Melanie’s other passion is traveling and seeing the world. With anthropology degrees under their belts, she and her husband have made it their goal in life to see as many archaeological sites around the world as possible.
She has a horrible food addiction to pasta and candy (not together…ew). And she gets sad when her wine rack is empty.
At the end of the day, she is a true romantic at heart. She loves writing the cheesy and corny of romantic comedies, and the sassy and sexy of suspense. She aims to make her readers swoon, laugh out loud, maybe sweat a little, and above all, fall in love.
Go visit Melanie’s website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!

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Giveaway – Smart Girls Don’t Kiss Aliens by Alina Jacobs @XpressoTours @AlinaJWrites

Posted on June 7, 2022 by fundinmental

Smart Girls Don’t Kiss Aliens!
Alina Jacobs
Publication date: May 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Paranormal, Romance

Crash-land on an alien barbarian planet and told there’s no way home?

LMAO! I’m a rocket scientist. Miss me with that noise.

Anyone else might have a nervous breakdown, but I was abducted with my besties. Among us, we have fifteen PhDs.

We will be getting off this planet. Trust.

No, I will not be finding an eternal bonded mate among the seven-foot-tall alien males.

No, I will not be wearing a furkini and walking around barefoot.

And no, I will not be moving into a cave with no internet or running water and accepting my fate like the rest of the freed human women on this craft-cocktail-forsaken planet.

Two liquid hydrogen rockets and a smidge of deep-space travel later, and we’re back home on Earth.

Except that our spaceship had stowaways.

Now there’s a seven-foot-tall alien named Cassius in my Los Angeles condo. He’s explaining calmly that according to the ancestors, we are supposed to be eternally mated, he’s bonded to me, and we’re going to have a litter of children. Also, he’s wearing a loincloth. And he has horns.

Wipe that smirk off your face. No, it is not as sexy as it sounds.

He barked at my cat. He harassed my busybody Karen neighbor (actually, I’m okay with that one). He’s obsessed with the ice maker on my fridge.

What’s a smart girl to do?

The smart thing is to build a rocket ship and send Cassius and his other hot alien friends back to their home planet.

The not-smart thing to do is fall into those deep blue-gray eyes and let him show me just how good that forked tongue feels.

And the downright stupid thing to do is fall in love with an alien.

This is a stand-alone, full-length, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, complete with bad space puns, hot guys with horns, and enough steam to cause a supernova. Happily ever after guaranteed!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Um, okay, so none of this”—I pointed at the guy with horns, the angry pregnant woman in front of me, and the barbarian alien landscape—“is going to work for me.”

“The alien slave ship carrying you and your friends crash-landed on this planet. You have to stay here forever and ever; there’s no way home,” the pregnant woman insisted as she rubbed her belly. “You’re going to bond with a mate and have babies to help repopulate the tribe. Our clan is in desperate need of women.”

The large half-naked horned alien smiled and waved awkwardly to me.

“I’m not repopulating anything,” Erin said loudly. “My people didn’t overcome centuries of oppression so that I can waste my three PhDs on a planet that doesn’t even have indoor plumbing, let alone anything as civilized as a mall. I can’t be trapped on this planet. I have a manicure on Monday. She does Ariana Grande’s nails, and there is a wait list. I’m going to lose my spot.”

“It’s already lost. You all have been in the stasis pods for the last two years,” the pregnant woman said triumphantly.

I tried to focus on how obnoxious the constant belly touching was so I didn’t completely lose it. Two years. Two freaking years?

Mel started sobbing, and I hugged her.

“Poor Bert,” she cried against my shoulder.

“I’m sure someone adopted him,” I consoled her.

“Is that your child?” the pregnant woman asked, mouth softening.

“Bert’s her corgi,” Ellen explained. “She’s a dog mom.”

The pregnant woman rolled her eyes like a twelve-year-old. “Ugh.”

“Hey!” I put my fists on my hips. “We all have jobs and lives, you know. We work for an aerospace engineering company. The US military and NASA rely on us. My cat may or may not miss me, but my plants are for sure all dead.”

“Your plants are dead because you are a horrible plant mom and forget to water them, not because you were abducted by aliens,” Angie hissed at me.

“I have six Birkin bags that need me,” Erin said defiantly.

