Tag Archives: contemporary and literary fiction

Giveaway – Then Came You by Dylan Allen @XpressoTours dylanallenwrit1

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Then Came You
Dylan Allen
Publication date: February 23rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Most people dream of falling in love.
But all I know of love is that it turns smart people into fools.
So, I don’t dream, I work.
And put distance between myself and the stain my father’s betrayal left on my family.

When I land a high powered job in London,
It feels like I finally have everything I want.

Then comes Simon, the gorgeous architect with a filthy mouth
who sets my body and my mind on fire.
I surrender to the pull of attraction and the promise of pleasure in his heated gaze.
But those smoldering dark eyes of his are also full of secrets.

Playing with that kind of fire is a fool’s game. And I am no fool.

So, when our night together ends on less than happy terms, I’m sure it’s for the best.

When a work project brings us back together,
I’m determined to keep Simon where he belongs – in my rearview.

Fate, however, has a different plan.

Simon breaks down my walls one sexy, wicked smile at a time.
And I discover that behind his brooding, secretive facade, lies a heart of pure gold.
Soon, all I do is dream…of his touch, his kisses,
and of a love good enough and strong enough to last forever.

But I’ve got secrets of my own.
And when they rear their heads,
nothing will be the same again.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

I look at Simon, ready to make a quip about how they look like two kids sneaking off together. My words die in my throat at the unabashed desire in his eyes.

He doesn’t say a word. There’s no need when that look says everything.

He puts his hand out and I take it. As soon as our palms touch, I know I made the right decision. If this benign touch sends my senses into a tailspin, what’s he going to do to the rest of me?

He links our fingers and brings my hand to his mouth. I shiver at the press of his warm lips and the heated promise in his eyes. I let him lead me out of the restaurant, across the street to catch the tube. But just when I dig out my fare card, he sticks his hand out to hail a black cab.

We get in, and despite the roomy back seats, we sit next to each other, thigh to thigh, both facing forward but if the way the air in the cab cracks with chemistry and attraction is anything to go by, he’s as aware of me as I am of him.

“Where to?” The cabbie’s barked question breaks our spell momentarily and we turn to look at each other. “Is my place okay?” I ask absently, my eyes glued to his mouth.

He nods as if unable to speak. I rattle off my address to the cabbie, and he pulls away from the curb.

“Addie,” Simon’s husky voice is tinged with urgency. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

When I turn to him, his eyes are on my mouth. I lick my lower lip and he bites his.

“So are you,” I confess in a whisper and the rush of anticipation makes my whole body tingle.

“Princess, you’re killing me.” He lets out a soft groan and his head moves toward mine, and my eyes flutter closed.

Time slows making me aware of every single fraction of every single second that passes before his lips finally touch me.

They softly press to the corner of my mouth and every thought flees my mind. The touch is as light as a whisper, and yet I feel it all the way to the tips of my toes. He moves his lips across mine—brushing back and forth—and with every single touch, I am unraveling. And for once, the idea of coming apart doesn’t scare me.


Author Bio:

Dylan Allen is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author.

She’s a Texas girl, with a serious case of wanderlust, Dylan’s travels influence her writing and she loves being able to take her readers on adventures from the comfort and safety of their favorite reading nook.

A self-proclaimed happily ever junkie, Dylan creates stories where her characters unapologetically chase their own happy endings.

When she isn’t writing or reading, eating or cooking, she and her family are planning their next adventure.

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Giveaway – My Chance by Samantha Skye @xpressotours @SamanthaSkyeAu1

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My Chance
Samantha Skye
(Men of New York, #4)
Publication date: February 21st 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

My job has always been my ticket to the top.
Now my only chance at success is tall, dark, and menacing…

At no point in my law career did I think I’d have a mobster in my office, offering me a job.

Hard pass.

But Nico Molenti is as persistent as he is…persuasive. And thanks to my dad’s white-collar antics, my client list is looking as bare as my bank account will be in a few weeks.

Accepting Nico’s offer isn’t just about quick cash though. If I say yes to this, I kiss my New York law firm goodbye.

Perhaps that’s why he’s so intent on keeping my lips very busy.

