Stripped Bare Aila Glass Publication date: September 23rd 2022 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A grumpy construction worker. An exotic dancer. And a night that leaves them wanting more.
Daphne
As a broke college student, I’m putting myself through school as an exotic dancer. Dozens of men come to watch me perform every night, and I’ve never been tempted by any of my clients…until him.
Mack with his smouldering gaze and sexy smirk. He knows exactly what to do with my body and how to ignite me with just a touch. Now this grumpy, possessive construction worker is telling me I’m his. But he’s so much older than me. Can we make it work despite the age gap?
Mack
I’m big, grumpy, and I don’t care much for the club scene. The only reason I’m here is to get my coworkers off my back. But the second I spot Daphne on stage, something feral is awakened within me.
She’s a younger woman but that won’t stop me from claiming her. I’m counting down the days until she’ll be tied to me forever. Soon, she’ll learn that possessive is my middle name and from now on, she’ll spend every night screaming it.
If you’re looking for an older man that quickly claims his younger woman, then you’ll love meeting Mack in Stripped Bare.
The lights on the outside of the White Onyx are white and pink. It doesn’t look like a strip club. It looks like a regular nightclub, which I guess has as much sex appeal as a strip club. I park in the back and head to the door.
I see Tyler, Jason, and Peter outside. Tyler waves his hand to get my attention. As I pass by, a group of women turn my way and I can feel their eyes eating me alive. They’re three young ladies, all with lust in their eyes. I can feel their stare as I walk away.
“You came,” Tyler says and hands the bouncer some money.
“You sound surprised,” I say as I hand the bouncer some money as well.
“Yeah, well…” Tyler says as we walk in. He turns to face me, “I thought you’d change your mind when you realized that you don’t want to come, but since you’re here…”
I shake my head, then look around the club when I walk in. It’s pink and blue but dark, with the smell of cheap alcohol and even cheaper perfume. Men and women are dancing on poles throughout the room as men and women watch them.
We head to the bar and order some drinks. I take a whiskey on the rocks, Jason orders the same, and Tyler and Peter order a beer.
“Well,” Tyler shouts over the booming music, “have fun!” He heads toward a table with a small dark-haired woman dancing on it and takes a seat. Then I see Jason and Peter go their separate ways. It’s then I realize that we may be close but not I’ll-stand-next-to-you-while-looking-at-a-stripper close.
I walk to the corner stage where a tall woman with dirty blonde or brown hair dances on the pole. There are a couple of men already there, but I sit down anyway.
The woman is mesmerizing. She dances to Sam Tinnesz’s Play With Fire and wears a small black bra that shows a lot of her breasts and an even smaller black panties with lace on the back. She swings her hips around and her hands play with her hair. Then she sinks down and crawls toward me. My cock grows fast in my pants.
It wants her. I want her.
She crawls around the table and when she faces the other way, her ass is on full display and I groan. She looks back at me and smiles, telling me she heard me. Turning around, she crawls back to me and is now a foot away from my face. She gracefully slides onto her back and stills, looking at me as she spreads her legs and moves them around like she’s riding an invisible bike.
It takes all my strength not to grab her from the stage, take her to a secluded corner and fuck the shit out of her. As she stands up and dances around the pole, I take a breath and think about what’s happening to me. No woman has ever induced such an intense need in me. The need to take. The need to fill this gorgeous blonde with my cum. To tie her to my bed and fuck her six ways to Sunday.
Holy fuck.
I take a big sip of my whiskey. When I put it down, she’s come back to me and the other men have left.
“You want a private dance, baby?” she asks.
Author Bio:
The Dirty Romantic
Aila Glass is a Canadian romance author and a hopeful romantic. She loves to write forbidden romances with some dirty talk and dirty alphas. When she’s not writing she is reading romance books or listening to music. Preferably classic rock or country.
Cutter Kauai Sea Adventures (Series)Dagger Quest, Book 1 by Edward Hochsmann
GENRE: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
BLURB
Dagger
Quest
An
aging Coast Guard patrol boat is all that stands between the world and nuclear
annihilation!
The
world is on the brink of war, with NATO mobilizing to counter a Russian threat
to Poland and Lithuania and leaders openly discussing war options. In the midst
of the crisis, a Russian bomber collides with a U.S. fighter off Florida
causing the accidental launch of a nuclear-tipped hypersonic missile.
A
Coast Guard cutter on a routine patrol finds a drug-laden sailboat smashed and
adrift north of the Florida Keys. The boat’s damage is from a near miss by the
Russian missile which has not harmlessly flown deep into the Gulf of Mexico as
initially thought, but crashed somewhere in the Keys.
The
Coast Guard crew is in a race against a vicious and powerful international
crime syndicate to find and recover the Russian nuke before its discovery can
trigger a nuclear war.
Exploring
the friendship and teamwork of a typical ship’s crew, in the face of unexpected
and hazardous challenges, Dagger Quest provides a fast-paced, taut story – excellent
fare for both sea adventure and military thriller fans.
EXCERPT
Ben’s
first encounter with the 252 Syndicate ends in a high-speed chase through Key
West, Florida:
Ben
slowed and veered right onto Flagler with a screaming of tires and modest
fishtailing as he straightened on the new path. Their pursuers also swung in
behind them from Roosevelt a few seconds later.
“Floor
it! We’ll be hanging a right on Tenth in
ten blocks, same tactic. Keep hitting that horn!”
Ben
stayed on the horn, dodging through traffic at speeds approaching fifty miles
per hour.
“Counting
down,” Simmons said, “Fourteenth, Thirteenth, twelfth, Eleventh, slow down and
prepare to hang a right, NOW!”