“Well, you can’t get off this planet,” the pregnant woman snapped. “You will find a male here and fall in love. You will forget your lives as working girls and embrace your place as women of this tribe. You will learn to be happy here just like I am. I fell in love with the chief and now am blessed to be carrying his seed.”

I shuddered.

The chieftain’s mate glared at me. “You will garden, have babies, and cook over an open fire.”

“Kimmie almost burnt her condo down by boiling an egg,” Angie said. “She shouldn’t be cooking anything.”

Author Bio:

If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I’m your girl!

Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…

Sign up for my mailing list to get the free novella, AFTER HIS PEONIES, along with special bonus content, giveaways, and more!
http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html

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Giveaway – Even Better Than The Real Thing by Melanie Summers @XpressoTours @MJSummersBooks

Posted on April 9, 2022 by fundinmental

Even Better Than the Real Thing
Melanie Summers
Publication date: April 7th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A swoon-worthy, buttery, uber-fun romance about a fake marriage between two people who couldn’t be more wrong for each other…

You know what’s great about applying for an art history PhD program at one of the world’s most prestigious universities? I get to study what I love and land my dream job at the end of it. You know what’s not so great? Being told I’ll only get accepted to the program if I gain access to my aloof, uppity, super grumpy boss’s private art collection.

As it turns out, said boss—a one Lord Hayden Stuart—needs to get married to inherit his late father’s estate and earldom. And if there’s one thing Hayden Stuart is never going to want for real—it’s a wife.

So, we strike up a deal: I marry him and go live at his castle, where I’ll have unlimited access to his collection, he gets his earldom, and when the estate is settled, we part ways forever.

Win-win, right?

Wrong.

I may have fooled myself into believing I wasn’t risking my heart, but there’s one huge problem: I’m definitely falling for him. He’s not just another man. He’s THE man—an irresistibly good-looking, in-control, expensive-suit-wearing man who makes all the other men look like little boys. And the more time I spend with him pretending to be his wife, the more desperate I become to believe the lie.

But he’s never going to fall for some lowly PhD student. So what if at the wedding he looked at me as if I’m the only woman in the world, and kissed me like he’s shipping off to war in the morning? It doesn’t mean anything.

Or does it?

Because the more we’re together, the more I realize that, even though we’re from totally different worlds, we have a lot more in common than I ever could have imagined.

Now all I have to do is convince him he really does want a wife…

*** Even Better Than the Real Thing is a standalone romance with a little extra spice than a regular Melanie Summers book. ***

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Finally, Hayden opens his mouth. “I’m not sad he’s dead, you know.”

“I know,” I tell him, squeezing his hand.

“I hated him. He was a complete bastard.”

“I know.”

He looks down at me with tears in his eyes. “Then can you please tell me why the hell I’m so sad right now?”

A lump forms in my throat. “I think you’re grieving the father you should have had.”

Nodding, he sniffs, clears his throat, and says, “How stupid is that? I’m a grown man, for God’s sake.”

“But you used to be a little kid and he needed a dad.”

His shoulders crumple and he lets out a couple of sobs. Letting go of his hand, I wrap my arm around him and pull him close, resting his head on my shoulder and dropping a kiss on his head. I have no idea how long we stay like this, but by the time he’s done, my shoulder aches from the weight of him, and I’m absolutely terrified that I’ve fallen completely in love with him.

Author Bio:

Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally – then she’ll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for ‘K’ Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn’t require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she’s not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken ‘from above’. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something–more like just staying until they turn the lights off.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

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Giveaway – The Best Friend’s Guide To Taking Risks by Kadie Scott & Nicole Flockton @AOwenBooks @XpressoTours

Posted on April 6, 2022 by fundinmental

The Best Friend’s Guide to Taking Risks
Kadie Scott & Nicole Flockton
Publication date: April 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

All it takes is one weekend…

Everyone knows that the biggest risk you can take with your best friend is to cross a certain line.

When it comes to relationships, Hunter Lancing is not a risk taker. Between his parents’ terrible divorce and his own bad decisions, he’s been burned. Computers make more sense to him. Everything has a rule. Everything is defined. Like his computers, his best friend is defined, constant, and comes with rules he won’t break.

Part-time children’s party princess Natalie Morgan dances to the beat of a drum no one else can hear. The only person who truly gets her and is never scared off by her sometimes zany ideas is Hunter. But she has a big problem. Natalie keeps having all these…feelings…for her bestie.