But breaking my law-abiding habits to help a gangster exact vengeance on his enemies is easier said than done.

Although with every fiery touch, I can’t help but feel I’m going over to the dark side in more ways than one…

My Chance is the fourth and final book in the Men Of New York series. Featuring a curvy heroine and the sinful hero who falls for her, this is a suspenseful enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, mafia romance with plenty of spice.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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Author Bio:

Samantha Skye is a contemporary romance author from Melbourne, Australia. A country kid turned city slicker, Samantha writes characters that are as diverse as they are devilishly handsome.

Her unique brand of suspenseful spice deftly combines the risky and the risqué, setting hearts pounding for more than one reason! When she’s not plotting her next novel, Samantha can be found chatting on podcasts, or anywhere there’s sunshine.

An avid traveler, Samantha is just as comfortable in gumboots as she is in Christian Louboutins…but she’s usually having more fun in the latter.

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Free Book & Giveaway – In Too Deep by L K Shaw @xpressotours

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In Too Deep
L.K. Shaw
(To Love and Protect Series, #1)
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In search of my missing brother, I cross paths with a sexy, but dangerous man. Everywhere I go, he watches me with a heated gaze that sets my body on fire. I’m helpless against the forbidden attraction.

But a vicious crime lord wants us both dead, and soon we’re in a fight for our lives. When the battle ends, secrets are revealed, and I discover the man I’m falling in love with isn’t who he says he is. Will I ever be able to trust him again?

Goodreads / Amazon

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IN TOO DEEP EXCERPT:

“Will you stay with me tonight? I don’t think I can be alone.” My words were barely above a whisper.

Tomás’ look was pained. He shook his head. “It’s not a good idea, Ines.”

I clasped his hand between mine and squeezed it against my chest. “Please.”

He warred with indecision, but I knew the moment he made his choice. He took the keys from my hand and led me inside, closing and locking the door behind us. I flipped on the light and removed my hat, laying it on the side table. Next, I slipped out of my heels, leaving them at the door. I padded barefoot across the living room until I reached the kitchen, my body humming with awareness of the man following behind me. Tension radiated off him, and I could hear his soft footsteps. I grabbed two beers out of the fridge and popped the top off both before turning and handing him one.

Our eyes connected, and neither of us broke contact. Tomás continued his white-knuckled hold on his at the same time I took a long pull from mine. My body thrummed, and my core pulsed. A spark lit my fingers when he slipped the bottle from them, our skin grazing, and set both mine and his on the counter. In one long stride, he was almost pressed up against me. We were so close, we practically breathed in each other’s air. My nipples hardened with arousal, and when he reached up and brushed a strand of hair off my face, tucking it behind my ear, my breath hitched.

“You’re so beautiful and far too good for me.” Tomás’ voice was husky.

Slowly, he backed me up until I ran up against the counter, out of room, his arms caging my body. Not that I wanted to go anywhere. With infinite care, like he was waiting for me to stop him, Tomás dipped his head, our gazes still colliding, and brushed a kiss across my lips. His touch was featherlight, and I wanted more.


Author Bio:

LK Shaw is the bestselling author of the sexy, sinful suspense. She resides in South Carolina with her high maintenance beagle mix dog, Miss P. An avid reader since childhood, she became hooked on historical romance novels in high school. She now reads, and loves, all romance sub-genres, with dark romance and romantic suspense being her favorite. LK enjoys traveling and chocolate. Her books feature hot alpha heroes and the strong women they love.

Want a FREE short story? Be sure to sign up for her newsletter and download your copy of A Birthday Spanking, a short story set in the Doms of Club Eden world! http://bit.ly/LKShawNewsletter

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Free Book & $20 Giveaway – Maggie’s Mark by Michelle Cornish @xpressotours @Chellevester

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Maggie’s Mark
Michelle Cornish
(Ceiba Cartel, #1)
Publication date: January 31st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

The CIA told me to hunt him down. Instead, I fell in love with him.

It’s 1987 and CIA officer Maggie Barnes has the opportunity of her life—take down Ricardo Ceiba Colombia’s most prominent drug lord.