Ben
executed another tire-squealing turn and straightened out, heading north on
Tenth, gunning the engine and leaning on the horn.
“Stand
by to hit the brakes!” Simmons shouted. “Steady, steady, NOW, hit the brakes!”
Ben
stood on the brake pedal, tires shrieked, and the anti-lock braking chattered.
After skidding to a stop in the middle of the street next to a large lagoon,
Simmons shouted, “Get down!” He opened both doors on his side of the car, using
the rear door for cover.
Ben
dropped behind the seat as their pursuer began screeching to a stop. Suddenly,
there was a tremendous crash with the sound of tearing metal and followed by a
large splash. Simmons shut the doors and said in a normal tone, “OK, let’s
roll. Back to the base, nice and easy.”
Ben
shot up and saw several figures in combat gear with guns drawn running forward
from an SUV stopped in the middle of Tenth Street. The car chasing them was
coming to rest upside down in the lagoon. “WHAT—THE—HELL!” he shouted at
Simmons.
“Come
on, friend, we need to move it. It’s handled. We’re clear now, so stay
law-abiding all the way, please.”
Ben
stared at him for a few seconds, then pressed the accelerator. The engine raced
briefly, and then, with shaking hands, Ben shifted into Drive.
“See,
you’re a natural,” Simmons said with a smile. “You didn’t even realize you
shifted into Park.”
Mission:
Five days to destroy the enemy in the Caribbean before a catastrophic weapon is
unleashed—but all he can think about is the woman he left behind…
The
deadliest nerve gas ever made has fallen into the hands of a murderous
Caribbean drug cult. The criminal 252 Syndicate has the gas in a secret lab on
an oil rig servicing ship, but the ship has been taken for ransom by the
Salinas Cartel in a violent drug war. The U.S. can’t use airstrikes and calls
on Coast Guard Officer Ben Wyporek to lead his crew through a risky covert raid
on the Salinas cult’s fortified island base. He accepts the assignment, but
remembers a previous lethal encounter with the 252s and struggles to say
goodbye to the love of his life, Victoria Carpenter.
Ben
and his crew aboard the stealth-equipped Cutter Kauai must sneak into the
harbor and tow the ship away. But if Kauai is detected and defeated, death by
gas or at the hands of vicious adversaries will follow. Now, every decision Ben
makes will determine the fate of his entire crew—and the chances of reuniting
with Victoria.
This
second book of the series builds on the friendships and teamwork of Kauai’s
crew, this time in the face of several challenging missions and one potentially
lethal encounter. It is a worthy sequel to Dagger Quest that sea adventure and
military thriller fans will enjoy.
EXCERPT
Pan-Commonwealth
Airways Flight 403 with 126 passengers and crew has dual engine failure in a
thunderstorm and is headed for a forced landing in the Atlantic over a hundred
miles north of the Bahamas:
Taylor
grabbed the intercom handset and pressed the call button. Burgess answered
immediately, “Cabin, here.”
“We’re
going in, Chief. Get them ready for it. We’re going to try for the Hudson River
scenario, so keep the aft doors closed.”
“Understood,
Captain. I have two burly beauties from the RN on guard in the last row. You
worry about bringing us in safe. We’ll be alright back here.”
Taylor
smiled slightly. I might have known. God bless you, Richard! “Well done! I’ll
ring the bell five seconds before contact. Get them moving as we come to a
stop.”
“WILCO.
Godspeed, Captain. Out.”
The
scenario Taylor referred to involved the ditching of a similar Airbus in New
York’s Hudson River when bird ingestion knocked out both its engines shortly
after takeoff from La Guardia airport. The flight crew executed a masterpiece
of judgment and skill, saving everyone on board. Not so easy this time. They
landed in the sheltered water of a river—we’ll have waves and swells to deal
with.
“Peregrine
Four-Zero-Three, Miami Center, Nassau is losing radar contact. Observe you
heading two one five magnetic, over.” Surveillance radar was limited to line of
sight, and at this distance, the aircraft dropped below the radar’s horizon at
around thirteen thousand feet. The controller would use the aircraft’s last
heading, descent rate, and speed to estimate the impact point to be passed to
rescue forces.
“Center,
Four-Zero-Three, roger, estimate six miles to contact, over.”
Four-Zero-Three,
Center, copy. Best of luck, Captain. Out.”
“No
joy, Captain,” Patel said as he took his hand off the starter.
“Right,
leave it. Give me flaps four at one thousand.” Taylor had held off the flaps
until the last possible moment. They would reduce the aircraft’s touchdown
speed dramatically, but also added significant drag. “Ring the cabin bell once
you position the handle.”
A
New Captain’s First Patrol Turns into a Fight for Their Lives
Young
Coast Guard Lieutenant Haley Reardon has not even gotten her feet on the ground
on her new patrol boat command when she finds herself and her crew supporting a
dangerous covert mission. They must insert and retrieve a Defense Intelligence
Agency operations team trying to seize a transnational criminal syndicate boss
from a small Caribbean island controlled by a front company of the Chinese
government and protected by a superior military force.
A
honeymoon period would be lovely, but, as always, the world gets a vote.
Can
Haley avoid leaving the DIA team to their fate, when attempting to rescue them
could destroy her crew and boat and lead to war?
This
third installment of the series conveys the humor, friendships, and teamwork of
Kauai’s crew from the previous books, with a new series of exciting actions
from search and rescue to combat. The crew and their new skipper must come
together for the toughest mission they have ever faced.
