Category Archives: Excerpt
EXCERPT REVEAL – High Density (High Mountain Trackers HMT 2G #3) by Freya Barker
Title: High Density
Series: High Mountain Trackers HMT 2G, #3
Author: Freya Barker
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 17, 2025
Pre-Order Links
Amazon ➜ https://bit.ly/4ft3yor
Apple ➜ https://apple.co/3NN2Ois
Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/4htZc2w
Nook ➜ https://bit.ly/3C4b7Ul
Excerpt:
When I get to her place, I dig through the back seat of my truck to find something cleaner to wear than the clothes I have on now. I dig up a sports bag that must’ve been in there for a couple of months, since I haven’t been to the gym in at least that long. But at least it holds a pair of clean socks, a shirt, and some sweats that smell better than the jeans I have on. I didn’t realize how foul I reeked until the beautiful aroma from the pizza was overwhelmed by the smell of cow shit. No way I can eat smelling like this.
Using Janey’s bathroom—which is permeated by her scent—is the worst kind of torture. I briefly contemplate polishing one off in the shower, but decide against it. Instead, I turn the faucet to cold for a few minutes before I step out.
Janey is on her couch, her feet tucked under her as she’s watching the news on TV. The pizza and iced teas, along with a couple of plates and napkins, are waiting on the coffee table.
“Unless you want to sit at the table?” she asks when I walk in.
“Not particularly.”
I drop down beside her.
“You could’ve started without me,” I suggest.
“You weren’t that long,” she returns, reaching to flip open the pizza box.
My stomach rumbles loudly as she loads three pieces on a plate and hands it to me, before serving herself.
I was wrong; sitting next to Janey as she moans through her first tastes of a cheesy bratwurst pizza has to be the worst kind of torture by far.
Blurb:
Since taking over the veterinary clinic in Libby, Montana last year, Janey Richards has been burning the candle at both ends. She’s grateful she is busy, but there has barely been any time to build a life outside of work. To help pay down her debt faster, she agrees to take on responsibility for the livestock at Libby’s annual rodeo, but perhaps she should’ve thought twice about the added stress.
Although, her personal life is definitely looking up.
JD Watike never thought he’d end up following in his father’s footsteps, but he’s found his stride these past six years as a member of the High Mountain Trackers team. He enjoys the simplicity of small-town living, which has only gotten more interesting since Doc Richards appeared on the scene.
Spending most of the past year patiently observing from a distance, the time feels right for him to make his move.
Or at least to clear up some misunderstandings.
The opportunity presents itself sooner than expected, when the pretty veterinarian stumbles onto some serious criminal activity at the Libby Roundup, and a young woman disappears from the grounds, he has plenty of cause to stay glued to her side.
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
Author Links
Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebook
Twitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
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Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreyaBarkerWriter
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FreyasBarksandBites
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorfreyabarker
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RELEASE BLITZ – Shadow (Addington Ranch #1) by Aubree Valentine
Shadow
Addington Ranch #1
by Aubree Valentine
Ten years away has taught Lindsey Addington to go after what she wants and her sights are set on Garrett Everleigh. Lindsey will do whatever it takes to break down Garrett’s walls and convince him to take a chance on love.
Blurb
Welcome to Addington Ranch… where the cowboys steal hearts and the women tame wild stallions.
Garrett Everleigh has been waiting (and half heartedly dreading) the day that Lindsey Addington, an heir to the Addington Ranch, returned home from chasing her horse show dreams.
Lindsey is everything the rugged, determined ranch hand has ever wanted—and everything he can’t have. Especially if he wants to keep his job and the ‘family’ that chose him. The only family Garrett has.
Ten years away has taught equestrian royalty, Lindsey Addington, exactly what – and who – she wants. Far more stubborn than Garrett ever gave her credit for, Lindsey won’t let his reservations – or his secrets – keep them from having the relationship they deserve.
Putting a decade of training with thousand pound animals to good use, Lindsey turns her insight and training on Garrett and breaks down every ounce of his resolve until he breaks.
Fans of Yellowstone and Heartland will fall in love with this best friend’s little sister/forbidden romance that sets the tone for this new, exciting, and highly anticipated series from Aubree Valentine.
Add to Goodreads! https://tinyurl.com/fhymvran
Buy Now on Amazon or Kobo/Kobo Plus!
https://books2read.com/ShadowAddingtonRanchBook1
Excerpt
Copyright 2025, Author Aubree Valentine
“What are you doing out here, Linds? You’ve got a party going on, you know?”