But on a weekend getaway, a game of risky dares and one-upmanship that was supposed to just be for laughs may end up with both of them crossing the friend zone line.

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

—

EXCERPT:

“Please be home,” she half-pleaded, half-muttered.

She glanced behind her. Checking the shadows. Not that she needed to. Her best friend since forever lived in the posh part of Sacramento thanks to his innovative tech company and savvy business mind. The man always had been a geek to his core, and it had paid off. In millions.

She brushed at a stray tear rolling down her cheek with an impatient hand. Holding them in during the party had been an act of sheer valor, not wanting the kids to get a water-logged princess. Besides crying generally wasn’t her thing. But her business was everything to her. She loved what she did, and that woman…

“Come on Hunter.” She knocked again, a little more frantically.

Slipping her phone from her purse, she scrolled to the contact labeled “Lancelot”—a play on his last name—and the phone started ringing as she knocked again. If he didn’t answer, she’d leave.

“’Lo?” A sleepy voice came over the line with a grumble.

She blew out a breath in sharp relief. “Let me in.”

“Nat? Call me at a human hour.”

“I’m at your door.”

Pause. No doubt his mind taking a second to catch up to her words. “Of course you are.”

“It’s only eight o’clock,” she pointed out dryly. “On a Saturday night.”

And he should be surprised dammit. Natalie wasn’t a party girl by any stretch of the imagination—or at least not the adult kind. Her sister Lexie, on the other hand, could give Studio 54 in the seventies lessons on how to party. All in the name of research for her podcast on dating, she claimed. But 8pm was hardly party time anyway.

“I pulled an all nighter working on code a friend asked me to review. I only just fell asleep. Hunter grumbled as the sound of echoing footsteps on his wooden stairs filtered through the phone. Then a series of beeps—no doubt the alarm—followed by several clicks of locks. She hung up as he cracked the massive metal door open, paused, then swung it wider, his dark brown gaze taking in every inch of her.

“Let me in. Don’t you recognize a damsel in distress when you see one?”

“Sorry.” He hurriedly stepped back, closing and locking the door behind her. After an owlish blink, he tipped his head. “Your tiara’s crooked.”

She started to lift a hand to right it only to stop herself with a scowl. “Yours would be too, if you went through what I did tonight.”

Tonight definitely deserved a title. Party-gate? Abandoned-princess-gate? Never-trust-a-knight-to-show-up-when-he’s-needed-gate?

Thick eyebrows winged high, and was that a twitch to his lips? It disappeared as his gaze slid down her body again, then back up to land on her probably tear-and-mascara-streaked face, and a frown formed between his brows.

Natalie crossed her arms, trying to hold in body warmth, but that only served to plump her breasts over the top of her corset. They were practically to her chin, so she dropped her arms again.

“You didn’t bring a jacket?” he asked.

“I accidentally left the matching fur stole at the party I just finished,” she tossed over her shoulder. She might just never get it back. Facing that mom again was not high on her To Do list about now.

“You seriously have a matching fur stole?”

Hunter flipped on the hall light and Natalie blinked rapidly, but not at the harsher lighting. No, what was setting her retinas on fire was the sight of Hunter in a pair of low-slung black pajama pants and no shirt.

Holy hell, her BFF had muscles.

Her gaze was glued to the eight pack – yes eight – of muscles ridging his stomach. When the hell did he get those?

How long as it been since I’ve seen him without a shirt?

Author Bio:

Award-winning contemporary romance author Kadie Scott grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) and an MBA. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Kadie also writes sweet contemporary romance as Kristen McKanagh, and award-winning paranormal and YA/NA fantasy romance as Abigail Owen. No matter the genre, she loves to write happily-ever-afters that shine with home, heart, and humor. Kadie currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero husband and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

—

USA Today Bestselling author Nicole Flockton writes sexy contemporary romances, seducing you one kiss at a time as you turn the pages. Nicole likes nothing better than taking characters and creating unique situations where they fight to find their true love.

On her first school report her teacher noted “Nicole likes to tell her own stories”. It wasn’t until after the birth of her first child and after having fun on a romance community forum that she finally decided to take the plunge and write a book.