EXCERPT
Phillip
Murray, his wife and two daughters have been retrieved from their stricken
sailboat in the middle of Hurricane Jacob and are now en route to Kauai aboard
the cutter’s small rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB):
The
big crewman placed his hand on a grab handle and shouted, “Hold this, stay
down, and keep your arms inside the boat!” Once Murray had a firm grip, the
crewman pulled a strap across his lap, fastened it to a ring fitting on the
deck, and cinched it. The small orange boat pitched up as it climbed another
high wave, and the strap across Murray’s lap bit into him as they seemed to
come near to vertical. Then the bow suddenly pitched down for yet another
sickening drop to a tremendous splash.
That’s
it! We’re done for! Murray thought as wind and water tugged at his body. But
the boat came up again, the deck cleared, and from what he could see with his
spray-fogged eyes, everyone was still there. He looked toward Gemma, sitting
beside him with her free arm stretched across Jamie’s and Lydia’s chests, and
placed his free hand over hers on the grab handle. They rode out two more
monstrous wave events before reaching the cutter, which provided little shelter
from the gale for the tossing boat.
Murray
had turned to look at the nearby cutter when a gunshot rang out, followed by
the thump of a line on the bow. Murray surmised the winds were too high for a
standard heaving line, so the coastguardsman used a rifle to pass a line to the
boat. The big boat crewman was hauling in a thin line that Murray knew was
attached to the hook they would connect to the boat to crane it aboard. This
was the time of maximum risk—with the cutter and boat writhing in the wind and
seas, attaching the hook would be a nightmare. He leaned over to cover Gemma’s
head with his body and closed his eyes.
And
then he prayed.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Edward
Hochsmann is the pen name of a retired U. S. Coast Guard search and rescue and
law enforcement professional. The veteran mariner, aviator, college professor,
and defense analyst has added “author” to his list of experiences. Ed likes
reading, police procedurals, contemporary music on the road, and classical
music in the office. After a career traveling from Australia in the west to
Italy and Germany in the east, Ed has settled into a quiet life in the Florida
Panhandle to focus on writing (and not shoveling snow!)
Ed has two
novels published right now (plus one launching in August 2022) in the Cutter
Kauai Sea Adventures series about a Coast Guard patrol boat assigned to
“special” missions. Dagger Quest takes place in the Florida Keys and
involves an aging Coast Guard patrol boat dragooned into a search for a lost
Russian nuclear weapon in a time of international crisis. The second, Caribbean
Counterstrike, features the same patrol boat and crew, now with equipment and
training upgrades, sent to recover a deadly nerve gas from a murderous
Caribbean drug cartel. Bravely and Faithfully has Kauai, under a new captain
supporting a covert raid on a Caribbean island held by the Chinese.
Ed’s second
series, C6S: Patrol Force deals with a combined defense establishment and
constabulary for a galactic economic empire called the Confederation of the Six
Systems (C6S). Ed has published two novellas and a novel-length collection late
last year.
I don’t remember much about the kid but I remember the way he looked at me once we were alone. The air shifted, like the oxygen suddenly disappeared. My breath was caught in my throat. I felt like I was on fire, and I knew it wasn’t the liquor anymore making me feel this way
I swallowed hard, trying my fucking hardest to stay calm. He stood from the bed, his gaze never leaving mine as he stalked toward me.
For fourteen, he was intimidating.
He leaned down, placing his hands on either side of my head. His gaze floated across every part of my face. Time was fucking frozen, but I was spiraling.
“What are you doing?” I whispered, my voice cracking.
“Kissing you.” Before I could interject, his lips crashed down on mine.
I was done for. Melting into the bean bag chair as a wave of emotions crashed through me like an angry sea. So many thoughts were going through my head.
I’ve never kissed a boy before.
Why did I like it so much?
Where is Gabe?
Why is he kissing me?
But the main one stirring in my head was what is he going to do next?
I never got that answer.
I never would.
Because while he was kissing me, Gabe was in our dads office, loading a shot gun, putting it to his head, and pulling the trigger.
The rest of that night and so many months after were one giant blur and My life crashed and burned. I never saw that Forster kid again.
And every night since, I’ve spent my time dousing my pain with the Lords amber embrace.
—
Urban Decay – Yolanda Olson
Perfect, pretty Emily Parker.
Pathetic, patronizing Julius and Josephine Parker.
They were the family that took me in when I was a young girl. They wanted to be the picture perfect family with two beautiful daughters to show off to their prestigious friends at their prestigious gatherings.
Most of what I can remember from childhood wasn’t so bad until Julius decided that I wasn’t good enough to be his daughter, but better suited to be in his bed instead.
Secret, painful trysts that happened whenever Josephine would leave for weekends away with her high society friends.
I never got over what he would do to me under the watchful eye of the moon, but that wasn’t what got me tossed out onto my ass.
Emily Parker caught us one night when I screamed a little too loud, and daddy dearest wasn’t quick enough to cover my mouth.
She followed the painful bellow to her father’s door, slowly pushed it open, and found him on top of me, his dick buried in my ass, fucking me like a drunken frat boy.
Little Emily Parker let out a scream, threw herself at us, and began to tear at my hair and punch me as violently as she could while her father pulled his dick out of me and tried to get her out of the room.
I thought she had come in to save me, but instead, she beat me while I was already down.
Julius bought Emily’s silence by getting her an exquisite diamond necklace and matching earrings.
It worked for a while, but the more he took advantage of me in he and his wife’s bed, the angrier she became.
I thought she was mad at him, but as it turned out, she was jealous.
She didn’t understand what it was about me that made him so ravenous and she hated me for it.
So, when Josephine Parker came home one weekend from a trip to Monaco with her friends, Emily Parker told her what had been happening.
Except, she told her that I would force her father to do things to me.