“I know. I came out here to see you,” she gently elbowed him.
“You should get back to your party.”
“Maybe later,” she turned up the dial on what little of sex appeal she thought she had and moved so that she was kneeling on the ground beneath his open thighs. “Right now, I came out here because I wanted to tell you something.”
“Don’t,” Garrett grunted and stood, trying to put space between them.
Lindsey stood just as quickly and grabbed ahold of his biceps. “Garrett, will you at least look at me, please?”
Garrett squeezed his eyes closed. “I can’t, Linds. I can’t look at you because if I do, all of my resolve will break.”
That confession was a tiny reassurance that at least Garrett had some kind of feelings for her too. It was all the encouragement she needed to keep trying.
“Then let it,” she begged. She wanted to see his resolve break. She wanted him to give into whatever it was that he was fighting and give in to her.
Garrett opened his eyes and put his hands on Lindsey’s shoulders. This time she could see the hunger lingering in his eyes. “Is that really what you want, Linds? Do you really want me to give into temptation?”
That was exactly what she wanted. What she’d been longing for. She was eighteen now after all. Nothing was stopping them from letting the attraction take over. “Of course,” she whispered in return.
“Tell me exactly what you want, Linds,” Garrett brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Kiss me.”
“I shouldn’t,” he argued.
Lindsey could think of a million reasons why he should.
“But you will,” she batted her eyes and bit her lip, “won’t you?”
“Damnit,” he cursed under his breath.
Then his lips were on hers.
She half expected Garrett to be gentle, or to immediately back away again. But he didn’t. Once his lips touched hers, he devoured her like he was a man starved for far too long. And with every ounce of experience that came with kissing a man and not the desperate nervousness of Lindsey’s first kiss and former high school boyfriend.
Everything about Garrett’s kisses were better than she could have ever imagined. They were all-consuming. Promising. And for a split second, she let herself believe that they really could have it all. That the two of them could be so much more someday soon.
“Shit, Lindsey,” Garrett broke their kiss like she was a flame and she’d just burnt him. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry,” he said as he started pacing around.
She should have walked away then. Took the victory of winning a kiss and walked away. Forgotten about her feelings and the happily ever after she thought included Garrett. Except she couldn’t.
“Garrett,” she moved toward him, countering every step he took backwards until he bumped into a tree. With his body pinned against the hard bark, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder, soaking in as much of Garrett and the moment as she could.
“Linds, I…we shouldn’t. You’re getting ready to leave for college. You don’t need a man like me holding you back.”
“Garrett,” she looked up into his eyes. “I really need you to kiss me again. Let me have this. Let me have you. All of you. Even if it’s just for tonight.”
About Aubree Valentine
Aubree Valentine is a masterful storyteller who weaves tales of passion, heartbreak, and happily-ever-afters that leave readers swooning and coming back for more. A hopeless romantic at heart, Aubree channels her boundless imagination and appreciation for the complexities of romance into every book she writes. Her characters are as real as they are irresistible—flawed, relatable, and unforgettable—taking readers on journeys filled with sizzling chemistry, emotional twists, and moments that tug at the heartstrings. Whether it’s a steamy small-town romance or a friends-to-lovers tale, Aubree’s stories always promise: love, laughter and happily ever after. When she’s not penning her next novel, Aubree can be found binge-reading romance novels, borrowing her husband’s power tools for some over the top project, or spending quality time with her family and their fur babies.
Connect with Aubree Valentine on social media, through her website, or sign up for her newsletter to stay up-to-date on new releases, exclusive content, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into her writing
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RELEASE BLITZ – The Forever Rule (The Cage Family #1) by Carrie Ann Ryan
The Forever Rule
The Cage Family #1
Carrie Ann Ryan
What happens when the man you’d thought could be the one turns out to be your new boss?
Blakely
The moment I met Aston Cage, I knew my life had changed. A single dance later, we’re both all in. Until he ghosted me.
Then my boss fires me for dancing with the enemy.
Three months later, working for the Cages is my last resort. Now I’ll work beside him day by day, trying not to let my feelings take control. It’s heaven and hell. Except I’m starting to think there’s a part of this story I’m missing…
Aston
I made myself walk away from Blakely after my family’s dirty laundry hit the news. My father’s secret family complicates everything. In order to keep our inheritance intact, we’re forced to do monthly dinners with both sides of the family—the brothers I grew up with and the new set of siblings we never knew about.
An additional obstacle: Blakely is my new sister’s best friend.