Apart from writing Nicole is busy looking after her very own hero – her wonderfully supportive husband, and two fabulous kids. She also enjoys watching sports and, of course, reading.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Giveaway – Make Me Wilder by Serena Bell @serenabellbooks @XpressoTours

Posted on May 21, 2021 by fundinmental

Make Me Wilder
Serena Bell
(Wilder Adventures, #1)
Publication date: May 20th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

This tent is too small for the both of us. And I like it that way.

Gabe
I was minding my business. Literally. I promised my dad I’d take care of the Wilder family adventure business in our little Oregon town of Rush Creek, which also means looking out for my mom, my sister, and my rowdy co-workers, AKA my brothers.

Now the business is in trouble. Overnight, Rush Creek has become a spa-and-wedding destination, and the new tourists aren’t interested in getting dirty—or at least not in the woods.

Then Lucy comes to town, all blond hair and silky blouses and spike heels. It’s her job to give Wilder Adventures a makeover. Camping to glamping, rafting to paddle board yoga, fishing trips to girls’ night sunset cruises. If she gets her way, Wilder Adventures will become Wilder Romantic Adventures.

Lucy hates small towns, getting messy, and anything involving the woods or the water—which pretty much makes her Not My Type.

That doesn’t explain why when I see her, I can’t look away. Why when I touch her, I can’t stop. And why, even though I know no one can talk a city girl into small town life, I’m still trying.

She’s driving me wild. All I can do is make her wilder.

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

—

EXCERPT:

Here I am again, Mr. Fixer, with the fire-starter.

I still have ulterior motives, too. Not gonna lie. I like being her hero—I have since that first day with the ducks. Sometimes, like when I was cooking fish the other night, or when I was building my shelter earlier, I catch her watching me. With wonder in her eyes.

I’ve had women look at me that way before. But it’s different with her. Having someone I admire so much look at me like that cracks me open.

I feel like I’d do almost anything for that look in her eyes.

Plus, I like to mess with her.

“So, look, you want to put the drill rod in the opening, here—” I murmur. “And then apply just the right amount of pressure.”

I meet her eyes. They’re wide. Her cheeks are pink, too.

“You’re doing that on purpose.”

“Of course I’m doing it on purpose. I’m making a point. It’s all about the friction. And the technique.”

“Gabe,” she grumbles, but she traps her soft lower lip between her teeth, and her breath is quick.

“All that rubbing,” I murmur.

I watch the flush cover her throat, and hope the way I’m squatting conceals my raging erection.

“What’s basically happening here is that the two pieces of wood stop knowing where one ends and the other starts. Their molecules mix. And that’s combustion. Heat. Flame.”

On that note, the wood smolders and I tease it to life with my breath, adding tinder, fanning the flames.

Of course, I narrate what I’m doing, too, checking to make sure she’s with me.
The flush, and the way she’s torturing that soft lip, tells me she is.

“What did I say?” I tell her. “Stick with me, and you’ll be just fine.”

“Or dead from sexual frustration,” she mutters.

I grin. “Stay patient, baby.”

“You know I only brought one change of underpants, right?”

“I can’t help it if you underestimated me,” I tell her.

She turns a shade pinker, and I get to test out how hard it’s possible to become without being touched.

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.

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Giveaway for Heaven For Now by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

Posted on February 26, 2020 by fundinmental

Heaven for Now by Ken La Salle is book III in the Heaven series. His work is thought provoking, making me ask the question, what is my version of Heaven?

The series has some wonderful covers that hint at the story inside.

If you would like to read my review, you can find it HERE. You will also have another chance to win a copy for yourself.

Amazon / Goodreads

GUEST POST

I have been reading Ken La Salle’s stories for a while now and he covers many genres. He never ceases to entertain me. I just finished reading Heaven for Now, Book III in the Heaven series. He leads an interesting life, going on his own life affirming adventures and I think you will find his thoughts on Romance interesting. I know I did.

I don’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel.

But having gone through one divorce and having stood by my best friend as he lost his wife to leukemia, I guess I know something about heartbreak and loss.

How or why the idea for Heaven Enough originated as I hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail just outside of Warner Springs is something I’ll probably never figure out. The story came to me all at once and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was a simple, quiet story about a man who had lost everything, which is how you feel when you lose someone you love. Heaven Enough felt like such a departure for me that I even drove my wife, Vicky, out to Warner Springs and pitched the idea to her beside that same trail.

Most of my previous stories had been quite a bit louder.