And Pathetic, Patronizing Josephine believed her.
Instead of sending me back to the home they adopted me from, she had friends come take me away and dump me in the middle of Skid Row.
And this is where I’ve watched them become even more prominent in their society of bullshit politicians, lawmakers, and kiddie diddlers. This is where I’ve waited, biding my time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike them down.
But the longer I lived on the street, and the longer I let the hatred fester, I knew that the best way to get to the Parker family would be through their darling daughter, Pretty, Perfect Emily.
A second chance at love for a wealthy socialite and her bad boy ex.
After having her heart broken nine years ago, Monica Connor has no interest in marriage. She’s busy living her best life and building a following as a social media influencer. When a wealthy businessman contracts her to promote the opening of his new lounge, she’s excited for her most lucrative deal yet. Then she learns she has to work with someone else on the project—Andre Campos, her first love—the owner’s future son-in-law.
Andre is engaged to marry the daughter of the man who gave him a chance when no one else would, but seeing Monica causes old feelings to resurface and calls his plans into question. Being with Monica means losing everything he’s worked hard over the years to attain. But he can’t stop thinking about her, and pretty soon they surrender to the fiery passion that neither can deny.
His breathing temporarily halted. He recognized her right away, despite cutting off all her hair and leaving a short buzz cut. He’d know those pretty chestnut eyes and high cheekbones anywhere. Large hoops almost touching her shoulders adorned her ears, but smaller earrings also climbed up the shell of her right ear.
She stood at one end of the long wood table, chatting with Stanley, the company’s attorney, and another woman, whom he assumed was her attorney. Her face glowed with health and vitality, hands animated as she talked. Red lipstick brightened her full lips and popped against her russet-brown skin.
She wasn’t born into money but wore it well. Tall with slender curves poured into a red and white pants suit, he wasn’t surprised she became an influencer. Monica Connor was the epitome of an “it” girl. Popular, with an engaging personality, she’d been a trendsetter back in college. He used to call her Sunshine because she had a glow about her and brightened his day with her appearance.
His gaze dipped to the skin revealed by the plunging neckline of the red jacket she wore as a shirt.
No bra.
His mouth went dry, and he licked his lips to counteract the parched, desert-like sensation when he assessed the halfway open top.
Her gaze shifted, and their eyes met across the glass table. The smile on her face faltered before disappearing altogether, and he experienced the strangest sensation—as if the walls were closing in. She stared at him, and lips he’d known well—once upon a time—parted in shock.
“Andre.” She whispered his name, and his scalp tingled under the sound of her voice. She flashed a brief grin, hands going to her hips. “Wow, it’s been forever. It’s good to see you.”
Liar. The way-too-high octave of her voice signaled fake excitement.
He didn’t smile back, unable to truly engage in the scene because never in fifty million years had he expected Monica Connor to be standing in the building where he worked.
He swallowed the tightness in his throat. “Good to see you too.”
Author Bio:
Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sensual and passionate romance novels. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, join her mailing list. And enjoy free stories on her website at delaneydiamond.com.
The Sweetest Game Cookie O’Gorman Publication date: September 8th 2022 Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports
Hopelessly in love with my best friend’s brother.
That’s what it will say on my tombstone. Here lies Junior “June” Dorsey. Tomboy. Car lover. Bookworm. She suffered from a severe case of unrequited love syndrome.
It’s not like I haven’t tried liking other guys. I have. It’s just none of them measure up to him.
Baylor O’Brien. Beautiful. Cocky. Talented (on the field and in the bedroom—or so I’ve heard).
And completely oblivious to my love for him.
When Bay asks for my help, I can’t say no. He needs my PR expertise to revamp his reputation and up his chances of being scouted after one scout—the one he really wants—dismisses him as nothing more than a party-loving playboy.
When he asks me to be his fake girlfriend, I accept his proposal.
But how am I supposed to act like I’m in love without revealing the truth? And why is Baylor so good at pretending?
One thing I know that’s true:
All’s fair in love and baseball.
Wish me luck,
June
This new adult sports romance features two friends destined to become lovers, one sizzling fake romance, and a sexy set of brothers guaranteed to make you swoon.
After the other girls walked away, I’d opened my mouth to speak, to tell her she was brilliant, a miracle worker, the best buffer ever, but when Sunshine turned around the scowl on her face stopped me. She took my hand and started walking. She didn’t stop until we were in the kitchen where she opened the door to the pantry, pulled me inside, closed the door and crossed her arms.
“Sunshine, I can explain,” I said, but she held up a hand.
“True or false,” she said, “you’ve been with those girls before.”
“False,” I said. “One hundred percent false. They tried in the past, but I’ve never taken them to bed.”
“But you’ve taken others.”
I shrugged helplessly. “You know the answer to that.”
“True or false, you wanted to go with them just now.”
“False.”
“True or false”—she cocked her head to the side—”you told people I was off limits.”
I stared into her eyes then said, “True.”
She put one hand on her hip, used the other to poke me in the chest. “What were you thinking, Bay?”
“I just wanted to keep you safe.”
Her laughter was cold. “As if I’d need you to do that.”
I was starting to get a little pissed now. “You do need me. You have no idea what guys can be like. Most of my teammates are decent, but none of them is good enough for you.”
“I think I could’ve determined that on my own.”
“You don’t even know when a guy wants you. Take Seaver.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What about him?”
“He was hitting on you at the garage.” She scoffed, but I kept going. “Seriously, Sunshine. Guys are jerks.”
“You mean like you?”
“Yes,” I said, taking a step closer. “I am a jerk. But I’m a jerk who cares for you. Deeply.”