Meaning the moment I give into temptation, I not only risk the woman I’m falling for, but the family legacy just starting to reveal itself.
But Blakley is worth it. I just have to prove I am as well.
**The Forever Rule is a missed connection, workplace, big city meets small town romance featuring Aston and Blakely. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!**
Buy Link
https://geni.us/ForeverRuleCHoice
Excerpt
“Just like that? I’m hired?”
He shrugged as if he hadn’t just changed my life. “We can go over salary and benefits and hours and everything, but we want you. And I know you need the job. And to be fair, I was a little worried that you weren’t going to want to take it because of well…”
And the other elephant in the room raised its trunk. “You don’t have to worry about that. I haven’t spoken to him since that evening.”
Confusion covered his face. “He didn’t call you?”
I winced. “I don’t know if that’s any of your business in an interview, but no.”
He flinched. “I think we are past the point of not allowing any personal things into this interview. I apologize.”
I shook my head, wondering why I’d snapped back as I had. “No. You’re right. I’m the one that blurted that Isabella was my best friend.”
“And that’s the second thing. Is she going to be okay with you working here?”
This time I smiled. “I think she promised to come and kick shins if I didn’t get hired. So thanks for that.”
He grinned then. “I think I’m going to like this sister of mine.”
“She’s my best friend. And one of the most amazing people I know. So I hope you do. And I’m really sorry all of this happened and it’s such a mess. But we do not need to talk about that. And I’m sorry that I know so much about it.”
“It’s actually kind of nice that someone else knows outside of the family. I mean the media pretends they know, but they don’t.”
I shook my head. “I can’t even imagine.”
He waved it off as if it was nothing, though I knew it couldn’t be. “So, are you okay then working here? We’re complicated, we’re demanding, but we’re not going to fire you because you dared to even breathe next to our supposed rival.”
I press my lips together, wondering what the catch was. Who were these Cages? And why was I inevitably connected to them?
But in the end, it didn’t matter.
“Yes. I’m in.”
He held out his hand again, and I shook it, as a wide smile covered his face. “Good. Now we can let the world know we poached you from our new rivals.”
This time I rolled my eyes. “Oh, he would love that.”
“Oh, we’ll make sure he knows.”
“As long as it doesn’t blow up in our faces.”
“We can handle the embers.” He looked over my shoulder and from the way that he stiffened ever so slightly, I froze.
I knew exactly who was behind me in that moment, and who I knew I would inevitably see here.
However, James was my boss. My new boss. And as I turned to see Aston Cage there, I was afraid of what I was going to see.
And afraid of what I wasn’t.
BLP REVIEW – Tracy
I’ve been intrigued by the Cage brothers since they were introduced in the Montgomery Ink Legacy series.
This first book was a great start to what is gonna be a very interesting series.
Twists, turns and unexpected news abound in the story and Carrie Ann laid a lot of groundwork for the rest of the series in what was, for me in a lot of ways, an introduction to the characters.
That said I thoroughly enjoyed Blakely and Aston’s story. They didn’t have the easiest of journeys… stubbornness on Aston’s part to see a bigger picture in his personal life and Blakely’s often easy acceptance of why things were playing out as they were frustrated me a tad …. overall this was a likeable couple who deserved happiness together.
I cannot wait for book 2. Had an inkling of who the MMC was gonna be during The Forever Rule and I think this next read is gonna be a fun ride!!
5⭐️
About the Author
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Talon Pack, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She’s the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over one hundred novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.
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EXCERPT REVEAL – High Intensity (High Mountain Trackers HMT 2G, #2) by Freya Barker
Title: High Intensity
Series: High Mountain Trackers HMT 2G, #2
Author: Freya Barker
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: November 4, 2024
Preorder your copy of High Intensity!
Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/4cIm5MR
Apple ➜ https://apple.co/3x2IILX
Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/4f4UFlP
Don’t want to wait until November?
Start reading with High Frequency!
Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/4bgINuG
Apple ➜ https://apple.co/4dGrwgc
Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/4cPvT8a
Here’s your exclusive excerpt!
“Oh, Jillian, I’d like you to meet my son, Lucas.” I meet those pretty green eyes, now sparkling with amusement. Of course a dog named Peanut would belong to this woman. She named her cadaver dog, Emo, after all. Hell, I knew she recently moved to the area—Sloane mentioned it more than once—but I wasn’t expecting to run into her at my mother’s assisted-living home. That’s a little too close for comfort. “So you do have a first name; Lucas, huh?” “You already know each other?” Mom looks back and forth between us. “We do. How are you doing, Jillian?” She adjusts the small furball she’s holding in her arms. “Good, thanks.” I turn to my mother to explain, “Jillian and I met working on a search last summer.” Despite my immediate attempt to identify our connection as a professional one only, I see Mom’s mind already at work behind the gleam in her eyes. Great.