And Heaven Enough picked up a few readers and a lot of great reviews. The book holds a special place in my heart precisely because I don’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel. Instead, I wrote the kind of love story that is born out of loss and pain and regret. Not a fairy tale but something real.

And when a few readers began asking me what happened after the events in Heaven Enough, I began to wonder as well. I had not planned a trilogy but that didn’t really matter. I wanted to see it happen.

You should know that I had a good laugh at the notion that I, an author who has forever disparaged any romantic fiction, would be releasing a trilogy of… again, not romance novels. How about this, instead: A trilogy about adult, grown up people who have been hurt by love, wondering if love is worth all the hype, and discovering that the value of love and meaning of life can only be measured by how much you’re willing to open your heart.

At least, those are my thoughts. Coming from someone who doesn’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel, you should expect the Heaven series to take you in different directions and even surprise you at times.

I’ve already been asked if Matt Murphy will return and I can assure you he will. But I’m gonna give him a few years off to rest. He’s gonna need it. Heaven Enough, Heaven Denied, and Heaven For Now are all available pretty much everywhere in ebook and paperback and you can also find Heaven Enough in audio wherever audiobooks are sold online.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts Ken. I look forward to our next adventure, be it zombies, cookies, horror or romance. Bring it on!

GOODREADS BLURB

What would it be like to have heaven enough?
When Matt Murphy married his second wife, Heather, Paul and Neal were by his side. Neal, the brother of his first wife, Diva, had unwittingly sent Matt after Heather. Paul, also known as the cross-dresser Babette, was the only other person who knew Heather before her death.
Seeing two strands of his life come together at his wedding and fall in love made sense to Matt, somehow.
But it didn’t make sense to Neal. As far as Neal had been informed, he wasn’t gay. Though he could never deny his love for Paul, how can Neal grasp what such an admission would mean in his life?
Now, Paul has disappeared and Matt agrees to look in his last known location, Puerto Vallarta, home of sand and sun and – despite Matt’s searching – absolutely no sign of Paul. And when Matt Murphy meets Marisol Saucedo, a physical trainer who makes her living by teaching her students to beat people up, his search for Paul stops as his fascination for Marisol blooms.
What will become of Paul and Neal? How will Matt make sense of their lives when he can’t make sense of his own? Is love enough when it requires a leap of faith into a scary, new world? Can you use logic to find the answers? Or is it better to simply surrender to the moment, to the inebriating temptation that is love?
Any decision will change their lives forever…

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE (From Amazon)

Author and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. His passion is intense humor, meaningful drama, and finding answers to the questions that define our lives.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Ken La Salle is offering one copy of Heaven For Now to one lucky reader. Entry is easy peasy. Simply answer the question:

What, to you, is the most important element in a romance novel?

You will also have a second chance on Wednesday, 3.26.20, so be sure and come back.

Giveaway ends 3.4.20.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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.
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Giveaway & Review – Heaven For Now by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

Posted on February 24, 2020 by fundinmental

Heaven for Now by Ken La Salle is book III in the Heaven series. His work is thought provoking, making me ask the question, what is my version of heaven?

The series has some wonderful covers that hint at the story inside.

I will be sharing his thoughts on romance in an upcoming post scheduled for Wednesday, the 26th of February. I hope you will stop by, because I believe it will add to your reading enjoyment of the Heaven series and offer another chance to win a copy for yourself.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Ken La Salle writes thought provoking novels with quirky characters and humor. He makes me question myself, right along with his characters.

Whenever I read a Ken La Salle story, I find myself reading between the lines, at times adding my own interpretation of events.

Matt has been dealt some tragic blows in his life and finds himself adrift, but he never gives up on love. No job, nowhere to go, no reason to get there, until Paul disappears. Where has he gone? Why has he gone?

Now, Matt is on a plane to Mexico, in search of Paul and the adventure begins as soon as he gets off the plane. How is he ever going to find Paul? He doesn’t know where to go or how he’s going to get there.

But, he is also on a journey of enlightenment, trying to find a purpose in his life. On an Australian walkabout, if you will. Lost, with no direction.

His friends are a comical group of characters and he finds himself in some humorous situations. At times, I could see the events unraveling right before my eyes.

Matt has come full circle and is so much better for it. It’s not one single event that makes us who we are, but a lifetime of journeys. We don’t stay the same, and each event adds to our makeup. We learn, we grow, we gather those who mean something to use, who make us a better person.