She shook her head. “You told them I was off limits.”
“Yeah.”
“And what made you think you had the right to do that?”
“I had every right,” I said.
“Oh really, why?”
“Because you were mine.”
I took a step closer, watching her eyes flare.
“You are mine,” I said.
The reality of my words didn’t hit me until a few moments later. I didn’t know how to take it back, wasn’t sure I wanted to.
“Bay,” she said, and I looked down into her eyes, “are you ever going to kiss me again?”
I swallowed. Suddenly, I realized I wanted that more than anything. “I guess as your love coach I probably should.”
She nodded.
“It’ll give you some practice for that asshole you have a crush on.”
“He’s not an asshole,” she said. “Though he can be a jerk sometimes.”
“I hate him,” I said vehemently.
My words hit her lips. We were that close now.
She swallowed. “How will I know if someone wants me?”
Her words distracted me from the all-consuming hatred I felt toward her crush, and I forced a grin.
“He’ll probably try to get real close,” I said. “Like this.”
Her breath came faster as I pressed my body to hers.
“He’ll also compliment you, say things to make you laugh, just to see you smile.” My hand went to her face, fingers resting on her lips. “You’ve got a great one of those, Sunshine.”
“What else?” she asked.
“He’ll look at you like you’re the only girl in the world.”
I met her eyes.
“If he’s smart, he’ll realize he’ll never measure up.”
She took a shuddering breath when my hand moved into her hair.
“But that won’t stop him from trying.”
I didn’t even know what I was saying anymore. I just knew I had to taste those lips.
“If he really wants you, then you’ll be able to feel it. In every look, touch, kiss, that he gives you. It’ll be there.”
“Oh,” she breathed.
“That’s how you’ll know.”
“I think I’m ready for you to kiss me now.”
“As you wish, Sunshine,” I said.
My lips came down on hers, and heat burst to life between us. The spark I’d felt before was nothing to now. This was fire. Pure fire. I had Sunshine in my arms, and she was burning me up. And I loved every second of it.
Author Bio:
Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad, WALLFLOWER, CUPCAKE, and FAUXMANCE are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romances, The Best Mistake, The Perfect Play, and The Sweetest Game.
Join us for this tour from Aug 18 to Sep 14, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: Call My Name: A Novel by Jenni Ogden Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 384 pages Genre: Literary/Women’s/Bookclub Fiction Publisher: Sea Dragon Press Release date: April 2020 Formats Available for Review: print (USA only), ebook (MOBI FILE
(FOR KINDLE), EPUB, PDF, NetGalley download), audiobook (Findaway
download, NetGalley download) Tour dates: Aug 18 to Sep 14, 2022 Content Rating: PG-13 + M: Has
childbirth/abortion/adoption/surrogacy themes, the brief description of a rape in the past by a Japanese guard of a prisoner in a POW camp in Sumatra in WWII (not explicit but of course disturbing and violent). A mention of cannabis smoking when characters are young, mild in-context use of f-word and other expletives.
Where You Are Felice Stevens Publication date: August 29th 2022 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
Former model and B-list actor (B meaning really bad) Isaac Seidel is now a NYC firefighter on special assignment in the one-horse town of Serenity, Pa. But all work and no play makes Isaac a dull boy, and when he hooks up with the most explosive one-night stand he’s ever had, it looks like country life might not be so boring after all.
Especially when the guy he thought he’d never see again turns out to be one of the volunteer firefighters he’s expected to train.
Levi Everett is a master at pleasing everyone—except himself. He’s spent his whole life hiding who he is and what he wants. It’s a lot more complicated now that he’s going to be seeing gorgeous Isaac Seidel every day. How is he supposed to pretend he’s straight when he and Isaac can’t keep their hands off each other?
Isaac has made it clear he’s only interested in friends with benefits, so when he returns home to NYC, Levi knows he’s gone forever.
Until he isn’t.
Trust doesn’t come easily to Isaac—he’s been hurt and used before. But Isaac is unable to forget the man he left behind, and in a shocking move, he makes Levi an offer that could change their lives forever. Now it’s up to Levi to put himself first, risking the love of his family, to go after his dreams—dreams that were unimaginable before Isaac but are now within his reach.
Because love is wherever Isaac is, and it’s the only place Levi wants to be.
Where You Are is a sweet and steamy, age-gap MM romance featuring two smoking hot firefighters who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other or their clothes on whenever they’re together. It’s filled with found family, first time love, a swoony happily ever after, a well-meaning but nosy mother, and plenty of good old country fried chicken.
Levi’s grip tightened on his bottle of Stella before answering the man who stood by his side. He was gorgeous—tall and dark-haired, with a gleam in his blue eyes and a slightly wicked but charming half smile tugging at his lips. He looked somewhat familiar, but Levi knew if he’d ever met him, he would’ve remembered.
“No. It’s not.” Anxiety sang through his blood as the man slid into the empty seat next to him.
“Great. My first time here. Seems like a cool place. Not many like it, I’m gathering.”
Levi swallowed. “Uh, yeah, me too. And I don’t think so.” Nervous and unsure what he should say or do, he kept quiet.
“Hey. Don’t worry. I’m not a serial killer or anything.” The man appeared to be nice, but Levi wasn’t taken in.
“Would you tell me if you were?”
The man laughed. “No, I suppose you’re right.” He pulled out his driver’s license and held it up. “See? That’s me.”
Isaac Seidel.
Levi noted the address in New York City and wondered what he was doing in the middle of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “I wasn’t fishing for information. My name’s Levi, by the way.”
“I know you weren’t.” Isaac signaled the bartender. “Another beer, Levi?”