But the more Maggie learns about Ricardo and the deeper she goes undercover, the more she sees Ricardo for who he really is. Her mission becomes an impossible choice—take down the man she loves or betray her country.

Goodreads / Amazon / Bookbub

FREE for a limited time only!

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EXCERPT:

Ricardo leaned in close to Maggie and Garcia. “Why don’t we talk outside?” he asked. “It’s a little quieter out there. Not much . . .” he glanced at the band “. . . but a little.” He shrugged and offered his hand to her again, and she accepted, following him out onto the balcony.

When they arrived on the balcony, she was surprised Garcia and Carlos hadn’t followed them. She tried to peer inside to see if they’d sat back down on the couch, but there were too many people dancing to the salsa band to see through the crowd. She knew the brothers didn’t make decisions without consulting each other. This was likely a ploy to get her away from Garcia.

A waiter arrived at their side, holding a tray of drinks, and Ricardo lifted a flute of champagne off the tray and handed it to Maggie. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had champagne, but of course, Magdalena Sanchez would not have refused the glass.

“Thank you,” she said, meeting Ricardo’s gaze. He was a sophisticatedly handsome man. His warm brown eyes were almost intimidating. She could see why he was so respected. If she didn’t know he was a cartel boss, she’d think he was another type of businessman, maybe an investment banker. Although he was dressed much more casually than an investment banker might dress. He wore a powder blue polo shirt, beige khakis, and dark brown loafers.

He grabbed a champagne flute of his own then clinked it against her glass. “Welcome to Bogota.”

She smiled and sipped the champagne, keeping her eyes locked on his the whole time. There was something about him. She swallowed her champagne then inhaled deeply, catching a waft of his woodsy cologne.

“Shall we sit?” He gestured to a seating area where white wicker furniture with bright yellow cushions welcomed them. A yellow orchid perched on an end table next to one of the chairs. “Magdalena,” he said once they were seated. “Such a beautiful name.”

“Thank you.” She took another sip of her champagne, surprised that her glass was almost empty. Why did this man make her so nervous? Where she would have expected to feel the same disgust she felt for his brother, there was only intrigue.

Maggie eyed the orchid next to Ricardo. She had never seen one with so many blooms. He turned to the plant and plucked one of its flowers then leaned closer to her and tucked it behind her ear.

She lightly touched it with her fingers, not wanting to disrupt it. Ricardo trailed a finger along her jawline and her skin tingled beneath his touch. She closed her eyes briefly, then stood and walked to the balcony railing.

Beyond the floodlights of the mansion was the vast jungle. It was under darkness now, and she sensed danger could easily lurk there. No wonder there were so many armed men out front. To the right of where the stone patio led into the jungle was a pool lit from underwater. The aquamarine water was peaceful and still it resembled glass.

Palm trees rustled in the jungle below, and alarm bells rang in her head. As she turned to warn Ricardo, somebody yelled, and the rat-a-tat-tat of a machine gun blared through the air.

Author Bio:

Michelle strives to write the kinds of books she enjoys reading–complicated characters, a little romance, and a lot of mystery and intrigue. Strong women in sticky situations is her specialty!

You can find Michelle at www.michellecornishauthor.com. She also writes children’s books with her kids as A.J. Kormon.

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Giveaway – Three To Get Ready by Skye Warren @skye_warren

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Three to Get Ready
Skye Warren
(One for the Money, #3)
Publication date: February 16th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

There’s a ticking time bomb in Finn Hughes’s head.

That means he has to prepare everyone. Eva. The baby. The company, which is in an uproar after the announcement. He needs to get them ready. Because when the curse hits, it will be too late to say goodbye.

Welcome to the Midnight Dynasty… The warring Morelli and Constantine families have enough bad blood to fill an ocean, and their brand new stories will be told by your favorite dangerous romance authors.

WARNING: This book is intended for readers eighteen years old and over. It contains material that some readers could find disturbing. Enter at your own risk…

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

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Author Bio:

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

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Review – On The Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel #OntheSavageSide #NetGalley

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Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The fantastic cover for On The Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel made me think of twins or multiple personalities. It made me read the blurb and grab a copy. You can judge this book by the cover, because it tells of what is to come, psychological chills that made many emotions rise to the surface. Sorrow, disgust, happiness, wonder.