Ken La Salle takes us on a life affirming journey, through death and sadness, humor and laughs, love and contentment, and I always enjoy the ride. He has a distinctive writing style and unique characters. I find his stories eye opening, making me look at myself in a way I never thought I would while reading a fictional novel.

I kept flipping between a three and four rating. Seeing I don’t do half stars, I always round up.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Heaven For Now by Ken La Salle.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE (From Amazon)

Website / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Ken La Salle is offering one copy of Heaven For Now to one lucky reader. Entry is easy peasy. Simply answer the question:

What, to you, is the most important element in a romance novel?

You will also have a second chance on Wednesday, 3.26.20, so be sure and come back.

Giveaway ends 3.4.20.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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!

Giveaway – Tasting Her Christmas Cookies by Alina Jacobs @AlinaJWrites @XpressoTours

Posted on November 26, 2019 by fundinmental

Tasting Her Christmas Cookies
Alina Jacobs
Publication date: November 19th 2019
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Winter is coming—and unfortunately it’s bringing Christmas with it.

I loathe the holiday. I hate holiday parties, fragrant decorations, and hokey movies. If I had my way it would be winter all year round and never Christmas.

Nothing burns like the cold—except a hot oven.

That’s right; against my better judgment I agreed to let The Great Christmas Bake-Off film in my tower.

And St. Nick help me but I even agreed to be a judge.

Holly

Christmas is like the perfect sugar cookie—it slowly melts in your mouth, sweetening every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever.

I love Christmas. I love the cheerful music, the fun sweaters, and the holiday lights. Most of all I love Christmas Cookies.

A begrudging bake-off judge, I refuse to let grouchy billionaire Owen Frost hate Christmas. The man is overworked, his employees are uninspired, and his life is seriously lacking in Yuletide cheer. I want to stuff his stocking with sugary goodness to put him in a very festive mood.

So I dressed up as a sexy elf and gave Owen a taste of something extra special. You should have seen his eyes roll back in his head when he bit into the perfect sugar cookie!

I can’t let Owen Frost be a distraction. Things are insane enough without a sexy billionaire.

My baking subscription service is in the death throes.

My Christmas-ruining step sister is trying to sabotage me in the bake-off.

I’m being stalked by elves on the shelf come to life.

Ok that last one is a little weird, but welcome to my disaster of a life.

I need to win The Great Christmas Bake-Off to pay of my debts and launch my baking career. Sleeping with one of the judges is going to ruin my chance for a merry Christmas. Owen with his washboard abs and big Christmas package is a bad idea. It’s best to keep that all wrapped under the tree.

But when he said in that deep, sexy voice, “Can I have another taste of your Christmas cookies?” Well, let’s just say I’m unwrapping one particular Christmas present early!

Tasting Her Christmas Cookies is a standalone holiday romantic comedy. If you love Christmas desserts, like to laugh out loud at holiday innuendoes, and want Santa to put a tall, good-looking guy under your tree, then pick up this full-length, steamy romance novel! There are no cliffhangers but there is a very happy (Christmas!) ever after!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“We are having a Christmas bath scene in the near future,” I said to the camera, “with holiday bath bombs and themed cocktails. But unfortunately, it won’t be tonight. The bake-off starts tomorrow, baking fans!”

I looked longingly at the bathtub. Then, making sure the phone was definitely not recording, because I did not need to be that kind of Instagrammer, I took a quick shower. I seriously could not get over how huge the bathroom was. I could live in it. With a toaster and a mini fridge, I would totally be good.

After wrapping myself in the robe, I tied a T-shirt around my hair. I had frizzy hair on a good day; keeping my curls manageable was a perpetual struggle. I applied a gingerbread-cookie-scented moisturizer while my videos uploaded. Because I was busy scrolling through my phone and answering comments as I came out of the bathroom, I didn’t notice the half-naked man until he swore.

I looked up and screamed.

“Help! Help! Stalker!” I shrieked and ineffectively pointed at the stranger. Between the rippling muscles, the washboard abs, and an ass I could bounce a quarter on, I hoped he wasn’t actually here to hurt me, because he could do some damage. Pointing and shrieking wasn’t going to stop him. Fortunately, he looked more shocked and horrified than angry and violent.