Levi shrugged. “Sure. Thanks.”
He watched Isaac chat easily with the bartender as he opened their bottles of Stella. And despite his teasing about serial killers, Levi couldn’t help a frisson of fear. Was he crazy to do this? Maybe there was someone in town.…God, he hoped he wasn’t going to throw up from nerves. He hadn’t done that since he was a little kid.
“Here’s to new friends,” Isaac said, then raised a brow. “And maybe more?”
“New friends. And maybe.” He clinked Isaac’s bottle and took a swallow. Warmth settled in his belly, and he took another sip, feeling Isaac’s steady blue eyes on him. Seemed like Isaac had the same thing on his mind, and a thrill built up inside Levi at the thought of Isaac being his first.
“What do you do, Levi?” Isaac’s appreciative gaze ate him up, and Levi’s breathing accelerated. “You’re in fantastic shape.”
“I own a bar with my brother, so lifting all those cases of beer and liquor helps.”
“I’ll bet. No need for the gym.”
“We don’t even have one in my little town. You’d have to travel a few miles to get to one. But most of the young guys who work on the farms don’t need it, or they lift at home.”
“Makes sense. All that country living.” Isaac finished his beer. “In the city we can run in the park or work out, but most people belong to a gym.”
Figuring he needed to add something to the conversation to let Isaac know he was interested, he cleared his throat. “You’re in pretty good shape yourself.”
Isaac let loose that crazy, sexy smile. “Thanks for noticing.”
About to ask what Isaac did for a living, Levi froze when Isaac set his bottle on the bar and leaned in close. The cool scent of his aftershave sent a hot punch of lust through Levi, and he found himself swaying toward the man until their lips almost touched.
“Care to take a walk with me?”
Author Bio:
Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. Her characters have to work for it, because just like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.
Felice is the 2020 Lambda Literary Award winning author in best Gay Romance. She lives in New York City and has way too much black in her wardrobe. If she’s not writing, you’ll probably find her watching reality TV or procrastinating on FB in her reader group, Felice’s Breakfast Club.
Bear Harley Wylde (Hades Abyss MC) Published by: Changeling Press Publication date: August 26th 2022 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Faith – I fell for Spade when I was only sixteen. He got me pregnant, and moved me into a house with him. Then I saw his true colors. He beat me. Made me lose my baby. It’s been eighteen years and I’m still trapped, until I find the courage to take my girls and run. I didn’t count on finding another biker. This one seems different. He’s kinder. Gentler. And I think he may be just what we need.
Bear – No sooner do I tell my Pres I want to retire from the position of Sergeant-at-Arms than I catch a teen girl shoplifting. I followed her. Banged on the motel door, ready to tell the parents they’d f**ked up. Then a cute little pixie opened the door, and I knew I was a goner. Now they’re living in my house, I’ve given them my name, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Even take out another club.
WARNING: Bear is part of the Hades Abyss MC series and is intended for readers 18+ due to adult situations and bad language. Sensitive readers should proceed with caution. No cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.
I stared at my phone and the message I’d just sent to Fox, my club’s President. Aside from Spider, our previous President, I was the oldest living member in my chapter of the Hades Abyss MC, and I was feeling every one of my sixty-eight years. My bones creaked more often than not. My brown hair had gone silver. While I still kept in shape, I couldn’t maintain the definition I had in my younger days. Which meant it was time…
Need a new SAA. Time for me to retire.
He’d read the message two minutes ago. I still hadn’t received a reply or a phone call. I’d thought I would get at least one of those, if not both. That told me one of two things. He was either ignoring me in the hopes I’d forget about retiring, or he was just too damn busy to deal with it right now. Now that he had a family, he didn’t always drop what he was doing to answer the phone. And that was fine. Raven and their daughter, Harlow, deserved every bit of attention he could give them.
I put my helmet on the seat of my bike and went into the corner market. I’d given up cigarettes and beer, but there was one thing they’d have to pry from my cold dead fingers — jerky! I didn’t indulge as often as I used to, but I still got a taste for it once or twice a month. Today happened to be one of those days.
The bell over the door jingled as I stepped into the cool interior. Scanning the area, I clocked a teen girl two aisles over, an older man at the back, and a young couple at the register. Making my way down the center aisle, I checked out the jerky options and grabbed a package.
The teen girl shifted from foot to foot and kept casting glances around the store. The clerk hadn’t noticed anything was wrong. Yet. I hoped she didn’t do something stupid. Then again, teens were notorious for making bad choices. Looked like this one wouldn’t be any different. The second she thought no one was watching, she shoved a few things under her shirt and made a beeline for the front door. She actually made it into the parking lot and I shook my head.
“Just what I fucking need,” I muttered. I held up the package of jerky for the clerk to see and tossed some money onto the counter. More than enough to cover the price. “Keep the change.”
I went after the girl, keeping her in my sights. As much as I wanted to get on my bike to follow her, the Harley Davidson Freewheel wasn’t exactly a quiet bike. And yeah, I’d gotten a damn trike. The club had given me shit about it when I traded in my Street King, but I was getting too damn old for this shit. The trike put less strain on me, and I still got to ride with my club.
The girl left the parking lot and headed down the sidewalk. The longer I followed, the more I wished I’d taken my bike. When she went into a room at the local motel, I decided to give her a minute or two, then see if her parents knew she’d been shoplifting. Although, this place was a goddamn dump. There was a good chance she’d been following orders. Most people here were either drug addicts or prostitutes.
I knocked on the door and heard a hesitant, “Who is it?”
“Need to talk to the parents of the girl who just went into this room.”