In the beginning, and throughout the book, we smell the stink of the papermill. Arcade and Daffodil, along with their mother and aunt, live on the wrong side of town and when it snows, it snows ash from the papermill. I worked at one in Alabama, so I know exactly what she is talking about, the indescribable stench and the car being covered in ash. It creates its own ecosystem.

I was confused, and I believe that was a good thing. It meant I wasn’t able to figure out what the hell was going on half the time. Getting lost in the mind of drug addicts I find unable to describe.

The family are drug addicts, and I think you can guess what everyone thought of them…disposable. When the first girl was found in the river, they rolled right by it. Add another, and another, and another….Who will find out what happens to the lost and the forgotten. Everyone deserves a life, for someone to care about them.

Arcade and Daffodil broke my heart. They pretty much raised themselves, with the help of a loving grandmother who painted a future full of dreams and imagination. Their father had died when they were six years old. Their mother and aunt were sex workers and drug addicts, so that doesn’t bode well for them and their friends. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve being acknowledged as human beings.

Tiffany McDaniel paints pictures, some pretty and some ugly, but she does it with such panache the characters come to life. The evil oozes off the page as much as the sweetness of the girls and the love of their grandmother, who is the most positive person in their life.

Tiffany draws me in deeper and deeper. The more I read, the more involved I get. I cannot say enough about the writing, getting lost in the words. I am having difficulty describing all my thoughts and feelings. It’s wondrous and awful, disturbing and inspirational.

The sketches gave me the creepy crawlies, and that sure fits the story. Six young girls, living a horrible life but finding moments of brightness and love, breaking my heart and for those who preyed on them there is nothing bad enough. Sometimes I saw those spiders moving…my skin crawling and tears in my eyes.

Tiffany McDaniel had me surfing the internet, not only for The Chillicothe Six, but references to other things that made me curious.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Six women—mothers, daughters, sisters–gone missing. When the first is found floating dead in the river, it reveals the disturbing truth of a small Ohio town. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing and haunting novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims, from the internationally-bestselling author of Betty.

Arcade and Daffodil are twin sisters born one minute apart. With their fiery red hair and thirst for an escape, they forge an unbreakable bond nurtured by both their grandmother’s stories and their imaginations. Together, they create a world where a patch of grass reveals an archaeologist’s dig, the smoke emerging from the local paper mill becomes the dust rising from wild horses galloping on the ground, and an abandoned 1950s convertible transforms into a time machine that can take them anywhere.

But the two sisters can’t escape the generational chaos that grips their family. Growing up in the shadow of the town, the sisters cling tight to one another. As an adult, Arcade wrestles with these memories of her life, just as a local woman is discovered drowned in the river. Soon, more bodies are found. While her friends disappear around her, Arcade is forced to reckon with the past while the killer circles ever closer. Arcade’s promise to keep herself and her sister safe becomes increasingly desperate while the powerful riptide of the savage side becomes more difficult to resist.

Drawing from the true story of women killed in her native Ohio, acclaimed novelist and poet Tiffany McDaniel has written a powerful literary testament and fearless elegy for missing women everywhere.

ABOUT TIFFANY MCDANIEL

TIFFANY MCDANIEL is an Ohio native whose writing is inspired by the rolling hills and woods of the land she knows. Drawing from her Cherokee heritage, she is a poet, a novelist, and a visual artist. Her debut novel, THE SUMMER THAT MELTED EVERYTHING, won the Guardian’s Not the Booker award and the Ohioana Reader’s Choice Award. She is the author of BETTY, an international bestseller and a Friends of American Writers Chicago, the Society of Midland Authors, Nautilus Book Award, and Ohioana Library Readers’ Choice Award winner. She lives with six cats and a dog surrounded by the trees and wildlife that she loves. When not writing, she may be found in the garden or walking in the woods.

Her third novel, ON THE SAVAGE SIDE, is forthcoming 2023.