“Stop screaming!” he bellowed. A freezing breeze blew into the room. It was as if the man had brought the rage of winter into the master suite with him. He looked like it, too, with his ice-blue eyes and silver-white hair. “This is my penthouse. You are not authorized to be here. That makes you the stalker!”

I stopped screaming. It clearly wasn’t helping anything. I also couldn’t help but notice that the bathroom wasn’t the only thing that was huge in the room. With him wearing nothing but boxer briefs, I could tell Santa had brought the handsome man a very large Christmas package indeed. The breeze blew in from the balcony, swirling the strange man’s clean and masculine scent around the room. I forced myself to ignore it.

“Get out of my house,” Big Christmas Package said flatly.

“You get out!” I shrieked. “I’m a bake-off contestant. This isn’t your room!”

“What the—” he grabbed his clothes, tugging on his pants. “The Great Christmas Bake-Off? I cannot have Christmas invading every element of my life. This is ridiculous. Christmas is ridiculous. It’s such a stupid, childish holiday.” He punctuated his words by snatching up articles of clothing.

“Hey now!” I said, hands on my hips, fear subsiding. “Christmas is never ridiculous. It’s the best holiday ever. And if you can’t see that, well then, you’re just a grinch, aren’t you?”

He advanced on me. I was suddenly very aware of how large he was. Christmas package notwithstanding, this dude was tall, broad shouldered, with rippling muscles. He could probably split me in two.

Yes, please.

“You’re some stupid little baker who never outgrew the childish fantasy of Christmas,” he sneered.

My nose was inches away from his chest. He glowered down at me. I was too angry to be aware of his half-naked body. Okay, maybe I was like fifteen percent aware. But the majority of my energy was focused on being offended on behalf of Christmas.

“Don’t insult baking,” I said, giving him my best “I want to speak to the manager vibe,” though it was ruined by the fact that I had to crane my neck up to see him and that I was completely naked under the robe. “And never insult Christmas!”

His nostrils flared slightly.

“Men like you constantly belittle the work that women do to keep cultural traditions like Christmas alive,” I continued, poking him in the chest.

“We decorate homes to make them cozy.”

Poke.

“We cook holiday dinners and bake festive desserts.”

Poke.

“We host parties that bring families and friends together.”

Before I could poke him again, he grabbed my hand in his much-larger one. Then, realizing what he’d done, he quickly released it.

“I will not stand for your bad attitude!” I declared.

He glared down at me, strong jaw clenched, eyes cold as a frozen lake. “I can’t even believe this,” he finally snarled. He grabbed his briefcase and stormed out, still shirtless.

“Oh my God!” Fiona exclaimed, wide-eyed, as she ran into the room. She hugged me then pushed me to sit on the bed. “Are you okay? Who was that? Why was he in here? Someone call the police!”

“I knew it! You’re trying to steal my boyfriend,” Amber yelled at me, rushing into the room. “That’s Owen Frost, and he’s mine!”

Author Bio:

If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I’m your girl!

Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…

Sign up for my mailing list to get the free novella, AFTER HIS PEONIES, along with special bonus content, giveaways, and more!
http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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!

Friday 56 #46 & BB #22 – Northwoods Wolfman by Scott Burtness

Posted on June 26, 2015 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it..

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

~~~~~~

I told Scott Burtness that I would share Northwoods Wolfman with my readers, but I thought I would kill two birds with one stone. Do you like a little humor with your horror? Check out the guest post from Scott and let us know what you think.

~~~

Northwoods Wolfman by Scott Burtness

Monsters in the Midwest – Book Two

Check out this cool cover.
MY 56

“That can’t be but a mile, maybe two into the woods, but there ain’t nothing out there. I think maybe an old, abandoned cabin. Otherwise, just empty woods. Why draw me a map to go there?”

(Page 56 on Kindle).“It has feasted on my blood. It might help someone. Or not. Just like the rest of your ‘potent panacea.'”

(56% on Kindle)

BOOK BEGINNINGS

IT HAD TO START SOMEWHERE…

The egg hatched, releasing the young Dermacentor vaiabilis larva upon an unsuspecting world. Wriggling away from the nest into the surrounding grass, it had no thoughts, no plans, no aspirations. Those were the burdens of more evolved creatures. Only one desire occupied the tiny ganglion of nerves that served as the wood tick brain. It was tie to feed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~.