Book Blurb:
Dog trainer and handler, Jillian Lederman, is moving with her pack to Libby, Montana, a place where she has made friends and hopes to find a fresh start. It’s time. For years, she’s just been keeping her wounds fresh by staying in Missoula—where there were regular reminders of all she’s lost—while the rest of the world has continued to move forward.
Perhaps the new house, the beautiful mountains, and a certain pair of clear, blue eyes hold the promise of new beginnings.
Since changing careers years ago, former FBI agent Lucas Wolff has found a much better work-life balance as a member of High Mountain Trackers. Still able to serve his community, he has also been carving out a comfortable existence for himself and is not looking to make any changes to it anytime soon. Not even for a particular bold and ballsy redhead he’s been trying to avoid.
That turns out to be an impossible feat when a plane crash during a blizzard sets both of them on the trail of a young girl, all alone in the mountains. But it soon becomes evident they are not the only ones looking, and staying safe means sticking close together.
Author bio:
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
Social Media:
Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebook
Twitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
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RELEASE TOUR – Rival Hearts by W. Million
Rival Hearts by W. Million
Grady Castillo isn’t the biggest fan of Mayor Maggie Sullivan and when he sees she’s up for reelection, he can’t help but throw a wrench into her plans. However, as the race heats up and unwanted feelings arise, Grady begins to realize there’s more to Maggie than meets the eye.
Readers who love small-town romances will devour Rival Hearts by W. Million, a slow-burn, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance.
“I had a ball going through this one as your writing is so free-flowing and easy to get into. I could definitely feel the angst between Grady and Maggie, and loved it when all of their secrets began to finally spill out! I found myself thinking of the story even when I was done working for the day… These two will certainly latch onto your heart!” – Proof Positive Editing Services
“Maggie is a shoo-in to be reelected as mayor of Little Falls until her ex-lover Grady comes back to town, sparking a rivalry that’s just as personal as it is political. Scandalous secrets and lies are revealed that bring to light the pair’s complicated past in this romantic story of love, loyalty, and redemption.” Brittany M., Proofreader, Red Adept Editing
Read Now!
Amazon → https://amzn.to/3SWWrvE
Blurb:
Coveting my brother’s girlfriend is one thing, but acting on it is a step too far. It’s too bad it’s a step I’ve already taken.
The first time I met Maggie Sullivan, she was my brother’s guest at Sunday dinner. That should have been enough to keep me away. It wasn’t.
The night I lost control and gave into my passion was also the night of my brother’s arrest for selling drugs—a business I was sure Maggie must have had a hand in.
Overwhelmed with guilt, I seized a chance to try out for Center Stage, a televised singing competition. Winning changed my life.
Now, years later, I’ve returned to Little Falls to reconnect with my family, and Maggie Sullivan has somehow managed to become mayor.
With only twenty-four hours until she’s reelected uncontested, I decide to throw a wrench into her perfect life.
When the race heats up, and old, unwanted feelings surface, I start to realize that Maggie might not fit the box I’ve shoved her into all these years.
Soon, I’m wondering if I want to steal the election, or if the real victory lies in winning Maggie’s heart.
Add to Goodreads! https://tinyurl.com/4c4dmf7u
Excerpt
Copyright 2024, W. Million
My body was a traitor. I’d spent the last hour staring at the center of his chest instead of his stupid chiseled face, not giving him the satisfaction of making eye contact. What would I see in Grady’s eyes when I glanced up? Twelve years ago, we’d been this close, closer, and those eyes stole a piece of my soul. I couldn’t afford to give any more away.
With a deep breath, I stepped back and stared at him. He was stupidly tall and broad. I couldn’t remember exactly how tall. Six foot five, maybe? Enough to hurt my neck if I was too close, barefoot, and looked up for too long. I squared my shoulders and gave him a sugary smile. “You must be thirsty.” My tone was so sweet it dripped syrup. “All that singing would be hell on your voice. No need to speak.” I held up a hand in the direction of his face. “I wouldn’t want you to strain your precious vocal cords.”