I heard a thunk and a deep sigh. I wondered if the person on the other side had just banged their head on the door. The rattle of the chain let me know someone was about to open the door. I backed up a step so I wouldn’t scare whoever was on the other side. A petite woman with a gently rounded stomach opened the door. Dark circles under her eyes told me she hadn’t slept in a while. Not well, at any rate.
“Ma’am.” I gave her a nod. She blinked at me, then her gaze dropped to my cut. Her face paled, and she swayed. Figured she’d have that reaction. People either loved us or we scared the shit out of them. I held up a hand. “Easy. I’m not here to hurt you.”
“We don’t want any trouble,” she said, her fingers tightening on the door.
“The girl who just entered this room stole some stuff from a store down the street. I wanted to make sure her parents were aware of the situation.”
The woman closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped. “Piper, did you steal something? Is he telling the truth?”
Holy. Shit. This woman was her mother? No fucking way. Older sister, maybe, but mom? The girl in question appeared behind her mom, and as I looked into the room, I saw another girl on the bed. Sweat coated her little face, and her cheeks were pink. Fever?
“Everything all right, ma’am?” I asked. “The three of you in trouble of some kind?”
The teen, Piper, narrowed her eyes at me. “We’re fine. The last thing we need is another biker in our lives.”
My eyebrows shot up. Interesting. Another biker. I had so many questions and not enough answers. In fact, they hadn’t willingly told me a damn thing yet. Everything I’d learned had merely been from observation.
“Did you steal something?” her mom asked, sounding exhausted.
“Cordy needs soup. The kind we can microwave. You said our money would be gone after tomorrow.” Piper folded her arms. “If we’re about to be living out of the car, I wanted to make sure she had something to eat first.”
Motherfucker. I couldn’t walk away and leave these girls in a dire situation. My club would kick my ass if I did. Hell, I’d kick my own ass.
Author Bio:
Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers MC, Devil’s Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series.
When Harley’s writing, her motto is the hotter the better — off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.
The times Harley isn’t writing, she’s thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more. She’s also fond of TV shows and movies from the 1980’s, as well as paranormal shows from the 1990’s to today, even though she’d much rather be reading or writing.
You can find out more about Harley or enter her monthly giveaway on her website. Be sure to join her newsletter while you’re there to learn more about discounts, signing events, and other goodies!
Artemis found the love of her life when she met Linda, but their passionate relationship fizzles when Artemis lands herself on the other side of the law. Pulling the pieces of her life together, Artemis rekindles her relationship with Linda, and together they raise a daughter.
Meanwhile, Grace, running from her past, starts a life with Thalia. At a pride parade, Grace spots someone who reminds her of Artemis, who she was briefly involved with in her youth. Old feelings are rekindled. A lifetime of rejection, abandonment, and fleeing rears its head. Now she must come to terms with her past, put her relationship with Artemis to rest–or risk losing everything.
Artemis and Grace embark on a journey of revolution, love, and marriage and discover that love finds us when we least expect it.
——————-
Janet Mason is an award-winning creative writer, teacher, marketing professional, and occasional blogger for such places as The Huffington Post. Their book, Tea Leaves, a memoir of mothers and daughters, published by Bella Books in 2012, was chosen by the American Library Association for its 2013 Over the Rainbow List. Tea Leaves also received a Goldie Award. Their work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and their novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders (Adelaide Books – New York and Lisbon) was featured at the 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair. Adelaide Books also published their novel The Unicorn, The Mystery late in 2020.
Loving Artemis appeals to a wide readership, with particular interest to the LGBTQA+ audience. As a love story and a coming-of-age narrative, it holds universal appeal. It is also an important slice of American history — enticing to those who have lived through it. It also attracts a younger audience who want to learn about the events that led to marriage equality.
Art felt the bike purring under her as she gunned along the highway. She looked down and saw the blur of asphalt. She looked straight ahead. It was mid-morning on Friday and the road was empty. The sun cast a long shadow in front of her.
The shadow looked like a black cartoon of a larger-than-life person on an even larger motorcycle. It looked like something she might have seen on Saturday morning television when she was a kid. She grinned and accelerated more until the pointer on the odometer reached forty-five. Billboards blurred into trees. The highway passed over a wide stream that she could see on her right as the highway turned into a flat bridge.
It was warm for early November. Wind tousled her hair; the sunglasses fit perfectly. Everything was darker and more vibrant. The trees on the side of the highway shed their leaves in a blur of red, orange, yellow. Golden light was everywhere. Art knew the chlorophyll in the leaves captured the sun’s rays in the summer, keeping the leaves green. She had learned that in the autumn when the days are bright, but the sun’s rays are further away, the leaves take their bright colors from another group of pigments called anthocyanins. This was a process of photosynthesis; science. But as the leaves passed her in a bright autumn blur, it felt like magic.
She was so close to the road that she felt like she was a part of it. Her bike was more powerful than Tommy’s. The engine roared. It felt like flying. As long as she kept her wits about her and didn’t wipe out, she could go anywhere.
Author Bio:
Janet Mason (born 1959) is an American writer and poet. Her poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and essays have appeared in literary journals including the Brooklyn Review and the Exquisite Corpse.
Her work includes the poetry collections When I Was Straight (Insight to Riot Press, 1995),
A Fucking Brief History of Fucking (Insight to Riot Press, 1992), and A Woman Alone (Cycladic Press, 2001), and the nonfiction work Tea Leaves: A Memoir of Mothers and Daughters (Bella Books, 2012).
Her novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders was published by Adelaide Books in 2018 and
The Unicorn, The Mystery was published by Adelaide Books in 2020.
Welcome D. I am so happy to have you here today. I loved your ‘Dream Come True’ guest post. You are an inspiration to writer want to bes out there. Congratulations.