Website

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Books From The Backlog – Growing Up Wired by David Wallace Fleming @DWallaceFleming

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

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GOODREADS BLURB

Beautiful women… JPEGS, recreational drugs… pharmaceuticals, and elite fraternities… websites – this isn’t the college scene that Victor Hastings expected.

Victor likes to admire the provocative pictures of the girls he’s dating. Meanwhile, these girls are posting more and more on Facebook and all the social sites. Now, all the men in his fraternity are competing for the attention of these online, amateur pinups.

Three women will make an impact on Victor. Erin Masters is an alluring yet naïve co-ed. Despite outward modesty, she has no reservations about letting friends plaster her provocative images across various websites. Emily Green-Portsmith, on the other hand, comes from wealth and is comparatively more aware of her effect on men.

The influence of these women does not sit well with the house mother of these fraternity boys. Affectionately known as Ma Red, this feisty former Vietnam correspondent from the old-school of etiquette and discipline is prepared to make a fight for her traditional values.

And throughout these discoveries, Victor wonders:

What kind of love is this?

… the wired kind.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.62 58 ratings 21 reviews

I added Growing Up Wired by David Wallace Fleming to my TBR on 2.27.13. It is one of those books that I normally would pass on, but seeing it seems to me to be so relevant to current events, I thought it could be a nice palate cleanser from the dark stories I gravitate to. We shall see….

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Giveaway – Teach Me by L L Ash @XpressoTours @LLAsh14

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Teach Me
L. L. Ash
Publication date: February 14th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From the Bestselling Author of HIM.

Mia

I’ve been trying to get that TA job ever since my senior year at college. I’m in my last semester of my Master’s degree and finally got the job. Only problem is our new professor is a sexy, middle aged, brilliant writer and an even better teacher. He runs the English department and now he’s my boss, my professor, and the center of every last one of my fantasies. There’s no way I should want him this much, but it’s those dang glasses and that smile and that little dimple in his chin. I was swooning the moment I met Professor Harlo, but the moment he opened his mouth, I fell in love.

Owen

This is the last thing I wanted. I’m fresh off a divorce and with two kids and two demanding careers, I don’t have the time or energy for this. Except, this girl sticks inside my brain like ABC gum and I can’t shake her. Doesn’t help that we’re crammed in my office grading papers several days a week for hours at a time. The whole innocent thing she has going on kept me away, but she’s a writer too, and I made the mistake of reading her half finished romance book. Unfortunately for me, the things I love about this girl are her mind and spirit, and those are the two things I can’t say no to.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Writing was my life.

And I’m not joking about that. If I couldn’t write, I would be absolutely useless to society. Some people take antidepressants, or do yoga or hike, or eat really good chocolate ice cream. For me, I write. It’s my therapy, if you will.

So, to say that my creative writing class was my favorite my first year of college was a bit of an understatement. I mean, I’d taken it every year since I started college. When I became knowledgeable enough to become the class’s TA, oh my God, it was like a dream come true.

Sure, being a teaching assistant was mostly just correcting tests, reading papers and doing the grunt work that my professor didn’t have time to do, but I didn’t care. I was going to be learning from some of the best, and my writing was going to benefit. Hell, maybe I’d even try to publish!

Now, the big obstacle ahead of me was getting the job.

I stood outside my professor’s office door, waiting for time to tick by because I was ten minutes early.

“Goddamnit!” I heard from behind the office door and my eyes widened.

Professor Harlo was new, replacing my recently retired professor. A spike of worry shot through me, wondering if the man had a temper.

The door swung open and there Professor Harlo was, over six feet tall, in slacks and a white shirt, deft fingers ripping off his tie.

“Oh, shit,” he whispered, jumping a little when he saw me there outside his door. “You here for the TA job?”

I nodded dumbly, my head bobbing up and down while he dabbed at his shirt. The big brown coffee stain on the front of his shirt finally grabbed my attention.

“Are you ok?” I finally bumbled, grabbing the tissue out of his hand so I could vigorously rub at the stain. “Did it burn you?”

Professor Harlo raised an eyebrow at me and watched me make a bloody fool of myself while I cleaned off my professor.