Grady’s brown eyes scanned me, and I tried to decipher the emotion behind them. Amusement and something else I couldn’t place. He chuckled and raised his bottle of water. “No need to worry, Maggie May. I don’t make a living off my voice anymore, so I can let it get as rough as it needs to be.”
The familiar timbre sent an unexpected jolt through me. I hadn’t heard his voice in person since that night. Goose bumps rose on my arms, and I yanked my sweater tighter. “My middle name isn’t May.”
His lips quirked up, unrepentant, and he didn’t respond. Someone tried to get his attention. He shook his head and gave them an apologetic smile, gesturing toward me. “We’re catching up.” The crowd around him thinned back.
“No, we’re not,” I muttered.
His lips quirked again, but he didn’t say anything.
“You’re back in town, then? Trying to make something of your life?” I jutted out my chin and crossed my arms. Any sense of playing nice disappeared. The goose bumps on my skin were from disgust, nothing else. I hated him.
He scanned the crowded bar. “Seems to be a few people who think I’ve already made something of myself.” He shrugged. “But they’re probably easily impressed—give them a glossy surface and they’ll root for anyone.” He directed his pointed gaze at me and sipped his bottle of water. “I heard you’d graduated from ruining one man’s life to taking down a whole town. Little Falls still standing, or have you demolished it as well?”
His mother lived in Little Falls on the opposite side of town to my family. Penny Castillo had put my sign on her lawn during the previous election. Of all the conflicts I had helped to settle over the last four years as mayor, none of them caused my blood to boil like Grady was doing right now. He knew nothing about anything.
Leaning forward on my toes, I said, “I’ve spent the last four years looking after the people you abandoned while you chased fame and fortune.” I raised my eyebrows in a challenge. I’d been the one to help Penny Castillo fix her garage when a windstorm had taken off half the roof; I’d been the one who picked up Trent from jail when he was finally released; I’d been the one to find his brother a job a few towns over when no one else wanted to hire him. What had Grady done? Won a singing contest and disappeared.
“Only four years?” His intensity drilled into me. “What was Trent’s sentence again?”
I hated the heat creeping into my face.
Rage.
The heat was from rage and not humiliation. “It’ll be me looking after them for another four years twenty-four hours from now.”
“What are you talking about?” His sharp gaze turned curious, thoughtful.
My jaw ached from holding back the diatribe threatening to explode out. “I’m running uncontested for another term as mayor of Little Falls.”
Grady pinched the bridge of his nose and then looked toward the ceiling. “Uncontested?”
“That’s right. Uncontested,” Lila said, appearing out of nowhere to throw her arm around my shoulders. Her words were slurred, but I was so glad for the backup, her level of drunkenness didn’t matter. “It’s because she’s the best fucking mayor in any town anywhere.”
Throwing back his head, Grady laughed. “In any town anywhere?”
With a frown, Lila used one finger and pressed it into his broad chest. “Yes! God. Why do you have to be such a hot prick?”
I clamped my hand over Lila’s mouth. In the morning, Lila would regret those words. “She meant the prick part. The hot part is the Jell-O shots talking. Everyone in this bar is hot to her right now.”
“What makes you so sure no one is going to run against you at the last minute?” Grady’s eyebrows lifted, and he raised his bottle to his lips again.
Lila laughed through my hand and removed it from her face. “Because they’d have to own property in town, get enough supporters or file as an independent, and they’d have to think they could beat Maggie. No one is that dumb or that desperate.” Considering how drunk Lila appeared to be, I was impressed with how smoothly her little speech spilled out of her. “And,” Lila added, holding up her finger, “we know everyone who fits the criteria, and they’re not running.” She cocked an eyebrow at Grady and flicked out a hip. “Maggie’s got it in the bag.”
On instinct, I wanted to correct Lila, but the expression on Grady’s face made me hold my tongue. Technically, Lila wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t like the way Grady’s gaze turned calculating as it dragged across us. He chuckled to himself, and a hint of amusement lit his face.
A Hispanic woman I didn’t recognize appeared at the edge of our circle. “Sorry to bother you, Mr. Castillo. But we were hoping to get a selfie and an autograph? You’re like the biggest celebrity around here.”
“Sure.” Grady half turned toward his fan. The smile on his face had faded at the request. “Ladies.” Grady pointed his water bottle at us. “I’ll be seeing you around. I bought some prime real estate in Little Falls. Looks like we’ll be neighbors.”