GUEST POST

I am so happy to have Scott Burtness here to share his new book. Take it away Scott.

Title: Northwoods Wolfman

Series: Monsters in the Midwest, Book 2

Author: Scott Burtness

Publication date: June 24^th, 2015

Genres: Fiction, Horror, Comedy

Buy on Amazon

Author Links: Amazon / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook

Author Bio

033 Scott lives in the Midwest with his wife and their boxer-pitt mix, Frank. He’s a horror, urban fantasy, and dark comedy fan, and also enjoys beer, bowling, karaoke, and rooting for the underdog. After not nearly enough consideration, he decided to write about the things he enjoys. The result was the Monsters in the Midwest series.

Description of the Book

When Dallas is recruited by an ancient order of monster hunters, he’s more than happy to sign up. The self-proclaimed Hero of Trappersville did kill a bloodthirsty vampire, after all. As far as Dallas is concerned, monsters are monsters, and they have no place in Wisconsin.

Or do they? And does Dallas really get to choose which side he’s on?

Excerpt

“You’re needed.”

The nasally voice cut through the whiskey fog, rousing Dallas from his stupor. Before he could put meaning to the words, turn his head and identify the speaker, the person was gone.

“Haven’t seen him b-before,” Stanley commented.

“Stanwee?” Dallas slurred. “Whend’choo get here?” Stanley had hung around with Dallas and Herb for years. Wiry, fidgety, and a terrible bowler, he had rounded out their backwoods version of the Three Musketeers, or more like Two Musketeers and That Stuttering Guy Who Claimed He Was Abducted by Aliens. Since Herb’s death, he’d been Dallas’s near-constant drinking companion.

“J-just now,” Stanley replied. “Saw you talking to that guy,” he said, pointing toward the door.

Dallas’s bleary gaze followed Stanley’s finger, and he locked eyes with a stranger across the bar. The two considered each other for a moment before the man nodded and walked outside.

With a shrug and a short belch, Dallas returned his attention to Stanley. His friend was scrutinizing a business card, a perplexed look layered on top of the usually perplexed look he wore as a matter of course, making him look especially… Dallas groped for the right word… perplexed.

“Crap on a cracker, Stanley. You looking for the cure for cancer on that thing? Give’er here and let me help you with the big words.” Swiping the card, he read out loud.

“Find us. You’re needed.”

Dallas borrowed Stanley’s perplexed look and tried it on for a moment. He’d heard that before. Recent like. A nasally voice. For some reason, the face of the man he’d just been trading looks with popped back into his mind. The voice he recalled seemed like it would fit the man’s face. Gaunt, squinty eyes, straight brown hair slicked back from a dark widow’s peak, scraggly hairs making a go at becoming a goatee. Yeah, it could’ve been that guy, but why was he talking to Dallas? What did they talk about? Why leave the card? A closer look popped the tab on a deeper mystery. Why leave a card telling him to find someone but not leave an address or a number? It was a mystery, pure and simple, and there were few things Dallas hated more than mysteries.

“Guy must have a busted furnace,” Dallas reasoned out loud, causing Stanley’s head to bob in assent. “Jackass didn’t leave a number though. How the hell am I supposed to help if he didn’t leave me a number?”

“Something’s on the b-back,” Stanley offered, a touch of drama coloring his tone. Unlike Dallas, Stanley liked mysteries. He had every season of Murder, She Wrote, Columbo, and Veronica Mars, and took great pleasure in rewatching them and solving the crimes before Angela Lansbury, Peter Falk, or Kristen Bell.

Dallas turned the card over, and sure enough, there was more.

TURN 2 2 AT 2 2 2

Dallas read the line once, then twice, trying to make it make sense. Sometimes, the right amount of alcohol allowed for just the kind of out-of-the-box thinking a riddle like this might need to solve. Sadly, this wasn’t one of those times. This time, the amount of alcohol Dallas had imbibed didn’t help him to think around corners, so to speak. It just helped him get more upset in less time. A win from an efficiency standpoint perhaps, but otherwise a complete loss.

“The hell does that mean? Well, I guess the jackass will just have to freeze.” With a grumbled curse, Dallas crumpled the card and dropped it on the bar. Slapping Stanley on the back, he stumbled toward the door and into the gathering night, the strange man and even stranger card already forgotten.