Oh God…

I finally blinked, realizing what I was doing, and shoved the napkin back at him.

“Sorry, I don’t know what I was…”

“Know how to get this out?” he asked, pointing to the spot and interrupting my apology.

I nodded.

“Good,” he said, waving me into his office as he wandered back in himself.

Those fingers, long and dexterous, started unbuttoning his shirt, starting from the neck down. I watched slack-jawed while he didn’t even bother glancing at me.

“Consider this a trial run,” he said finally, sliding his shirt off his arms before he bunched it against his bare chest.

Uh, yes, bare chest. And what a chest it was! His skin was pale, but there were muscles there that many academic men never bothered to develop. A dusting of freckles sprinkled across his pecs, and a peppering of dark hair trailed down into the band of his slacks.

“Hey,” he called, making the ‘I’m watching you’ motion with his fingers and eyes. “Get this all cleaned up and you’ve got the job.”

I blinked, clearing my mind as he shoved the shirt at me and pulled on an old man cardigan that fit him so well; the horn rimmed glasses on his face accentuating his dark, carmel colored eyes.

“What’s your name, by the way?” he asked once he was dressed again.

I drew my eyes away from the little triangle of chest and neck I was staring at and looked him in the face.

“Mia,” I stammered. “Mia Miller.”

“That’s fun enunciation,” he said with a grunt. “Ok, Miss Mia Miller. I want that back by tomorrow. Can you handle it?”

I lifted my eyebrows and nodded.

“Good,” was all he said before grabbing his leather briefcase bag and moving past me through the door, locking it on the way out. “By lunch tomorrow!”

I watched him saunter off after locking his office door behind us, and felt like my entire world had just imploded in that tiny room.

Once he was gone though, it was easier to breathe, and when I got some oxygen into my brain, I was able to finally convince myself of how idiotic my little instant crush was. Not only was my professor likely ‘over the hill’ and in his forties, but he was going to be my boss. Because yeah, I was getting the darn job, and no amount of coffee stained shirts were going to get in my way.

Shutting off the blood flow to my little love button, I stuffed the shirt into my backpack and hurried to my next class. Math. Yuck.


Author Bio:

L.L. Ash is a Washington-born writer who has traveled and lived across the western coast of the US. Ash has been writing fiction since she was a pre-teen, and while her writing has improved since then, her love for literature has not changed.

Oftentimes you can find Ash reading an indie romance or enjoying a historical fiction. Dabbling in culinary arts and music, Ash has been an artist for decades but found her true love and passion in romances.

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Giveaway – The Matchmaker’s Royal Mess by Frieda J Downing @XpressoTours

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The Matchmaker’s Royal Mess
Frieda J. Downing
Publication date: November 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

She’d rather give a mountain lion a bikini wax than mess with love again.

Been there, went viral, never going back. Hattie Montague’s life as a backcountry guide for the spoiled and famous suits her just fine, thanks. It’s the only place she feels completely safe being herself. So what if she has nightmares that she can only speak squirrel and craves pine cones for breakfast? It beats leaving yourself vulnerable to humans. Fine, all of them aren’t bad. She likes probably three, so when one needs her help, she drags herself back to civilization. If she can navigate white water rapids, she can babysit a matchmaking office for a weekend. It’s not like she’ll have to deal with people or, you know, be nice. Ew.

Alexander Greye ruined her life ten years ago. Not his proudest moment. Known as the Winter Warlocke, he’s a man born and raised to lead a country with logical precision. Yet around her, he can’t seem to think rationally. He’s never met anyone who dives into the unknown like she does or tames chaos like she can. In a world as perfectly controlled as his, that makes her irresistible and utterly dangerous. And he’s willing to risk it all to thaw his frozen heart.

It’s half past too late when he realizes his carefully laid plans to win her over covered everything except the theft of the Crown Jewels, an abandoned mine where they’d have to face their deepest fears, and the betrayal that forces them to let go.Quite literally.