About W. Million
W. Million is an award-winning author whose contemporary romances about strong women and troubled men have captivated her loyal readers. She is the author of the Bellerive Royals series and the Tucker Family Billionaires series. Writing as Wendy Million, she is the author of the contemporary second chance romances, When Stars Fall and Miss Matched.
When not writing, Wendy enjoys spending time in or around the water. She lives in Ontario, Canada with two beautiful daughters, two cute pooches, and one handsome husband (who is grateful she doesn’t need two of those).
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EXCERPT REVEAL – The Rules of Dating a Younger Man (The Law of Opposites Attract) by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
Title: The Rules of Dating a Younger Man
Series: The Law of Opposites Attract
Authors: Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 15, 2024
Excited about Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward’s upcoming release,
The Rules of Dating a Younger Man?
READ CHAPTER ONE NOW!
Copyright © 2024 by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
I looked down at my cell and shook my head.
“Why the long face?” My buddy Colby walked back into the kitchen and tossed me the keys to his car. “I didn’t think single guys with no kids and fat bank accounts had anything to stress over.”
I caught the keys. “Bite me.”
He chuckled. “No, really. Is everything alright? You were grumbling at your phone the other day when I walked into the elevator, too.”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. Except one of the volunteers on the renovations team for the new Ryan’s House project is driving me nuts. You know how we pick two team leaders to help coordinate things on each job?”
Colby nodded. “One for the mechanics—electrical, plumbing, heating, and stuff, and one for interior design—paint, flooring, fixtures, and appliances, right?”
“Exactly. This dude Alex is the design team leader. He’s driving me nuts with his suggestions. He questions every fixture, appliance, and molding I’ve picked out. Today he wants to change the living room paint color by a shade—a freaking shade. I couldn’t even see the difference between the two paint samples online. Now he just asked if we could meet for dinner tonight to go over a few last-minute changes he’d like to make.” I shook my head. “No way am I doing that. It’s a good thing you clowns are coming up this weekend to help out, because I have a feeling this guy’s going to test my limits.”
Colby made a pouty face. “Awww… Brayden has trouble working with others.”
I shook my head, but smiled. “I don’t know why I tell you shit.”
“Probably because no one else wants to listen to you.”
“Ouch.”
He laughed. “What time you getting on the road today?”
“Probably about two. I need to stop by the office and pick up a project I’ve been working on for a kid. He’s in the hospital upstate again, so I’m going to drop by to visit over the weekend and surprise him with it.”
“What did you make this time?”
I grinned. “You know I don’t give hints about my masterpieces before the unveiling. I told his family I’d come by Sunday. If you knuckleheads are still around, you should join me.”
“Sounds good.”
I held up Colby’s car keys. “Thanks again for the car swap. Mine is too small to fit baseboard heating covers.”
“Anytime you want to swap my ten-year-old, beat-up SUV for your hot little six-month-old Porsche, I’m in.” He grinned. “I’m going to have a good-ass time driving that thing upstate Saturday morning.”
I opened the door. “Don’t get arrested for going a hundred and twenty.”
***
Later that night, I checked into the hotel up in Seneca Falls and decided to go down to the lobby bar for a drink. It was empty, except for a woman sitting alone. She had a drink in front of her, and a full glass of wine sat at the empty stool beside her, so I assumed she must be here with someone. I took a seat along the short side of the bar to give them some privacy.
But damn… Sitting here gave me an even better view of the woman, and she was a total knockout—sandy blond hair, big blue eyes, and high cheekbones that led down to a full set of lips. She might’ve been a few years older than me, but that didn’t stop a rush of adrenaline from giving my body a good jolt.
The bartender walked over and dropped a napkin in front of me. “What can I get you?”
“I’ll take a whiskey sour. Any chance you have Russell’s Reserve Ten-Year bourbon to make it with?”
The bartender’s brows pulled together, and he thumbed to the woman sitting alone. “You with her?”
“No, why?”
He shrugged. “She just ordered the same drink. That brand of bourbon and all.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
I glanced over again and lowered my voice. “She alone?”
“Is now. Some guy sidled up to her when she came in a few minutes ago, but he left pretty quickly with his tail between his legs.”
Alrighty then. “Any chance you guys serve food here?”
“Sure do. I’ll grab you a menu.”
Even though I now knew she was alone, I wasn’t too enthused about striking up a conversation with the pretty blonde. Not after she’d just chased another guy away. But when the bartender brought my drink and she looked over, I raised my glass.
“Apparently we ordered the same drink.”
“Whiskey sour?” she asked.
“With Russell’s Reserve Ten-Year.”