Turning A Dare
into a Dream Come True
In early 2021, I
lost my corporate job. I could have wallowed in defeat, eaten a few tubs of ice
cream and sunk into my couch to binge Netflix. Or dusted off my resume and
jumped back into the corporate world, working to make someone else’s dream come
true.
Instead, I took a
chance and chose me. My dream. My happiness.
Writing has always
been a passion of mine. I tried to wrangle writing into my day-to-day job, but
it was never enough, nor the right fit for me. I often referring to boardrooms
to boredrooms because besides a lot of talking, not much seemed to get done.
Unlike my evening, which were usually spend jotting down the adventures of the
characters in my head. Things got serious after a dare from a friend. At lunch,
my friends and I listened to one of our group complain about a recent romance
story she’d finished reading. She was disappointed that yet another alpha male
lead character won over the heart of a ray of sunshine female character.
My friend turned
to me and suggested I could write a better hero and a more romantic story. I
laughed—I wasn’t a romance writer. She dared me to prove her wrong. That
afternoon, the concept of a role reversal distracted me; an alpha female lead
character who wins the heart of a ray of sunshine male character. Ali popped
into my head and said, “Write about me. I’m perfect for this role.”
I went home that
night and wrote the first three chapters of Ruby Red – A Romance. Two months
later, I had a complete first draft of Ali and Sam’s love story. I’m proud to
say Ali remained bold and feisty throughout the book and her paramour, Sam is
kind, supportive and a dreamy beta hero who lets Ali take the lead. Happily.
Thanks to the
dare, I was now officially a romance writer. I’ve never looked back, loving
writing romance. (Pardon the pun.)
Thanks to that
round of layoffs, I’m a published romance author as well. The day after I lost
my job, I submitted my romance story to Champagne Book Group. A month later, we
were negotiating a publishing contract. I chose Champagne Books, because as a
smaller publisher, they afford the freedom to retain the essence of my writing
style. In May of 2022, Ruby Red – A Romance hit the virtual bookshelves to rave
reviews. And not only from my mom.
Ruby Red is a
riches-to-rags, hidden identity, slow burn contemporary romance high on emotion
and drama. This steamy love story promises dollops of drama, a few laughs and
plenty of passion.
24 yr. old Ali
Stinson is living the high life now she is no longer under the thumb of her
cheating ex-husband. But behind her red lipstick, designer clothes and
gala-lifestyle hides a damaged, lonely heart. Influenced by her married rich
friend and pressured to keep up with the “in” crowd, Ali attempts to fill a
void with frivolous distractions and emotionless one-night stands.
Sam Freemont has
recently arrived in town seeking a fresh start and trying to eek out a living
in his new circumstances. A chance encounter with a red-lipped, raven-haired
beauty at his place of work turns Sam’s world upside down and threatens to
expose the secret he is desperately trying to hide.
When Ali discovers
her money embezzled by her financial manager, she has two choices: admit defeat
or accept the help of the one man she might just lose her heart to. Defeat is
not in Ali’s DNA. Will Sam’s secret destroy the delicate trust she has placed
in him or will love conquer all?
What a fabulous story D. I wish you many more books in your future. Congratulations!
Ruby Red by D. L. Croisette
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
BLURB
One
night stands only need apply.
Ali Stinson is having a bad day. Her afternoon tryst was interrupted (before
they got to the good part) to discover her investment manager ran away with all
her money. Now she has to keep up appearances with her high society friends,
find a dress for an upcoming charity event, and not fall in love with Sam, the
cute bartender, who insists on helping her. Thing is, she’s 90% sure she
doesn’t want help. Adulting is hard.
Looking for work, not love.
Sam Freemont is having a strange day. He was in the middle of the best kiss of
his life when his boss walked in and halted the fun, which is not helping with
the low profile he’s trying to maintain. Now he can’t get Ali off his mind or
out of his dreams. Good thing she’s a regular at the swanky resort he just
started working at. Gives him time to find a way back to her lips. Or better
yet, into her heart.
EXCERPT
Did Sam really just say she was the most beautiful woman in
the world?
Despite her deplorable situation, Ali couldn’t help but
smile. This man did have a way with words. His texts over the past few days
always found a way to make things a little better.
Also, talking to him helped. A lightness she’d missed for a
long time expanded in her chest. It hadn’t been an easy decision to tell
someone and lay her problems before him, yet the confession came naturally.
When she’d bumped into him at the café, relief at seeing him there had rushed
in.
Kate walking in had frozen her, like a deer in headlights.
As her senses returned, Ali’s first instinct was to run. Even though she didn’t
stop to acknowledge the gesture, Ali assumed Sam wouldn’t refuse her plea for
help.
His kindness, his open heartedness made it easy for her to
tell him the details of her circumstances. He hadn’t judged her or laughed at
her. Rather, he accepted her for what she was. Plus, there was his offer to
help.
This guy was too good to be true.
There had to be some catch she wasn’t seeing. Or maybe she
should stop holding Sam to the low standards of the other men in her life and
try accepting him for who he was. She decided to trust him.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
D.L.
Croisette is a storyteller. She had characters in her head before she had words
in her mouth. Now she spins them into romantic stories full of drama and heart.
Collector of international friends, avid traveller and always up for a new
adventure, she snaps photos to remember each escapade, and peppers the best
experiences into her stories. Ruby Red is her debut romance novel, and she’s
probably at an outdoor café right now, dreaming up a bold new heroine to stir
up trouble.
Drop
by www.dlcroisette.com for a romantic quote, behind-the-scene
goodies or to say hi.