Warning: Not for the faint of heart. Sassy romantic adventure, with instances of chaos, misunderstandings, and feels. Oh, and the occasional sheep. Sparks will fly, it’s gonna get awkward, and the Happily-Ever-After will be well-earned.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT

The Matchmaker’s Royal Mess by Frieda J. Downing

Bath bombs…

Since the office doesn’t have a bathtub, I get resourceful. The closet, unfortunately, is a disaster of pillow guts and shelving covered in sheep-sized bite marks. No one would confuse me for a sheep expert, but I always thought it was goats that chewed everything to pieces. Maybe Calambity is part goat. Thankfully, the blue pillow tub is in one piece.

I carry it to the kitchenette and place it on the tile next to the sink. Once I have it situated, I pull the large plastic dustpan off the broom and place the wide bit under the faucet of the tiny sink with the narrow handle hanging off the side. When I crank the hot water, I watch the makeshift waterfall begin to fill my soon-to-be luxurious bath. I shut the curtains in Zoe’s office, then lay out the single towel I had packed. After I strip down, I test the water one more time. A quick soak to freshen up, then I’ll curl up with my pizza and catch up on some Netflix until CataXanderclysm shows.

I snort, rather pleased with myself for that one, then put some tunes on my phone. A summery, reggae sounding track fills the office. With arms overhead, I dance over to Zoe’s desk and snag the bath bomb I found earlier when I was looking for printer ink. Since Zoe said help yourself to anything, I’m doing just that. I’ll replace it tomorrow, along with everything else.

At long last, I get the thin, clingy plastic off the blue ball and, lifting it in a toast to the peace and quiet, I ease myself into the oversized bucket. If I were a tall girl, this could’ve been problematic. As it is, I have to bend my legs all the way for them to fit. It mostly works; only my knees poke out of the water. Despite that, it’s pure bliss. I drop the bright bath bomb in with a satisfying bloop. Tiny bubbles escape and an indigo cloud disperses. To my delight, it also appears to be a low-powered bubble bath. It doesn’t produce heaping mounds of fluff, but it’s enough to cover the surface with bluish white foam and fill my nose with the tantalizing fragrance of cupcakes. I close my eyes, inhale, and settle in as far as my coiled up appendages will let me. I savor the warmth and scent as they wrap around me. Since I don’t know the upbeat song playing, I make up words so I can sing along my way.

I can feel my hair still sticking up in all directions, so I tip first to one side, then the other to wet it down. However, I can’t get the middle strip, so I take a scoop of bubbles and form the remaining dry hair into a floppy fauxhawk. After that, I splash some of the scented water across my face. In the midst of one of those scrubbing sessions, the door to the office opens. Surprised, I suck in bath water and spend a solid ten seconds coughing and sputtering.

Lo-and-behold, my Personal Pain in the Stuff Sack leans against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his chest, one ankle casually crossed over the other. Too bad GQ isn’t here with cameras because Xander is cover model material in the flesh. The navy, single button suit he wears looks more expensive than most of the furniture in this office. Unfortunately, it also sets off his stormy eyes, making it practically impossible to notice anything but him. A smug grin creeps over his arrogant mug. “You look a little crazy right now.”

I scowl and hug my arms to my chest, doing my best to hide my panic. Natalie’s reminder to lock the door chooses that moment to waft through my brain, taunting me. “Why thank you. I owe it all to you. What on earth are you doing here?”

His grin grows. “I love what you’re wearing for our date.”

I hunker down deeper in the plastic storage tub and pull my knees a little tighter to my breasts. My heart’s pounding so hard it may be enough to churn more bubbles all by itself. How can he just stand there and flirt? “You act like you’ve never seen a woman having a bath before. Do us a favor and grow up.”

His lips twitch. “I’ve never seen you having a bath before. There’s a very important difference. Also, in all fairness, I’ve never seen any woman bathe in a storage bin, nor turn herself blue doing so.”

“Blue?” I glance down, then hiss. “Son of a cupcake scented bath bomb.”


Author Bio:

Nice to meet you. I’m Frieda. I write sweet contemporary romance as well as romantic adventure.