She smiled and held up her glass. “To good taste.”
I tipped my glass to her. A minute later, my phone buzzed with a call from Colby. I swiped to answer. “I hope you’re not calling to tell me you dented my car already.”
“No, but how the hell do you put the top back up?”
“You know the button you pushed to drop it?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s the same button to put it back up. You just need to hold it for ten seconds.”
“Crap. Okay, thanks.”
“Where the hell are you that you have the top down?”
“I got a sitter and took my wife for a drive. The wind in our hair is making us feel young and free, instead of like the parents of two little kids we are, usually in bed by eight.”
I chuckled. “Well, enjoy it.”
“I plan to. Why do you think I need the top up? I just pulled into a quiet rest stop, and I need a little privacy, if you know what I mean.”
“Ugh. Don’t tell me that, dude. I don’t want your bare ass all over my seat.”
“No promises, my friend.”
I shook my head. “God, I hate you. Goodbye.”
After I hung up, the knockout looked over. “I’m not usually rude, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation,” she began. “I once bought a new car. When I picked it up, I found an empty condom wrapper on the floor of the front seat. I made them give me another car.”
I smiled. “My buddy and I swapped vehicles for the weekend. I’m considering keeping his crappy ten-year-old hunk of junk and letting him keep my nice, new one after his ass cheeks have rubbed all over the leather.”
“I think that’s a good idea. Unless…”
“What?”
“What if your friend has a penchant for car sex? I’m afraid that would mean he’s already done it in the one you’re driving.”
I pointed. “Good observation. I’ll just get mine detailed.”
The beautiful woman smiled again, and I found myself wondering if she had lipstick on or if her lips were naturally that color. They were just a little more pink than the fleshy red I’d expect for someone with her skin tone. Or maybe she wore some sort of gloss, because they were also perfectly shiny.
After a much-too-long analysis, I realized I probably looked like a creeper staring at her mouth and diverted my eyes to the menu the bartender had dropped off. Though I still couldn’t stop myself from stealing glances in between reading about the appetizers. There was something compelling about her. It might’ve been that her face wasn’t painted to fake-perfection like most women these days.
A few minutes later, I looked over and noticed her glass was empty. So I took a chance. “Can I buy us another round?”
She bit her bottom lip. “Ummm…”
I held my hands up. “It’s just a drink. I won’t invite myself over to the empty seat next to you.”
She smiled. “Sure. Why not? Thank you.”
I held two fingers up to the bartender. “Another round for both of us. On me, please. And when you get a chance, I’ll take an order of the Mexican street corn chicken tacos.”
“Oh, gosh,” the woman said. “I love Mexican street corn. That sounds delicious.”
“Oh, so now you want me to buy you drinks and dinner?”
She waved her hands. “Oh, no, I wasn’t suggesting—”
I smiled. “I’m teasing.” I looked back at the bartender. “Make that two orders of the tacos, please.”
“You got it.”
“Well, now that you’re buying me food and a drink, I feel obligated to offer you the vacant seat next to me.”
“Oh, no. There’s no obligation, really.”
She grinned. “I’m teasing, too.”
I laughed, but I also got up and walked over to her. “Is this seat taken?”
“It’s not. But I can’t promise no bare butts have been on it.”
“I’ll risk it.” I sat and held out my hand. “Brayden.”
“Alexandria. Nice to meet you, Brayden.”
“You, too. Are you a guest at this hotel, or just came in to flirt with a guy and get him to buy you dinner and drinks?”
She smiled. I liked that she could take a joke. “I’m staying here. You?”
“Same. What are you in town for?”
“I’m volunteering for a charity that renovates houses near hospitals for patients who can’t afford a hotel while they’re getting cancer treatment.”
My jaw fell open. “Are you serious? You’re volunteering for Ryan’s House?”
“You know it?”
“I’m the founder. But once a year, I also volunteer to swing a hammer. This is my once.”
“Really?”
“Let me get this straight. We drink the same drink, both love street-corn tacos, both dislike ass imprints on our car seats, and we’re volunteering for the same project? Do I just propose now? Or should I wait and see if you love candy corn as much as I do?”
Her eyes sparkled. “I love candy corn.”
I covered my heart with my hand. “Alexandria Foster. It even has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
The bartender interrupted our love fest to deliver our drinks. When he walked away, we were both still smiling.
“So you really founded Ryan’s House?” Alexandria asked. “How did that come about?”
“Almost a decade ago, I lost one of my best friends to leukemia. Ryan and I were both engineering students in college when he started treatments. He spent a lot of time in the hospital and became interested in designing prosthetics with more flexibility. We started working on ideas together to pass the time during my visits. After he passed away, I continued with some of the concepts we’d come up with. Long story short, a couple of years later, I got a patent on a new type of prosthetic joint simulator. It’s licensed to most major artificial-limb manufacturers now. I tried to split the profit with Ryan’s parents, but they wouldn’t take anything. So his half goes toward buying the houses we renovate each year for Ryan’s House.”
“That’s incredible.”
I sipped my drink. “How about you? Are you just volunteering, or is there a story behind why you picked Ryan’s House to donate your time?”
Alexandria smiled sadly. “I lost my husband a few years ago to leukemia.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you. He was older than me, but still way too young.”
“Is this your first time volunteering, or did you work on another of the houses?”
“It’s my first time. To be honest, I’m kind of nervous about it.”
“What’s there to be nervous about?” I asked.
“I don’t have too much construction experience.”
“I’ll tell you what, I’ll make sure you’re on the good team then.”
“I didn’t realize there was a good team and a bad team.”
“Usually there isn’t. But we split the volunteers into two crews, each with a team leader who coordinates who does what and makes sure we have the supplies and stuff. One of the team leaders is a real pain in the ass, a know it all. He wants to change everything that’s been planned before we even start. He’s definitely going to micromanage his crew.”
“Oh, wow. Okay. Thank you.”
“We usually just count off the volunteers who show up to give each team an equal number. But I’ll make sure you’re in Jason’s group and not Alex’s.”
“Oh. So Alex is the pain in the ass?”
“Giant pain in the ass.”
The bartender walked over with our food. It looked as delicious as it had sounded on the menu. Conversation slowed as we dug in, but I enjoyed the quiet with the company sitting next to me. After we finished eating, I turned to ask Alexandria something, but I lost track of what I was saying three words in. Her eyes were that mesmerizing.
“What?” She wiped at her cheek. “Do I have sauce on my face?”
I shook my head. “Sorry, no. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but you are absolutely beautiful. I’m relieved I got to sit next to you because I couldn’t stop myself from staring when I was sitting over there.”
Her cheeks pinked. “Thank you.”
Both our drinks were almost empty again, so I motioned to the glasses. “You want another one?”
“I think I’m going to call it a night.”
Disappointment flooded through me. I hoped I hadn’t upset her with my compliment.
Alexandria motioned to the bartender. “Could I close out my tab, please?”
“Sure thing.”
He walked away and came back a minute later. I was still trying to decide if I should apologize. Maybe I’d been too forward?
She signed the check and hopped down from the stool.
“Listen, Alexandria. I didn’t mean to upset you by saying how beautiful I think you are. I apologize if that came off creepy.”
“No, that wasn’t what insulted me.”
“That wasn’t? So something else I said insulted you?”
She looked at me a moment. “Such a shame. Because I find you attractive, too.”
“I’m confused. Why is that a shame?”
She shook her head. “Goodnight, Brayden. I’ll see you in the morning. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about which team I’m on. I’m happy on Alexandria’s team.”
“Alexandria’s team?”
“Oh. Did I say Alexandria’s team? I meant Alex’s team. I go by both names. Alexandria is my given name, after my grandmother. Alex for short.”
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BLURB
I was the last of my group of friends to find “the one.”
The guys would always tease me that I needed to hurry up and settle down.
But I was in no rush.
Until I met someone worth rushing for.
Alex was one of the weekend volunteers at Ryan’s House—a charity I founded to build housing near hospitals.
Little did I know she was the same person I’d been arguing with over email before the project started. At the time, I’d thought Alex was a dude.
In reality? She was a smoking hot blonde who captivated me from the moment we met in person.
Our chemistry was off the charts, and I fell hard pretty fast.
Unfortunately, Alex insisted I was too young for her. I hated that she felt that way. Because age was just a number.
Not only that, her words didn’t match the way she looked at me—like she was very interested.
I lived for the weekends we’d spend out of town volunteering. Alex and I side-by-side hammering during the day, while sharing intimate dinners together at the hotel at night.
Eventually, the walls she’d put up to protect her heart began to crumble.
Until fate threw us a doozy that I wasn’t sure we could come back from.
If I’d thought our age gap was the biggest hurdle, I didn’t know anything yet.
Rule number one for dating an older woman who insists you could never be together?
Don’t fall in love.
VI KEELAND
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
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PENELOPE WARD
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
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