I blame it on my childhood babysitters. For some reason they thought I shouldn’t ride our family’s buffalo. Believe me, I was just as shocked as you. Though I never did get that buffalo ride, I found plenty of other creative outlets for my adventure needs. Some were good clean fun, some got me kicked out of various and sundry events, and others ended with me getting lost in catacombs. (Not metaphorically speaking. Somewhere there’s an Austrian catacomb caretaker? guy whom I owe dinner and a large apology.)

I like to think I’ve gotten a tiny bit wiser.

I married my best friend and dove head first into the magnificent cyclone known as raising kids. I mountain bike every chance I get, lose my coffee cup daily, and bake a mean lemon merengue pie, if I do say so myself. I may indulge in shenanigans on a regular basis, but I plead the fifth every time.

I suppose it’s important to me that you know how very much I love us crazy, broken humans. We dream so big. We try so hard. Yet somehow, so often, things just go terribly, horribly wrong.

That’s where my books begin… because that’s where the real love story’s found. I hope you enjoy reading them. Most of all, I wish you adventure, joy, and more love than you knew was possible,

Frieda

You can find more at www.friedajdowning.com

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Giveaway – Palm Springs King by Claire Marti @XpressoTours

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Palm Springs King
Claire Marti
(California Suits, #4)
Publication date: February 9th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A former rockstar. A perfectionistic yoga teacher. Opposites attract?

Rockstar Austin Michaels never took much seriously—other than his music. But tragedy thrust him out of the spotlight and into the boardroom. Now, he’s helping his brother run a luxury hotel chain and he couldn’t be farther out of his comfort zone. He’s doing his best––until his beautiful new spa manager arrives.

Yoga teacher Kenzie Banks earned her reputation as the best in the spa business by being a hyper-efficient perfectionist. Ready to plant roots after too many years on the road, she’s thrilled to land her dream job working for the Hotel Kings — they’re literally the family she always wished for. Except, her sexy boss Austin Michaels is driving her nuts with his impulsive decisions and smoldering glances.

The sparks between these two opposites burn so hot it’s a wonder they don’t spontaneously combust. But Kenzie knows what they say about fire…and she’s come too far and worked too hard to get burned. Can the pair find a way to work together, or will everything they’re building go up in flames?

One-click this opposites attract, forced proximity standalone romance today!

*Palm Springs King is the fifth book in award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Claire Marti’s new spin off contemporary romance series, California Suits. The series follows the adventures of five best friends who are opening a string of luxury boutique hotels from La Jolla to Monterey to Beverly Hills as each one finds true love…usually where he least expects it. Each book is a standalone.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

As a yoga teacher, projecting serene strength was important, which meant mastering her emotions. Since patience wasn’t one of her natural gifts, she worked extra hard to remain even keeled.

Even when she was screaming inside.

Somehow, within mere minutes in Austin Michaels’ presence, he’d triggered the fiery nature she carefully controlled. Her belly had hopped, skipped, and jumped when he sauntered in looking more like the rock star he used to be. Stepping onto center stage, ready to unleash his signature raspy voice that had catapulted his band to the top of the alt-rock charts.

Rock and roll wasn’t her thing but she hadn’t lived on Mars. At the height of Black Velvet Machine’s fame, his chiseled features, naughty grin, and tall, rangy frame had graced many a magazine cover. For a few years, the band was everywhere from Saturday Night Live to a Newsweek cover story on the second wave of alternative rock. What Pearl Jam and Soundgarden had embodied in the 90s, Austin’s band represented in the 2010s. He’d drawn comparisons to the late Chris Cornell, whose posters she’d had plastered on her walls growing up, even if she hadn’t listened to a lot of his music.

Yeah, Austin was her own personal brand of catnip and if she let her guard down, all her meticulously laid plans could implode.


Author Bio:

Claire Marti is an award winning and USA Today Bestselling author of emotional, funny, and swoonworthy Contemporary Romance novels set in Southern California, including the Pacific Vista Ranch series and the spin-off California Suits series. She lives in San Diego with her husband, silly dog, and three clever cats.

Claire started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress. When Claire’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga.

Claire loves to connect with readers!

Reach out via email or sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.clairemarti.com which is full of exclusive content, fun giveaways, and more!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok


GIVEAWAY!
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